Supreme Court rejects horse safety law challenge

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a challenge from Republican-controlled states to a horse racing safety law that has led to national medication and anti-doping rules.

The justices left in place an appeals court ruling that upheld the law and rejected claims that Congress gave too much power to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, the private entity that administers the rules.

Oklahoma, Louisiana and West Virginia sought to have the law struck down, joined by several racetracks.

The anti-doping program, which took effect in the spring of 2023, is an attempt to centralize the drug testing of racehorses and manage the results, as well as dole out uniform penalties to horses and trainers instead of the previous patchwork rules that varied from state to state.

Legislation to dismantle the new authority was introduced in September in the House of Representatives but hasn’t gone anywhere.