Kentucky Horse Racing Commission hiring safety steward
FRANKFORT, Ky. (WHAS) — The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) is looking to hire a new position — a safety steward.
According to a news release, the safety steward will oversee safety procedures and make sure people are following both Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and KHRC standards and rules at licensed thoroughbred racetracks and training centers.
Officials said the creation of this executive-level position puts an emphasis on safety protocols, defines a lead position for safety compliance, and ensures that information is being shared to all involved parties. They will be working at the barns, the racetracks, and at training center throughout the area.
Some duties of the safety steward 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 8-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
