The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission gave unanimous approval Tuesday to the new whip rules agreed upon by the Thoroughbred Safety Coalition and The Jockeys' Guild last month, reports the Daily Racing Form.
Kentucky's Legislative Research Commission is expected to recommend the new whip rules for approval later this year, so they could go into effect in late 2021.
The new rules are as follows:
- A limit on overhanded strikes to a total of six throughout the race. Riders are required to give the horse a chance to respond after two. Overhanded uses may not include the rider raising the whip above the helmet.
- Underhanded or backhanded use may begin in the final 3/8 of a mile. These uses will not count toward the six strike limit.
- Showing the horse the whip or tapping the horse on the shoulder will remain acceptable if both hands are on the reins
- Stewards can impose either a $500 minimum fine or a three-day minimum suspension. If the violation is egregious and intentional, they could impose both. Mitigating factors could include the rider's history with whip violations, and the number and types of use beyond the above restrictions
“We know this rule is a fair compromise and in the best interests of our industry,” Terry Meyocks, the chief executive officer of The Jockeys' Guild, told the KHRC after Tuesday's vote.
Read more at the Daily Racing Form.
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