Columbus, OH — The Ohio State Racing Commission adopted therapeutic medication thresholds at its Sept. 23 Commission meeting. The thresholds become effective Jan. 1, 2020.

The resolution was presented by Commissioner Beth Hansen, the chairperson of the Commission’s Medication Committee.

The Commission’s Medication Committee met on three previous occasions to review and discuss existing Commission therapeutic medication thresholds, the Racing Medication & Testing Consortium controlled therapeutic substances list and proposed United States Trotting Association medication proposals. The current resolution evolved from those discussions.

The Commission’s Medication Committee members consists of horsemen, veterinarians, equine professors and track representatives, as well as Commissioners and Commission staff.

During the Sept. 2d commission meeting, the speakers included: Dr. Mary Scollay, RMTC Executive Director & COO; Dr. Clara Fenger and Mike Tanner, USTA representatives; Renee Mancino, Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association Executive Director; Dave Basler, Horsemen’s Benevolent Protective Association Executive Director; and Mark Loewe, Vice President, Racing Operations, Penn Gaming.

The discussion focused on the intra-articular medication Betamethasone and how the adopted threshold might affect both Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses. Commission Chairman Scott Borgemenke encouraged the USTA to foster a relationship with surrounding racing jurisdictions to establish a racing compact that might consider adopting USTA medication proposals.

The resolution was unanimously approved.

The resolution which includes the new Commission list for regulatory thresholds can be found at the Commission website, under Licenses, Laws & Rules at www.racingohio.net/LicensesLawsRules.html.

If you have any questions please contact Bill Crawford, Executive Director, at 614.466.2758.