The Jockey Club said it supports federal legislation, citing the Horse Racing Integrity Act of 2019, which would create a private, independent, horse racing anti-doping authority responsible for developing and administering a nationwide anti-doping and medication control program. | Photo: iStock

On March 28 The Jockey Club released a white paper calling for comprehensive U.S. horse racing industry reform, including an overhaul of drug use and uniform out-of-competition drug testing, citing the need for “transparency into the medical treatment, injuries, and health of all racehorses.”

The paper’s release follows the deaths of 22 racehorses at California’s Santa Anita Park in less than three months. The Jockey Club wrote that “it would be a mistake to view the Santa Anita fatalities as an isolated situation—spikes in the deaths of horses have occurred at other tracks and they will continue to occur without significant reforms.”

On equine drug use, The Jockey Club said “improper drug use can directly lead to horse injuries and deaths. Horses aren’t human and the only way they can tell us if something is wrong is by reacting to a symptom. If that symptom is masked, the results can be devastating. … We lag behind cheaters and abusers and by the time we have caught up they have moved on to the next designer substance