Horse racing creates authority to help standardize safety rules

Horse racing took what it called a “major step” in unifying equine safety standards with the formation of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority. That was followed by an announcement that Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will allow the introduction of a Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act to the Senate floor this year.

The House has had a very similar bill around since 2015, but it has yet to advance beyond a hearing. The House bill will be mirrored in the Senate bill. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Martha McSally (RAriz.) have introduced a bill in the Senate and Andy Barr (R-Ky.) and Paul Tonko (DN.Y.) in the House.

Horse racing has had its share of what it calls major steps through the years, starting with the formation of the National Thoroughbred Racing Assn. in 1997. Last year, it announced the formation of the Safety and Integrity Alliance, much as it did almost 10 years earlier. More than 20 years since the NTRA was formed, though, there is no uniformity in medication and safety rules throughout the almost 40 different state regulatory bodies.

What it hopes to do is standardize medication, testing and safety measures. The authority also plans to have a component dealing with race surfaces.

Until Monday’s announcement, Churchill Downs Inc., one of the biggest players in the sport, opposed the bill in the House. There was no reason given for the reversal. The announcement was held in Lexington, Ky., with representatives of the Breeders’ Cup, Churchill Downs Inc., Keeneland and the Jockey Club as well as McConnell and Barr.