The embattled effort to transform horse racing's rules gets a boost from Congress

The new amendment passed by Congress gives the Federal Trade Commission more power to shape the authority's rules. The authority was tasked with overseeing thoroughbred racing in the U.S. and making racetracks safer. It hired an enforcement agency, Drug-Free International, to lead drug-testing efforts. Some states have filed lawsuits claiming the agency's quasi-government status is unconstitutional. A separate case against the organization brought by several states and horse racing organizations is before another federal appeals court. The agency can only regulate thoroughbreed racing at tracks that simulcast their racing for bettors to wager on in other states.