CHRB to submit policy changes to governor
The California Horse Racing Board is preparing a wide-ranging list of policy changes to present to Governor Gavin Newsom that include greater transparency in the reporting of medication violations, an expansion of funding for veterinary services, and greater access to veterinary records.
At Thursday’s racing board meeting, executive director Rick Baedeker said the racing board is submitting the ideas to Newsom at his request on Dec. 4.
“This is an idea paper given a lot of thought,” he said.
Newsom has been critical of the safety record at Southern California tracks this year following a series of high-profile equine fatalities in racing and training. In June, at Newsom’s insistence, California racing officials formed a panel of veterinarians and stewards to review the racing, training and medication records of all horses entered to race. The panel, which remains in place, has the right to reject an entry.
Some of the recommendations that will be presented to Newsom would require a change in statutes and must go through the legislature, which does not reconvene until January, Baedeker said. Any changes are months from being implemented.
The proposals include changing the confidentiality requirements of medication violations. Currently, the racing board does not comment until a complaint is filed against an accused party. The amended policy would allow for comment 24 hours after a positive test is confirmed by an independent lab, Baedeker said on Thursday.
Revenue gained from license fees and penalties issued by racing stewards would be directed to fund additional state veterinarians and stewards “and the infrastructure support they need,” Baedeker said.
Additionally, Baedeker said the racing board has suggested proposals that would eliminate shock wave therapy, provide fatality information on the racing board website, research the “feasibility and desirability” of synthetic surfaces, prohibit racing or training on tracks “modified because of rainy weather,” increase out-of-competition testing, and provide medication reports in the 30 days before a horse is entered to race.
Those proposals would not need legislative approval, he said.