New Safety Committee lays groundwork for Lasix study

A newly formed committee that falls under the Maryland Racing Commission met for the first time July 23 to lay the groundwork for a study that will examine the effects of Lasix-free racing for 2-year-olds this year.

The Equine Health, Safety and Welfare Advisory Committee was formed as part of the Racing and Community Development Act, which became law June 1, 2020. The committee is made up various industry stakeholders, including veterinarians.

“The need for this committee is paramount to a lot of issues we will face the next few years,” said MRC member Dr. Thomas Bowman, who chairs the committee. “We’ll look to develop a method of study to make recommendations based on data over a period of time.”