New York racing board imposes steroid rules

New York

-- New York is the latest state to adopt a tougher stance on steroid use in racehorses.

The state's Racing and Wagering Board announced new rules this week affecting all Thoroughbred and Standardbred tracks in the state. The rules are modeled after those backed by the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium and Association of Racing Commissioners International, and were adopted previously in several other states.

The New York rules, which go into effect Jan. 1, impose rigid new limits on four steroids -- stanozolol, boldenone, nandrolone and testosterone -- and an outright ban on all other steroids in racing. There are strict new penalties for violations. The Jockey Club and New York Racing Association endorse the rules, which can be found on the racing agency's Web site, www.racing.state.ny.us.

A general crackdown on steroid use in racing jurisdictions nationwide, along with other reforms, follows a Congressional hearing in June on the need for racing-industry reforms and whether the industry or the federal government should be responsible for regulating the industry.