Minnesota Legislature
Office of the Revisor of Statutes
Minnesota Administrative Rules
7890.0140 BLEEDERS.
Subpart 1.
Examination of bleeders.
A horse which is alleged to have bled in Minnesota must be physically examined by a veterinarian currently licensed by the commission in order to confirm its inclusion on the bleeder list, veterinarian's list, or both. The examination must be performed within 1-1/2 hours following the finish of a race or exercise in which the horse has participated and the examination report must be provided to the commission's veterinary office by 10:00 a.m. on the day following the examination.
Subp. 2.
Confirmation of bleeder must be certified.
The confirmation of a bleeder examined pursuant to subpart 1 must be certified in writing by the commission veterinarian and such horse must be included on the bleeder list. Upon request, a copy of the certification shall be provided to the owner of the horse or his or her agent.
Subp. 3.
Bleeders imported from other jurisdictions.
A horse shipped into Minnesota from another jurisdiction shall be allowed to race on furosemide provided it raced on furosemide in its last start, and documentation to that effect is submitted to and accepted by the commission veterinarian at the Minnesota racetrack to which it is shipped; and that this transmission occurs prior to the initial entry of the horse into a race at the current race meeting.
Subp. 4.
Horses placed on bleeder list.
Bleeders shall be placed on a bleeder list and the list shall be kept in the commission veterinarian's office. Horses certified as having bled in Minnesota shall also be placed on the veterinarian's list at the time of the observed bleeding and shall be ineligible to be entered in a race pursuant to subpart 5.
Subp. 5.
Restrictions on confirmed bleeders.
Confirmed bleeders shall be subject to the following restrictions.
A.
For the first observed bleeding, the horse shall be placed on the bleeder list and the veterinarian's list and shall not be removed from the veterinarian's list without the approval of the commission veterinarian. Such a horse shall be ineligible to race for at least 14 days following the observed bleeding.
B.
When a horse has been observed bleeding for the second time in the previous 12 months, the horse shall be placed on the veterinarian's list and shall not be removed from the list without the approval of the commission veterinarian. Such a horse shall be ineligible to race for at least 30 days following the observed bleeding.
C.
When a horse has been observed bleeding for the third time in the previous 12 months, the horse shall be placed on the veterinarian's list and shall not be removed from the list for at least 180 days, and not until the commission veterinarian has approved its removal.
D.
When a horse is observed bleeding a fourth time in the previous 12 months, the horse shall be barred from further pari-mutuel horse racing in Minnesota.
E.
Following a bleeding episode in another jurisdiction, a horse shall not be eligible to race in Minnesota for at least 14 days or for a longer period if deemed medically necessary in the professional opinion of the commission veterinarian after considering the horse's past bleeding history.
F.
For the purposes of counting the number of days a horse is ineligible to run, the day the horse bled externally is the first day of the recovery period.
G.
The voluntary administration of furosemide without an external bleeding incident shall not subject a horse to the initial period of ineligibility as defined by this subpart.
Subp. 6.
Furosemide may be permitted.
A horse is eligible to race with furosemide if the licensed trainer and licensed veterinarian determine that it would be in the horse's best interests to race with furosemide. Once a horse has raced with furosemide, it must continue to race with furosemide in all subsequent races unless a request is made to discontinue the use. If the use of furosemide is discontinued, the horse shall be prohibited from again racing with furosemide unless it is later observed to be bleeding pursuant to subpart 1 or the horse is claimed or transferred to a different licensed trainer. A horse that is claimed or transferred to a different licensed trainer is eligible to race with furosemide if the new trainer and a licensed veterinarian employed by the new owner or trainer determine that it would be in the horse's best interest to race with furosemide. Requests for the use of or discontinuance of furosemide must be made to the commission veterinarian by the horse's current trainer or assistant trainer on a form prescribed by the commission on or before the day of entry into the race for which the request is made.
Subp. 7a.
Conditions required for furosemide administration.
Furosemide shall be administered intravenously by a licensed veterinarian employed by the owner or trainer of the horse, or by the commission veterinarian. The furosemide must be administered a minimum of four hours before scheduled post time for any bleeder entered to race and the dose level of furosemide must be no less than 150 milligrams and must not exceed 250 milligrams (no less than three nor more than five milliliters of a 50 milligram/milliliter or five percent solution) per administration, except in cases where the horse has been determined by the commission veterinarian and the treating veterinarian to be a severe bleeder. In these cases, doses of up to 500 milligrams (no more than ten milliliters of a 50 milligram/milliliter or five percent solution) may be permitted. Any such horse that is claimed or transferred to a different licensed trainer shall revert to a dose of 150 mg to 250 mg unless the new trainer and a licensed veterinarian request a different dose and that dose is approved by the commission veterinarian.
The practicing veterinarian must deposit with the commission veterinarian an unopened supply of furosemide and sterile hypodermic needles and syringes to be used for the administration. The furosemide must be administered under the supervision of a person employed by the commission.
A horse on the official furosemide list must show a detectable concentration of the drug in the post-race serum or plasma sample.
Subp. 10.
Responsibility of trainer.
The trainer is responsible for ensuring that the horse is available at the appropriate time for its treatment. After having been administered furosemide, the horse shall at all times be in the care, custody, and under the supervision of the trainer or a licensed person assigned by the trainer. The horse must remain in its own stall until it is taken to the paddock to be saddled or harnessed for a race. It shall not be handled by anyone other than the trainer, the owner, or the employees listed on the trainer's signed statement. If emergency veterinary attention becomes necessary, the trainer is responsible for immediately notifying the commission veterinarian of the nature of the need and of the identity of the responding veterinarian. The trainer shall be responsible for the guarding, condition, care, and handling of the horse at all times and ensuring that a handler is present to restrain and serve as a designated witness to the furosemide administration. If no handler is present and the administration time has passed, no furosemide shall be administered and the stewards shall be notified. Trainers are responsible for ensuring that a veterinarian licensed by the commission has agreed to administer furosemide at the designated time.
History:
9 SR 2527; 10 SR 1908; 13 SR 38; 14 SR 332; 14 SR 2008; 16 SR 2207; 20 SR 2592; 22 SR 1785; 24 SR 1568; 25 SR 1609; 26 SR 1438; 31 SR 1277; 33 SR 8; 35 SR 627; 40 SR 1393; 42 SR 1258
Published Electronically:
May 1, 2018
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes