Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

NYSRWB Votes for Steroid Restrictions

May 29, 2008

The New York State Racing and Wagering Board has voted to pass a proposed rule making for new steroid restrictions in New York State for both the Thoroughbred and harness industry. Based on a national model rule supported by both the Racing Medication Testing Consortium and the Association of Racing Commissioners International, the new guidelines would limit the use of steroids to only four types and establish concentration thresholds for each.

The new restrictions will allow only one of four types of steroids to be used on a horse at any given time and would set different concentrations thresholds for each: Stanozolol (Winstrol) (one nanogram per milliliter of urine), boldenone (Equipose) (15 ng/ml), nandrolone (1 ng/ml), and testosterone (20 ng/ml in geldings, 55 ng/ml in fillies and mares).

As a proposed rulemaking, the new guidelines will now be forwarded for review and approval to the Governors Office of Regulatory Reform. The rule will then be submitted to the Department of State for public comment. The rule will not be adopted by the Board until the completion of the 45 day comment period with the Department of State.

To view the rule text in its entirety, visit the Proposed Rule Sections of the Board’s website at: http://www.racing.state.ny.us/index.html.