Horse Racing Officials to Testify Before Congressional Panel

Horse racing industry representatives will testify before a congressional panel in Washington tomorrow. The hearings were prompted by the breakdown of the filly Eight Belles in this year’s Kentucky Derby.Although it was far from the first time a racehorse has been euthanized on the track, Ed DeRosa with the Thoroughbred Times says it touched a nerve with the public because it happened on racing’s greatest stage. A House committee will hear from veterinarians, racetrack owners and the Jockey Club and look into how safety can be improved in the industry. DeRosa says the public is looking for some assurances."People definitely want to see oversight there. And they want to see uniformity. And one of the struggles with having each state regulate those facets of the industry is you don’t have uniformity from jurisdiction to jurisdiction," he said.Some in the racing industry have said the sport needs a national oversight organization. Others say it’s already overregulated.