According to a report, during a town hall forum on Tuesday thoroughbred horsepeople in the state of Kentucky spoke out in regard to the decision to usher in out-of-competition testing which is to be implemented specifically for the upcoming Breeders' Cup championships at Churchill Downs

on November 5 and 6.

An article by The Courier-Journal explains that several participants in the hearing — which included owners, trainers and veterinarians — said the potential penalties are too great to rush the rule-making process. They suggested creating a special rule for Breeders’ Cup horses now while the commission waits on a broader rule, which would go through the normal rule-making process and allow concerns to be addressed.

“I think that sends the wrong message if we’re just going to have a heightened level of integrity for a specific event,” Kentucky Horse Racing Commission Equine Medical Director Mary Scollay-Ward was quoted as saying.

The state of Kentucky currently does not have an out-of-competition testing program. The article explains that horsepeople are seeking a delay in the Kentucky proposal to test the runners for illegal drugs even when they are not racing.

(With files from The Courier-Journal)