The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC), by a 7-5 vote with one abstention June 13, approved an administrative regulation that would ban the use of furosemide on race-day in graded and listed stakes over a three-year period beginning Jan. 1, 2014.

Under the regulation–which now must make its way through a lengthy legislative review process–furosemide, an anti-bleeding medication also known as Salix or Lasix, would not be permitted in graded or listed stakes for 2-year-olds in 2014. The prohibition would expand until it includes all horses in graded or listed stakes in Kentucky by 2016.

The regulation includes a penalty schedule for horses found to have Salix in their systems on race day.

The KRHC originally proposed to begin the phase-out of race-day Salix use in graded and listed stakes Jan. 1, 2013. Officials said the start date was pushed back a year because of the legislative approval process. Commissioner Tom Ludt abstained from the vote