The New York State Gaming Commission on Monday approved the proposal of a rule that would require a trainer’s veterinarian to evaluate a horse for fitness and soundness three days prior to a workout or a race.

The proposal, which is similar to a rule in several other major racing jurisdictions, will put an additional layer of scrutiny over a horse’s fitness prior to being allowed to perform. New York’s rules already require a regulatory veterinarian to conduct a pre-race exam on the day of a race, but examinations are not required prior to workouts.

Ascot Racecourse in Great Britain has extended a partnership with the Hong Kong Jockey Club to host international betting on its races through the World Pool, the two organizations announced this weekend.

The new agreement will run through 2028. The HKJC first hosted a World Pool, which commingles bets from dozens of participating jurisdictions from around the world, on races from Royal Ascot in 2019.

According to the HKJC, betting in the World Pool on Royal Ascot’s races grew 66 percent from 2019 to 2022.

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority has convened a legally mandated advisory committee that will oversee studies of the use of the anti-bleeding medication furosemide over the next three years, HISA announced on Wednesday.

The committee, which has 11 members, will oversee the requirements and parameters for independent studies on the effects of furosemide use in Thoroughbreds, specifically when administered within 48 hours of a race. The committee will also review grant applications from research institutions and allocate funding for the studies.

The governor of North Carolina on Wednesday signed a bill that authorizes betting on sports and horse racing in the state, opening up a burgeoning market in one of the fastest-growing states in the United States.

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission will add a safety steward to its staff that will be responsible for monitoring compliance with both national and state-level rules at tracks and training centers in the state, the commission said on Wednesday.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Officials with a national regulatory body appointed to oversee drug testing in Thoroughbred racing expressed confidence Thursday that it will be able to catch trainers using banned substances and not just those who get overages of regulated, therapeutic medications.

Amber Florence, a financial executive with former experience in the Thoroughbred industry, has been hired by The Jockey Club to the new position of vice president of finance and administration, the company announced on Thursday.

Florence, a former chief financial officer for the National Thoroughbred Racing Association for 10 years who was previously a sponsorship and purchasing financial analyst for the NTRA and Breeders’ Cup Ltd., began in her new position on June 5, The Jockey Club said. She will be based in The Jockey Club’s Lexington, Ky., office.

Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack in Western New York canceled its second consecutive day of live racing on Wednesday due to smoke heading southward from wildfires in Quebec, Canada. Delaware Park, also citing air quality, canceled its live cards scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday as well.

Local news sources in the Finger Lakes region said that officials warned on Wednesday that the air quality was unsafe due to the smoke, which has created hazy conditions throughout the northeast. On Tuesday, Finger Lakes canceled its live racing card after only three live races.

Maryland’s Thoroughbred constituencies have agreed on an extension of the current live racing agreement through the end of the year, according to the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association.

Total wagering on U.S. Thoroughbred races in May declined slightly compared to the same month last year, according to figures released by Equibase on Monday, but a larger decline in the number of races in the month boosted the average wagering per race by 5.7 percent.

Although total wagering fell 1.54 percent to $1.39 billion, the average wagering per race in May jumped from $435,350 last year to $460,404. The number of races held in May this year dropped 6.9 percent, from 3,249 in May of last year to 3,025 this year.