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WHRC hears 2025 equine health and safety report; fatalities and medication violations remain low
Summary
Equine medical director Dr. Ron Friedman told the Washington Horse Racing Commission that testing and safety measures produced a low medication-violation rate and one of the commission's lowest fatality rates in 2025, while urging better trainer reporting and steward support for enforcement.
Dr. Ron Friedman, the commission’s equine medical director, presented the Washington Horse Racing Commission’s 2025 equine health and safety report on Feb. 13 at Emerald Downs, saying the commission “collected samples post race, 632 horses” and that overall medication violations and fatality rates have declined.
The report — delivered to commissioners and posted online — summarized testing, violations, necropsy processing and recommended changes to strengthen trainer reporting. Friedman told commissioners the commission collected 632 post-race samples in 2025, selected 248 courses for carbon-dioxide testing, and performed 94 out-of-competition tests; he said there were no TCO2 or out-of-competition violations identified in those samples.
Friedman reported six post‑race medication violations in 2025 — four for cannabidiol (CBD), one for the diuretic trichloromethiazide and one for…
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