Louisiana adopts national uniform medication rules

The Louisiana Racing Commission adopted national uniform medication rules during a meeting Monday, but there will be a grace period before penalties are levied against the connections of horses in violation of the new guidelines, state officials said. Trainers will be made aware of violations during the grace period that runs from Sept. 20, when the uniform rules take effect in Louisiana, through Nov. 15.

“We will not penalize under the uniform levels during the grace period,” said Charles Gardiner, executive director of the commission. “The lab will report to the trainer who exceeds what the uniform thresholds will be, and in the future it will be a violation. During this grace period, it will be a warning.”

Louisiana will continue to operate within its own penalty system for violations that fall under the national uniform medication rules, Gardiner said.

The meeting Monday also led to formal adoption of a key change to a claiming rule in Louisiana that will go into effect Sept. 30, Gardiner said. It requires a horse running back within 30 days of being claimed start for a tag that is at least 25 percent higher than for which it was claimed. The current rule calls for a claimed horse to start for either the same price or higher within the 30-day window after which it was claimed.

In other business, the commission, which awards dates each spring and fall, set calendars for some of the state’s 2016 meets. Evangeline Downs was granted an 84-date meet for Thoroughbreds from April 6 through Aug. 27. Delta Downs was granted a 46-date meet for Quarter Horses from April 22 through July 9.

Louisiana Downs was granted an 84-date meet for Thoroughbreds from May 7 through Sept. 24. The track has introduced Wednesday racing this meet in place of Sundays, and the Wednesday-through-Saturday format will be in place for much of the meet in 2016. Louisiana Downs also was granted a 46-date Quarter Horse meet from Jan. 9 through March 23.