La. Admin. Code tit. 35 § I-1507

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

Section I-1507 - Bleeder Medication

A. No bleeder medication may be administered to a horse in training for a race during any race meeting except upon compliance with the following.

1. Only a licensed veterinarian may prescribe, dispense and administer bleeder medication.

2. No horse entered to race may be administered bleeder medication within four hours of post-time of the race in which the horse is to run.

B. A horse shall be considered a known bleeder when:

1. it is observed bleeding by a commission veterinarian during and/or after a race or workout;

2. an endoscopic examination authorized by the commission veterinarian or state steward, conducted within one hour of a race or workout, reveals blood in the trachea and/or upper respiratory tract of the horse examined;

3. a statement from a commission or association veterinarian of any other racing jurisdiction, confirming that a specific horse is a known bleeder is received by the commission or stewards having jurisdiction of the race meeting where such horse may be eligible to race.

C. A horse may be removed from the bleeder list only upon the direction of a commission veterinarian, who shall certify in writing to the stewards the recommendation for removal.

D. The commission veterinarian at each race meeting shall maintain a current list of all horses, which have demonstrated external evidence of exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage from one or both nostrils during or after a race or workout as observed by the commission veterinarian.

E. A bleeder, regardless of age, shall be placed on the bleeder list and be ineligible to run during the following periods of time:

1. first time, for 14 days;

2. second time, within a 365 day period, for 30 days;

3. third time, within 365 day period, for 180 days;

4. fourth time, within a 365 day period, lifetime suspension;

5. should a horse which is on the bleeder list race three times within 365 days without bleeding, it shall be considered a first-time bleeder when next it is observed bleeding by a commission veterinarian or an endoscopic examination, conducted within one hour of a race, reveals blood in the trachea and/or upper respiratory tract;

6. for the purposes of this rule the period of ineligibility on the first day bleeding was observed;

7. the voluntary administration of bleeder medication without evidence of an external bleeding incident does not subject a horse to the above periods of ineligibility.

F. The licensed veterinarian prescribing, dispensing, and administering bleeder medication must furnish a written report to the commission veterinarian at least one hour prior to post-time for the first race of the day on forms supplied by the commission. Furnishing of such written report timely shall be the responsibility of the prescribing, dispensing, and/or administering veterinarian. The following information shall be provided, under oath, on a form provided by the commission:

1. the name of the horse, racetrack name, the date and time the permitted bleeder medication was administered to the entered horse;

2. the dosage amount of bleeder medication administered to the entered horse; and

3. the printed name and signature of the licensed veterinarian who administered the bleeder medication.

G. Approved bleeder medication may be voluntarily administered intravenously to a horse, which is entered to compete in a race subject to compliance with the following conditions:

1. the trainer and/or attending veterinarian determine it is in a horse's best interests to race with bleeder medication, and they make written request upon the commission veterinarian, using the prescribed form, that the horse to be placed on the voluntary bleeder medication list;

2. the request is actually received by the commission veterinarian or his/her designee by the time of entry;

3. the horse race with bleeder medication and remain on the voluntary bleeder medication list unless and until the trainer and attending veterinarian make a joint, written request on a form provided by the commission to the commission veterinarian to remove the horse from the list;

4. once removed from the voluntary bleeder medication list, a horse may not be voluntarily placed back on the list for a period of 60 days unless the commission veterinarian determines on recommendation and concurrence of the attending veterinarian that it jeopardizes the welfare of the horse. Once a horse is voluntarily removed from the list twice within a 365-day period, the horse may not be voluntarily placed back on the list for bleeder medication for a period of 90 days.

H. In order to insure that the use of bleeder medication is reported accurately, the commission shall have the right to perform or have performed testing of blood or urine of any horse eligible to race at a meeting, whenever it is deemed necessary by it or its stewards. The veterinarian administering the approved bleeder medication shall surrender the syringe used to administer such medication for testing upon request of the commission veterinarian, a steward or either of their designated representatives.

I. Post race analysis of furosemide must show detectable concentrations of the drug in serum, plasma or urine sample that is indicative of appropriate administration.

1. Specific gravity of post-race urine samples may be measured to ensure that samples are sufficiently concentrated for proper chemical analysis. Specific gravity shall not be below 1.010. If the specific gravity of the urine is below 1.010 or a urine sample is unavailable for testing, quanitation of furosemide shall be performed in serum or plasma.

2. Quanitation of furosemide in serum or plasma may not exceed 100 nanograms of furosemide per milliliter of serum or plasma.

La. Admin. Code tit. 35, § I-1507

Promulgated by the Department of Commerce, Racing Commission, LR 6:174 (May 1980), amended LR 9:547 (August 1983), amended by the Department of Economic Development, Racing Commission LR 15:7 (January 1989), LR 22:12 (January 1996), LR 23:950 (August 1997), amended by the Office of the Governor, Division of Administration, Racing Commission, LR 35:950 (May 2009).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 4:141 and R.S. 4:142.