Kentucky racing commission will hire safety steward

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission is hiring a safety steward to oversee safety procedures and ensure compliance of both Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority and KHRC standards and rules at licensed Thoroughbred racetracks and training centers.

Although the duties of the safety steward currently are performed by KHRC staff, the creation of this new position puts a focus on safety protocols, establishes a lead position for safety compliance and ensures that information is shared across all parties involved.

The executive-level position will monitor daily activities both in the barn areas and on the racetrack. Duties include:

• Monitoring for compliance with therapeutic and race-day medication regulations and reporting any observation of an unsound horse to regulatory and track veterinarians.

• Evaluating horse entries for drop in race class, poor performance, number of starts over a rolling eight-week period, veterinary treatment(s) and reporting any potential risk factors to the board of stewards for consideration to scratch.

• Conducting pre-meet racetrack safety inspections with track maintenance personnel, including working with outriders to monitor compliance with racetrack rules during morning training, monitoring starting gate procedures, and monitoring ambulance and medical personnel protocols for horse and riders.

• Assisting the state steward with trainer examinations and during steward hearings.

• Serving as a member of the mortality review board.

• Conducting random inspections at racetracks and training centers to monitor regulatory and safety compliance.

The safety steward will also make recommendations to racetrack management and regulators for the welfare of horses and riders, integrity of racing and compliance with horse racing laws and regulations.