The board of directors of the Jockeys’ Guild has voted to adopt the following policy statement concerning race day medications and safety concerns:
1. The safety of human and equine athletes must be paramount at all times in racing.
2. We participate in, and support the mission of, the Racing Medication Testing Consortium board, which is striving to develop and promote uniform rules, policies, and testing standards at the national level; coordinate research and educational programs that seek to ensure the integrity of racing and the health and welfare of racehorses and participants; and protect the interests of the racing public.
3. The rules regarding race day medication should be uniform throughout the United States through the creation of an Interstate Compact on Horse Racing which will enable states to act cooperatively with more uniform, effective and efficient practices, programs, rules, and regulations related to racing.
4. We support the RMTC’s recommendation to reduce the threshold of in-blood for phenylbutazone (“Bute”) from 5 micrograms/milliliter (ug/ml) to 2 micrograms/milliliter (ug/ml).
5. We support mandatory pre-race veterinary exams as the only real guarantee against unsafe horses on the race track. We believe there should be a stronger emphasis on the responsibility of the veterinarian in the afternoon to scratch horses that are not warming up soundly during the post-parade.
6. We agree that the improper use of clenbuterol and illegally compounded non-FDA-approved substances is a serious concern. We support the RMTC’s current efforts to determine the withdrawal times before a horse so treated can be allowed to race.
7. We agree that corticosteroids have to be thoroughly studied and limited in use as the science dictates.
8. We support rigorous limits on extracorporeal shock wave therapy. Every owner, trainer, or veterinarian who owns or buys a shock wave therapy apparatus must register it with the Commission, board of stewards, and race track where it is being used before it is used and give notice every time it is used. Shock Wave therapy needs to be conducted at a designated area, overseen by a regulatory veterinarian or racing official. The details of any such treatment for any horse shall be provided to all jockeys and the horse shall not race within 10 days of treatment as currently stated in the ARCI Model Rules.
9. We agree that no adjunct race day medications are permissible.
10. We support continuing scientific studies of the safety of utilizing furosomide (“lasix”) as a race day medication and will work with the industry to take any actions necessary to ensure safety. If lasix is used it shall be administered by a regulatory veterinarian.
