For the second year in a row, many of horse racing’s top owners have pledged to race their juvenile (2-year-old) starters without race-day medication.

The only medication permitted to be administered on race day in most racing states is furosemide (commonly called Salix or Lasix), a diuretic used to prevent or reduce the severity of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage.

The Jockey Club has called for the United States to phase out Salix to move into line with other major racing countries while the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) has supported a prohibition of Salix in graded stakes races for juveniles. For a second straight year, Breeders’ Cup will not allow race-day medication in its World Championship juvenile races.

This year 43 owners have pledged not to race their 2-year-olds on Salix. TOBA President Dan Metzger said that number could grow as more owners become aware of the second year of the pledge. Last year a total of 60 owners committed to not racing their juveniles without race-day medication