A bill to regulate the horseracing industry has been introduced in the U.S. Senate to complement a similar bill introduced in the House of Representatives.
The bill is backed by the Coalition for Horse Racing Integrity, a group founded by The Jockey Club. The bill was introduced by Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Martha McSally (R-Ariz.).
The bill would appoint the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, a private, nonprofit group, as the overseer of racing’s medication rules and drug-testing programs.
The bill has drawn opposition from racetracks and horsemen’s groups, but is supported by the industry’s breeding community.
In a press release, the coalition said the bill is virtually identical to the House bill. However, the Senate version requires any seller of a horse to disclose to the buyer if the horse has ever been administered bisphosphonates, a class of drugs that has emerged as potentially problematic due to possible long-term deleterious effects on bone growth and density.
A version of the bill has been introduced three times in the House, but it has never advanced to a vote at any stage of the legislative process. However, the recent deaths of racehorses at Santa Anita Park has brought some new attention to the bill, the release said.
