MJC issues Preakness week stabling, medication protocols for trainers

The Maryland Jockey Club May 8 released the following information for trainers who are racing Preakness week at Pimlico Race Course.

For questions concerning any medication rules or veterinary issues please contact:

Dr. Elizabeth Daniel, Equine Medical Director for the Maryland Racing Commission, at 410-627-7048 or Elizabeth.daniel@maryland.gov; Dr. Heidi Thomas, Senior Veterinarian for the MJC, at 443-425-2741 or hthomas@marylandracing.com; or Dr. Dionne Benson, Chief Veterinary Officer for 1/ST Racing, at 612-327-9686 or Dionne.benson@stronachgroup.com

Stabling and Training‍

Designated barns will be used for all stakes horses. Horses shipping in will be stabled in the Hayward Avenue barns. Horses that are stabled at Pimlico will be in the Pimlico Road barns unless otherwise directed.

Black Eyed Susan Stakes: Horses entered in the Black-Eyed Susan must be in their designated barn at Pimlico no later than 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14.

Preakness Stakes: Horses entered in the Preakness must be in their designated barn at Pimlico no later than 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15.

Undercard Horses: Horses entered in races Preakness weekend that are not entered in either the Black-Eyed Susan or Preakness Stakes must be at Laurel Park, Pimlico, Fair Hill Training Center, or a facility pre-approved by MJC as follows: Horses for the Miss Preakness, The Very One, Allaire Dupont Distaff, or Pimlico Special must be on grounds at a facility listed above no later than noon on Tuesday, May 14. Horses for the Chick Lang, Maryland Sprint, Skipat, James Murphy, Dinner Party, Gallorette, or Jim McKay Turf Sprint must be on grounds at a facility listed above by noon on Wednesday, May 15.

All horses permitted to ship in on race day must be at Pimlico no later than 7 a.m. on the day in which they are entered to race.

Stakes Barn Access: Access to the Stakes Barns is limited. All persons must show their MRC license and proper race-day credentials. All persons are required to sign in with security and to enter at designated areas only.

Saddle Towels: All horses entered in stakes this must wear their corresponding saddle towel so that the entire number is visible when accessing the track, beginning the morning training session after the horse is required to be at the approved facility as described above. This includes horses stabled at Laurel, Pimlico, and Fair Hill. Horses at other approved training and racing facilities will be provided instruction on meeting with the examining veterinarian prior to training each day.

On Track Exams: All Preakness/Black-Eyed Susan horses must jog on track for the Maryland Equine Medical Director Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday of Preakness week. The Equine Medical Director will be located near the on-gap at the top of the stretch. The horse is required to jog under saddle away from and toward the veterinarian.

Morning Exams: Beginning on the day following required arrival listed above horses in the Black-Eyed Susan and Preakness will be examined each morning. Horses are required to be "clean legged" and free of bandages for the examination and are not allowed to be placed into ice until after the examination.

Diagnostics: If, based upon the professional judgment of the Maryland Equine Medical Director, Association Veterinarian, Chief Veterinary Officer, or the on-site board-certified surgeon, there is a need to perform any diagnostic testing on a horse entered in any race, such diagnostic testing shall be performed by the attending veterinarian. The costs of that testing will be borne by the horse's connections. The results of such testing shall be made available to any of the above listed veterinarians.

Medication and Veterinary Treatments‍

The information herein does not constitute and is not a guarantee, warranty, or assurance that the use of any of the therapeutic medications at the dosage and withdrawal times, detection times, or guidance will not result in a positive post-race test. Use of this document and its information does not lessen or relieve the trainer's responsibility for affirming that, during a horse race, a horse is free of any therapeutic medication as required in the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act as enforced by the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit.

Owners, trainers, or any other persons responsible for the care of a racehorse are strongly advised to consult their veterinarian for guidance and advice on the use and withdrawal times of all therapeutic medications. The following is only a partial list of the regulations on veterinary care and medication in Maryland.

