Cluless Clowns changed the rules recently which were in effect for about 20 years. Guess it took them that long to come to what many vet and quite a few NY horsemen feel is a pure Public Relations move.
New York State Gaming Commission
MEMORANDUM OF ITEM TO BE DISCUSSED:
Continuation of emergency restrictions on clenbuterol and corticosteroid use in racehorses (Emergency amendments to 9 NYCRR §§ 4043.2(e)(9), 4043.2(g)(5-16), 4043.2(i) and 4043.4(b)).
Please consider for Commission approval the proposed Emergency Rulemaking that continues the emergency equine drug rules proposed by the New York Task Force on Racehorse Health and Safety and initially filed by the legacy Racing and Wagering Board on December 26, 2012 and subsequently readopted. These current emergency rules are scheduled to expire on July 13, 2013. It is anticipated that the final adoption of these rules will be presented for the Commission’s consideration at its regular meeting at the end of this month. Re-authorization as emergency rules would allow them to continue in effect for an additional 60-day period to allow for Commission consideration of them as proposed permanent rules.
This rulemaking will continue the implementation of recommendations of the Task Force and the suggestions by the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association. These rules impose longer time periods during which certain drugs cannot be administered to a thoroughbred horse before its next race.
Corticosteroids are potent anti-inflammatory agents that are used to promote rapid healing of bodily tissues, but these drugs can mask pain and even destroy healthy joints when overused. The Task Force concluded that the health and safety of racehorses and jockeys would be improved by increasing the period of time that a horse may not participate in racing after a corticosteroid treatment.
Clenbuterol is a potent bronchodilator, previously used only to treat respiratory inflammation and infections in horses, that recently has been overused because it has an anabolic-steroid like effect. The Task Force concluded that many trainers overuse clenbuterol and that the health and safety of racehorses and jockeys would be improved by increasing the period of time that a horse may not participate in racing after a clenbuterol treatment.
The emergency rules restrict the administration of corticosteroids within five days before a race, for systemic administration (increased from 48 hours), or within seven days before a race, for intra-articular administration (increased from five days), and restrict the use of clenbuterol within 14 days before a race (increased from 96 hours). These rules also require trainers to report all corticosteroid joint injections to the Commission for reference during pre-race exams.
These amendments were first published as an Emergency Rulemaking on November 28, 2012 and modified as set forth in the December 26, 2012 State Register. Such rules were readopted as emergency rules in March and May of 2013, in each case to extend them for 60 days. These amendments were proposed as permanent rules, as published in the February 20, 2013 State Register. No public comment was received during the comment period of the proposed permanent rulemaking.
