ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has updated the Thoroughbred Rules of Racing with the intent of improving racehorse health and safety “aligned with ongoing efforts to enhance welfare and support industry sustainability,” according to a release put out by the AGCO. The release stated the changes are meant to ensure that only healthy horses are permitted to race, and that horses recovering from injury are provided the time and care they need to recover before returning to work. The rule changes go into effect June 23. Perhaps the most controversial new rule puts restrictions on how often horses can compete. Two-year-olds that raced twice within 28 days, and 3-year-olds and up that raced twice within 21 days, cannot start a third time in that period. Such limitations could impact field size at Fort Erie, where older horses routinely compete on short rest, and at the end of the Woodbine meet when some horsemen seek winter money by running back quickly. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Tracks will be required to create a plan for an official veterinarian to be present for observation during each race day and during peak training activities. Equine medical records must now include drug names and dosage information for added transparency for new owners. Owners and trainers may now request equine medical records of intra-articular injections when a horse transfers ownership. Horses scratched or placed on the veterinarians’ list must wait two days before participating in an official workout. Horses working to come off the veterinarians’ list are required to be examined by the official veterinarian prior to a timed workout. A trainer must schedule an appointment with the official veterinarian for removal at least 24 hours in advance of the official workout. Before the appointment, the trainer and private veterinarian must declare the horse is fit to work and co-sign a Veterinarian Statement of Fitness for submission. If the official veterinarian identifies a horse as lame when presented to work off the veterinarians’ list, it may be placed on said list for an additional 28 days and may require further diagnostics. Private veterinarians must report all intra-articular injections of the fetlock joint using the AGCO’s Veterinarian Medical Record Regulatory Submission. Horses receiving such injections must remain on the veterinarians’ list for 14 days before competing and cannot perform an official work to come off the list for 14 days following the injection. To minimize disruption to racing, horses receiving an intra-articular fetlock injection prior to June 23, will be permitted to race at Fort Erie. Any horse that receives this treatment on June 23 or later will be placed on the veterinarians’ list and not be permitted to race for 14 days. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.