SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — In advance of similar protocols proposed by the New York State Gaming Commission earlier this year, the New York Racing Association on Wednesday announced it would begin requiring horses entering races at its tracks to be examined by an attending veterinarian within 72 hours of entry time. The attending vet must perform a physical examination and attest the horse is sound and fit to race. A trainer must have a form signed by a veterinarian filed with the racing office to be permitted to enter. Entries at NYRA tracks are typically taken between three and five days out from a race. The new rule goes into effect with the entries for the Saratoga card of Sept. 2, which will be taken on Aug. 30. A similar rule requiring a horse be examined by an attending veterinarian within five days of a published workout will go into effect next month, the New York Racing Association said. :: DRF's 2023 Saratoga headquarters: Previews, past performances, picks, recaps, news, and more. Currently, horses who race at NYRA tracks undergo a pre-race exam by a regulatory vet. In addition to physical inspection and observation, NYRA regulatory veterinarians perform a detailed review of each horse’s medical records, past performances and workouts. This requirement will remain in place. “Equine safety is a fundamental responsibility shared among racetrack operators, trainers, owners, and the veterinarians practicing on NYRA properties,” said Dave O’Rourke, NYRA President & CEO. “Requiring an additional examination of this nature is a commonsense approach to preventing serious injuries before they happen.” Since the meet opened on July 13, there have been six racing-related fatalities and four training-related fatalities at Saratoga. The sixth racing-related fatality occurred in Wednesday's $135,000 John's Call Stakes when Burning Bright suffered a cardiovascular collapse entering the second turn of that race. At its June meeting, the New York Gaming Commission proposed rules that would require an attending vet examine a horse within 72 hours of entry and 72 hours before a horse would be allowed to have a timed workout. That rule, published in the New York Registry on July 19, is in the 60-day comment period stage before it will appear on a Gaming Commission meeting agenda for adoption in either September or October. Frank Gabriel, senior vice president of racing operations, said by starting these protocols next week, NYRA can “create data for policies and procedures that are acceptable and workable as we get into the commission rule that’s coming in.” At a meeting with horsemen Wednesday, NYRA officials told horsemen that these are similar to rules in place at tracks in California and Kentucky. Horsemen expressed concerns about a shortage of veterinarians impacting the ability to get these pre-race or pre-workout examinations done. “It’s a nice idea on paper, but the application is going to be very, very difficult,” trainer Linda Rice said. “I’m afraid we’re going to spend more time trying to be in compliance than diagnosing, treating and caring for the horses.” :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.