A Jan. 30 meeting of horse racing stakeholders in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions showed how difficult it can be to achieve uniformity, even with the best intentions or most basic of regulations.

Regulators and horsemen’s representatives at the Delaware meeting said third-party administration of furosemide (also called Salix or Lasix) on race day is working well, but they indicated the "four-hour rule" for administration of the anti-bleeding medication really isn’t uniform.

In Maryland, for instance, furosemide can be administered three to four hours before a race. In Delaware, the range is three-and-a-half to four hours prior to a race. Pennsylvania and New Jersey mandate the cut-off at four hours.

"If this is going to be uniform, we all need to be on the same page," said Todd Mostoller, executive director of the Pennsylvania Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association. "Just tell us what we need to follow. I just want everyone to follow it