Regulatory administration of race-day anti-bleeding medication in Kentucky has provided a clearer picture of drug testing and produced added security benefits, officials said.

Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC)-authorized veterinarians began administering furosemide, also known as Salix or Lasix, on race day during the Keeneland fall meet in 2012. The policy was enacted as part of a broader medication-related executive order signed by Gov. Steve Beshear.

After several gaffes—horses receiving or not receiving Salix as listed in the program—at the Keeneland and Churchill Downs fall meets, the system has worked well, said Mary Scollay, DVM, equine medical director for the KHRC. And commission officials, after about nine months, have testing data for comparative purposes, she said.

Scollay and Rick Sams, PhD, who runs the HFL Sport Science drug testing lab, in Lexington, recently reviewed the program with The Blood-Horse. They showed test results that clearly indicate not only lower levels of Salix almost across the board, but a major reduction in "static," or other substances in the samples