Stakes committee won't begin planned drug ban
February 24, 2012LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - The American Graded Stakes Committee says it will not implement a ban of race-day medication for 2-year-old graded stakes this year.
The committee made the announcement Friday.
Last August, the new policy by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association was announced with the committee deciding to examine it again after this year's races.
The issue centers on the anti-bleeding drug furosemide - Lasix or Salix - that helps prevent thoroughbred and standardbred horses from bleeding through the nose during races.
Committee chairman Dr. J. David Richardson says in a statement that because of the various entities involved in implementing the rules governing racing, the policy has taken longer to begin than the committee hoped.
There are 49 2-year-old races that received graded stakes status this year.