Indiana Adopts Model Racehorse Drug Rules; Group has Doubts

The commission approved model rule threshold levels for 24 commonly used therapeutic drugs. But a regulatory watchdog organization said the rules aren’t in lockstep with the National Uniform Medication Program.
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The Indiana Horse Racing Commission (IHRC) April 30 adopted the Controlled Therapeutic Medication Schedule and multiple medication violation penalty system. But a regulatory watchdog organization said it's premature to call it uniformity because the rules aren't in lockstep with the National Uniform Medication Program.

The IHRC unanimously approved model rule threshold levels for 24 commonly used therapeutic drugs. However, earlier in April, the Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI) added albuterol—said to be an alternative to the bronchodilator clenbuterol—and isoflupredone (a corticosteroid that can be used to treat allergic, musculoskeletal, and inflammatory ailments) to the list. Indiana plans to add them at a later date.

The testing thresholds for the 24 original drugs on the schedule will take effect May 15 at Indiana Grand Race Course (which opens May 6) and Hoosier Park Racing & Casino (which began its harness racing meet in late March).

"We applaud the state of Indiana and the Indiana Horse Racing Commission for joining the growing number of states that have adopted these important reforms in their entirety," said Alex Waldrop, president and chief executive officer of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and chairman of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC). "Along with the recent RMTC accreditation of three national testing laboratories, this represents another important step toward our goal of national adoption and implementation of uniform rules, penalties, and testing standards

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Tom LaMarra, a native of New Jersey and graduate of Rutgers University, has been news editor at The Blood-Horse since 1998. After graduation he worked at newspapers in New Jersey and Pennsylvania as an editor and reporter with a focus on municipal government and politics. He also worked at Daily Racing Form and Thoroughbred Times before joining The Blood-Horse. LaMarra, who has lived in Lexington since 1994, has won various writing awards and was recognized with the Old Hilltop Award for outstanding coverage of the horse racing industry. He likes to spend some of his spare time handicapping races.

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