The American Graded Stakes Committee (AGSC) said Aug. 10 it will employ a pilot program that will ban race-day medications–primarily the anti-bleeding drug Salix–in graded 2-year-old Thoroughbred stakes races in 2012.

The policy will be evaluated at the end of next year, when a decision will be made whether to continue it or expand it to other graded stakes. The committee falls under the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.

The move dovetails with action taken by Breeders’ Cup to ban race-day drugs for 2-year-old races in the 2012 World Championships. However, unless most racing jurisdictions in short order adopt similar regulations, it appears Salix will be permitted in non-graded 2-year-old stakes next year.

"There have been questions in many quarters about the integrity of the breed when so many of our horses race on medication," J. David Richardson, MD, chairman of the AGSC, said after the organization met Aug. 10 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. "We view this as a positive step for the elite-level horses that will race in graded stakes, the ones most likely to perpetuate the breed