Owners of world-class Thoroughbreds and their trainers now have one more rule to comply with and will face liability for non-compliance. The Breeder’s Cup has announced that the administration of Lasix will be prohibited for 2 year-olds at Breeder’s Cup races in 2012, and all race-day drugs will be banned for all Breeder’s Cup races in 2013.

Breeder’s Cup has not yet named the host site for the 2012 Breeder’s Cup, but the organization is considering Belmont Park, Churchill Downs, and Santa Anita Park.

Lasix is a drug used to treat bleeding in the lungs. Some people believe the drug enhances performance because studies have shown that horses who are administered Lasix on race day outperform horses who do not receive the drug.

More than 90% of all North American race horses receive a race-day injection of Lasix, and it is exceedingly rare here to see a horse taken off the drug while racing. However, no other racing jurisdiction outside of North America allows the use of race day drugs.

Most horses who come from overseas jurisdictions to run the Breeder’s Cup are administered Lasix on race day, which is believed to “level the playing field” in races where North American horses are also entered.

Some believe that the move by Breeder’s Cup will spur other racing jurisdictions to implement similar race day drug bans. U.S. Rep. Tom Udall of New Mexico issued a statement praising the move.

One thing is clear…unless other North American tracks and events also ban Lasix on race day for the 2012 season, the new Breeder’s Cup Lasix ban might present complications for handicappers who will have to take into consideration the impact of taking a horse off Lasix after a horse has been racing and training on the drug.

Get the full story from the Blood-Horse here, and from ESPN here.

Follow me on Twitter @alisonmrowe