New York To Ok Lasix

New York State is expected to legalize the diuretic Lasix for use in race horses Sept. 1, ending an era of defiance that has isolated the state from the rest of the horse racing world on the issue of medication.

“This is a giant step forward,” said trainer D. Wayne Lukas, whose horses have won four straight Triple Crown races. “Any step toward uniformity in medication rules is a step in the right direction.”

New York will be the last major racing center in the United States to legalize the medication, used to control pulmonary bleeding in racehorses.

The way was cleared for the move when the New York State Racing and Wagering Board agreed unanimously to publish a draft rule allowing use of the medication, board chairman Jerry Bilinski said.

The rule is expected to be implemented on Sept. 1, which coincides with the beginning of the Belmont fall meeting and precedes by almost by two months the running of the 1995 Breeders’ Cup races, scheduled for Belmont Park on Oct. 28.

It would not come in time, however, for the Belmont Stakes on June 10.