Vet records will be open to public inspection
A large and growing number of prominent Thoroughbred owners and trainers have voluntarily pledged to make veterinary records of their horses competing in graded stakes races in the United States and Canada available to the public, The Jockey Club announced April 17.
Such records will cover the 14-day period preceding and including the day of each race and will be available on the day of the race at least two hours prior to post time. The pledges take effect immediately.
The decision by the owners and trainers follows closely on the heels of an April 14 public proposal by Ogden Mills Phipps, the chairman of The Jockey Club, suggesting that the veterinary records for every horse entered in this year’s Triple Crown races be made available as a means to bring greater credibility and integrity to Thoroughbred racing at a time when millions are watching.
“The outpouring of support for this initiative has been dramatic and this is just a preliminary list of those who have stepped forward in the past few days,” Phipps said. “I commend each of the owners and trainers for taking a bold step to enhance the image of our sport, and it is our sincere hope that other owners and trainers will soon adopt this voluntary practice as well.”
As an industry service, The Jockey Club will provide on its website a list of owners and trainers who pledge to make veterinary records available, and the list will be updated on a regular basis.
Additional details regarding this initiative will be announced in the near future.
Also, as an extension of its On Call media assistance program that is designed to provide accurate veterinary information, the American Association of Equine Practitioners will provide to media, upon request, general information about medications and treatments described in those records.
AAEP will not, however, provide information or perspective on any specific horse, treatment, or procedure because an On Call veterinarian will not have examined the horse in question.
