Third-party Lasix advances at CHRB meeting

Third-party Lasix administration is closer to reality in California.

At its monthly meeting held Wednesday at Los Alamitos, the California Horse Racing Board moved to 45-day public comment period a proposed amendment requiring authorized bleeder medication be administered by an independent third-party veterinarian.

The proposed amendment is on schedule to become law following the 45-day period.

The amendment is meant to make the administration of the anti-bleeding medication a more transparent procedure, with the shot being given by a veterinarian who has no relationship with the stable and no financial interest in how the horse performs.

In other news from the Wednesday meeting, the CHRB postponed action on a proposal requiring a postmortem examination review of each equine fatality within a CHRB enclosure. The reason for the postponement was due to questions regarding wording in the amendment.

Also the meeting, Santa Anita spokesman Scott Daruty discussed plans by Santa Anita to install 600 surveillance cameras in the stable area for regulatory and safety issues. The project is expected to be completed following the autumn meet.

The CHRB also approved Del Mar’s application for a 20-day fall meetin,g from Oct. 29 to Nov. 29.