VOLUME 6 - 2013-2014 - ISSUE 1

6 Ky. J. Equine, Agric. & Nat. Resources L. 101 (2014). 

LASIX AND HORSERACING: TELL DEATH DO THEM PART

Note Written By: Wes Bright

When one is making decisions that involve animals, who cannot choose for themselves, a hotly-debated topic is guaranteed. It is this type of decision the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission ("KHRC") faced this summer when the commission debated the pros and cons of using Lasix in horseracing. With a 7-5 vote, the KHRC approved the plan to phase out Lasix by 2016. However, the regulation has yet to go through full processing, and therefore, the debate continues.Drug use in horseracing is nothing new. Furosemide, better known as Lasix, was legal in twelve states as early as 1975. Later that year, one of the best-known forums for past performances, the Daily Racing Form, began listing the horses running on Lasix for each race. This note assesses the many pros, cons, and debates surrounding Lasix use in horseracing.