Horse racing jurisdictions concentrated in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions are finding progress to be a subjective term: Much has been accomplished, but much remains to be done.

About 40 industry stakeholders, primarily regulators and horsemen’s representatives, met Jan. 30 at the White Clay Creek Country Club at Delaware Park, in Wilmington, Del., for an update on adoption of uniform model rules on equine medication and drug testing. It was about a year ago the group first met to attempt to devise a regional plan that could serve as a national model.

The rules, which center on threshold levels and withdrawal times for 24 therapeutic drugs, third-party administration of race-day furosemide, standard testing at accredited laboratories, and a tougher penalty system based on points, have been embraced by all racing states in the region. Maryland had them on the books by Jan. 1, in time for the winter/spring meet at Laurel Park.

Things have moved more slowly in other states simply because of differences in how regulations are adopted. But two other states—Delaware and Virginia—expect to have the rules in place by the time live racing begins in the spring