Attending Veterinarian Examination: A trainer will not enter a horse in any race on Black Eyed Susan or Preakness days unless the horse has (a) been examined by the trainer's attending veterinarian once during the three (3) days immediately preceding the entry to race for the express purpose of evaluating the horse's fitness to race; and (b) been found fit to race by the attending veterinarian.

This evaluation shall include, at a minimum, palpation and passive flexion of the forelimbs and watching the horse jog. The attending veterinarian must submit a verification of examination and fitness to race to Dr. Dionne Benson at dionne.benson@stronachgroup.com. If no verification is submitted the entry will be scratched. The attending veterinarian and trainer are obligated to inform the Chief Veterinary Officer of any changes in the horse's fitness after entry and before race day.

Out-of-Competition Testing: Samples may be drawn at any time.

TCO2 Testing: All horses are subject to testing for TCO2. The permitted level is 37mmol/L. Exceeding 37mmol/l is a violation for the trainer and horse. Electrolytes with or without alkalizing agents-bicarbonate or otherwise, should be used with caution within 48 hours of post time. Electrolytes cannot be administered by nasogastric tube within 48 hours of post time of the race. All horses are subject to TCO2 testing at the direction of HIWU. Sampling will occur as close to the race as practical. Please ensure an MRC -icensed individual is with the horse and able to assist the MRC veterinarian.

Nasogastric Tubing of Electrolytes: Nasogastric (tubing) administration of any substance or medication is prohibited within 48 hours of post time of the race in which a horse is entered.

Water Only on Race Day: This is a very strict and clear rule. Nothing other than water can be used to flush a horse's mouth on race day. Wind Aid, glycerin or anything other than water will result in a scratch.

Treatment Records: Treatment records for all horses must be submitted for the period beginning May 7 for BES Day horses and May 8 for Preakness Day horses if they are not already electronically submitted to HISA. These records may be submitted online through the Equine MediRecord system. All veterinarians and trainers with horses in the Black-Eyed Susan and Preakness will be provided access to this system. To sign a horse up for the Equine MediRecord veterinarians should contact Pierce Dargan at darganph@equinemedirecord.com.

Records not subject to HISA regulation may be submitted any time beginning on May 6. The records must be submitted on the day of entry for treatments occurring in the period prior to entry. After entry day, records must be submitted within 24 hours of treatment.

NSAID Medications: One of the following non-steroidal anti-inflammatories may be administered per HIWU regulation: phenylbutazone, flunixin meglumine, or ketoprofen and must test below the regulatory decision level. The presence of a second non-steroidal anti-inflammatory in the blood or urine sample of a horse post-race at any concentration constitutes a violation of the anti-stacking regulations.

Medication Restrictions: Medication regulations for Thoroughbred horses will be subject to HISA regulations.

Musculoskeletal manipulation and other physical therapy devices: Musculoskeletal manipulation or the use of any mechanical device to enhance physical performance, prevent, cure, or relieve impaired or altered function of related components of the musculoskeletal system is a veterinary practice. Accordingly, these procedures can only be performed under the orders of veterinarians. Physical therapy can be performed until 48 hours prior to post-time racing.

ESWT: No horse entered to race may have extra-corporeal shockwave treatment in the 30 days prior to racing.

Furosemide (Lasix): Only horses 3 years old and upward in non-graded stakes are eligible to receive race-day furosemide. Furosemide will be administered by a third-party veterinarian between 4-5 hours prior to post-time. A licensed representative for the trainer must be present to identify and restrain the horse for furosemide administration. If a licensed representative is not present, furosemide will not be administered. If the horse is designated to run on furosemide and it is not administered, the horse will be scratched with no exceptions.

Two-Year-Old and Graded Stakes Furosemide: Horses entered in any 2-year-old or TOBA graded stakes race in Maryland are prohibited from receiving furosemide within the 48 hours prior to post-time of their scheduled race.