From CHRB
ARCADIA, Calif (Apr. 19, 2019) – The California Horse Racing Board conducted its regular meeting Thursday, April 18, at Santa Anita Park. Chairman Chuck Winner presided. Vice Chair Madeline Auerbach and Commissioners Dennis Alfieri, Fred Maas, Araceli Ruano, and Alex Solis also were in attendance.
The audio of this entire Board meeting is available on the CHRB Website (www.chrb.ca.gov) under the Webcast link. In brief:
· During public comment, the Board heard from a number of people expressing their views on animal rights, the importance of racetrack jobs, and other issues concerning the life of a racehorse.
· The Board approved three measures on the agenda giving the CHRB greater control over medications administered to horses, and a fourth to help educate trainers and other licenses about the causes of catastrophic injuries. Specifically:
1. The Board suspended authorization of thresholds for steroidal and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications in post-race samples collected at all California racetracks for 12 months, something previously done for just Santa Anita Park and Golden Gate Fields. As a result of the restriction, effective May 3, there is zero tolerance for phenylbutazone (commonly known as bute), flunixin, ketoprofen, corticosteroids, and several other medications in post-race tests.
2. The Board approved for public notice a proposed rule to establish threshold limits for the presence of certain drug substances and medications in official test samples taken from horses after they complete a timed workout. By greatly limiting the amounts of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications that can be present in blood serum following serious exercise, the rule has the effect of prohibiting the administration of those medications within 48 hours of a horse working out.
3. The Board approved for public notice a proposed rule requiring trainers to maintain records of all treatments given to a horse, including veterinary procedures performed and all medications administered. Those records, which are incremental to the records that currently must be submitted by practicing veterinarians, must be made available for inspection by representatives of the CHRB, allowing them to verify that all affected medications are clinically prescribed and administered by veterinarians.
4. The Board approved for public notice a proposed rule to require trainers and other licensees to review postmortem reports with the Official Veterinarian as an educational opportunity that will help them understand how injuries develop and occur. Trainers of horses that have died within CHRB inclosures have been voluntarily reviewing those postmortem reports. This rule will make their participation mandatory.
· Concerning the agenda item regarding the possible reallocation of race dates granted to the Los Angeles Turf Club at Santa Anita, Chairman Winner said, “My view is racing since Santa Anita has reopened has been really good, there have been no accidents, and personally I see no reason to move the race dates.” With no objections, the Board took no action on this item, allowing the Santa Anita meet to continue.
· Executive Director Rick Baedeker noted that a coalition of leading thoroughbred tracks and organizations across the country, including Santa Anita, Golden Gate, Del Mar and Los Alamitos (thoroughbred meets) in California, have agreed to phase out the use of the medication furosemide, or Lasix, beginning in 2020. Both he and Chairman Winner, who participated in the discussions leading up to the announcement, praised the nationwide stakeholders for working together in the interest of equine welfare.
· Rick Baedeker also reported that four CHRB investigators are continuing to work closely with those assigned by the Los Angeles County District Attorney to investigate the equine fatalities at Santa Anita this year. He said the Board has issued more than 70 subpoenas. He said this is a detailed, thorough, complicated process and is “taking some time,” but he assured everyone this is the highest priority and will be completed as soon as possible.
· Another matter involving horse welfare – restrictions on the administration of bisphosphonates to young horses – was put over until the May meeting because commissioners felt the proposed rule did not go far enough. Vice Chair Auerbach and Commissioner Solis, who serve on the Medication, Safety and Welfare Committee, voiced support for making bisphosphonates a prohibited substance that could not be used at racetracks at all. A representative of The Stronach Group (TSG) announced that pending CHRB approval of this rule, TSG will prohibit the use of bisphosphonates at both Santa Anita and Golden Gate as house rules.
· A proposed regulatory amendment requiring practicing veterinarians to provide the CHRB with electronic versions of their handwritten reports also was put over to May.
· The Board approved the license application for the Alameda County Fair to conduct a fair meet in Pleasanton, which will offer live racing from June 14 through July 7.
· The Board approved a regulatory amendment requiring Advance Deposit Wagering companies to provide additional financial information in their license applications.