Thoroughbred horsemen’s groups largely support proposed changes in race-day medication rules for Thoroughbred racehorses but are drawing a line in the sand when it comes to the anti-bleeding drug furosemide, which is marketed under the trade name Salix.

In the past few months two organizations have taken the first steps toward a race-day ban on Salix. Breeders’ Cup won’t allow use of the drug in 2-year-olds during the 2012 World Championships, and the American Graded Stakes Committee (AGSC), which falls under the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA), voted to pull graded status for 2-year-old events next year if Salix, formerly known as Lasix, is used.

And on Aug. 14 The Jockey Club, during its Round Table Conference in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., called for taking "measured steps on the road to medication-free racing."

Industry officials acknowledge next year could be messy. The rhetoric war is under way, though it’s hard to gauge the level of support of the anti-Salix and pro-Salix camps