Kentucky to allow horses to work back from vet's list sooner
Horses in Kentucky will be able to perform a workout to determine their soundness seven days after being placed on the veterinarian's list, rather than 14 days, under a rule adopted by a committee of the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation at a meeting on Tuesday.
Dr. George Mundy, the state’s equine medical director, explained during the meeting that the commission’s Veterinary Procedures and Data Review Committee advocated the change after consulting with horsemen over the past several months in four sessions at Churchill Downs and Keeneland. Although he said attendance has “been light so far,” he also said “we have had meaningful and productive conversations with those who have participated.”
The new rule will go into effect “immediately,” Mundy said.
“We believe this is a positive for our horsemen and women and racetracks, while also protecting the health and safety of the horses,” said Mundy. “The horses that are ready to race will be able to get off the vet's list and return to the races faster.”
Under the new rule, trainers can request that a horse work in front of a commission veterinarian after being on the vet’s list for seven days. If the veterinarian is satisfied with the work, the horse will be able to be removed from the list at the conclusion of the 14-day period. The horse will also need to meet the state’s requirements for diagnostic imaging, Mundy said.
Horsemen in Kentucky and elsewhere have become more critical of the criteria for being placed on the vet’s list over the past several years due to an increased focus on pre-race veterinary exams for soundness. Those exams have become more stringent due to the discovery of dozens of factors that can place a horse at risk for injury.
Mundy said that the Veterinary Procedures and Data Review Committee is continuing to examine data on vet scratches.
The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, which issues and enforces rules on safety issues at tracks under its jurisdiction, has a rule that requires a horse to be placed on a vet’s list for 14 days. Mackenzie Kirker-Head, a spokesperson for HISA, said that the new Kentucky rule will not represent a departure from the existing rule because horses will not be able to come off the list for 14 days.
HISA is also currently conducting a review of the rules in place in racing jurisdictions across the U.S., under the goal of standardizing the rules. The review is being led by Dr. Jennifer Durenberger, HISA’s director of policy and industry initiatives.
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