WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court allow national rules on medicines and anti-doping for horse racing to remain in force while a likely court battle with judges continues.

The court on Monday stayed a ruling by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that Congress had given too much power to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, the private entity that administers the rules.

Other appeals courts have rejected similar challenges, and judges will likely step in to resolve the conflicting rulings.

The authority, supported by the Biden administration, Republican leader in the Senate Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and others, requested an emergency injunction from the Supreme Court.

Texas, along with racetracks in the state and neighboring Louisiana, opposed the emergency call.

The anti-doping program, which took effect in spring 2023, is an attempt to centralize anti-doping controls of racehorses, manage results and impose uniform sanctions on horses and trainers instead of the previous disparate rules in the 38 racing states.

The program led to a 50 percent drop in horse deaths at participating racetracks, the authority’s lawyers told the court. Meanwhile, death rates increased at other tracks, they wrote in their legal filing.

Legislation to dismantle the new authority was introduced to the House of Representatives but went nowhere.

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