Louisiana Racing Commission Votes to Largely Roll Back Voided Claim Rule

[Wandering Eyes]

At its latest meeting at the end of last month, the Louisiana Racing Commission voted unanimously to largely roll back its current voided claim rule, according to commission executive director, Stephen Landry.

The proposed rule change, said Landry, will now be sent for public comment in the state register. The formal process of adopting a new rule could take up to six months, he added.

The proposed rule changes remove all but one line from the state's current voided claim rule. If adopted, the new rule will read: “A claim shall be voided if a horse is entered into a race but fails to be declared a starter.”

Stripped under the proposed changes are the following conditions that currently void (or potentially void) the claim of a horse:

• If the horse is vanned off the track by an official
• If an official veterinarian observes the horse to be lame while on the track for that race
• If the horse bleeds through the nose (epistaxis) while on the track
• If the horse fails a subsequent test (requested by the claimant) for infectious anemia (a viral disease affecting horses), or for recombinant erythropoietin (EPO) and/or darbepoietin (a bone marrow stimulant)
• If the horse dies on the track or is euthanized by an official due to injury

 

According to Louisiana Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA) executive director, Ed Fenasci, his board had voted in accord with the proposed changes because of the veterinary scrutiny already in place in Louisiana.

“My board voted to support that, and that was their reasoning,” said Fenasci, adding that horses racing in the state already undergo veterinary scrutiny pre-race, in the paddock and at the gate.

“The horses are examined multiple times, and if it turns up something, they're not allowed to run, which would then have the same effect of the voided claim,” said Fenasci.

When asked about the language potentially stripped from the current rules that give the claimant an opportunity to test for infectious anemia, EPO and/or darbepoietin, Fenasci said “that was not discussed at our board meeting.”

When asked if he agrees with this part of the proposed changes, Fenasci replied that he does not have an opinion on it.

Louisiana is one of a small handful of states that currently operate outside of the legal purview of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA).

Research strongly indicates that voided claim rules are an important factor in race-day equine fatality rates. Research published in March-an extensive study that looked at 14 years of North American data-found that the stricter the voided claim rule, the less likely the horse will suffer a catastrophic injury, compared with weaker voided claim rules.

Nearly a year ago, Louisiana's racing commission caused a stir in the industry when passing emergency rules that raised the permissible dosage and shrunk the allowable withdrawal times for several medications, most notably the bronchodilator Clenbuterol and corticosteroid Depo-Medrol. The commission later rescinded these medication usage changes.

When asked what he would say to those in the industry critical of the state's proposed voided rule changes, Fenasci repeated how he believes the pre-race scrutiny already in place in Louisiana nullifies the need for the current voided claim rule conditions.

“We feel that horses are examined three times-[which is] more than they used to be examined-and that's when you're supposed to determine whether the horse is sound and able to run,” Fenasci said.

 

The post Louisiana Racing Commission Votes to Largely Roll Back Voided Claim Rule appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

View the full article