LEXINGTON, KY - The Drug
Testing Standards and Practices Committee (DTSP) of the Association of Racing
Commissioners International (ARCI) has voted to call for public comment draft
rule language that would create a new paradigm for drug prosecutions and impose
a ten year exclusion for those guilty of the most egregious violations.
Under the draft rule commissions
would question the trainer and veterinarian of a horse found to have been
“excessively” administered any substance, as shown typically by the amount
detected in the horses’ system as a result of a biological sample test,
regardless of whether it was in or out of competition.
The trainer or veterinarian would be
required to prove, as a defense, that any particular administration of a
substance in an “excessive” amount did not actually endanger the welfare of the
horse or affect racing performance.
Levels indicating an administration
of a medication far in excess of the recommended dosage consistent with
generally accepted veterinary care could be considered “excessive” and an
overdose. Extremely high levels of endogenous substances indicative
of an independent administration beyond consumption of dietary supplements or
vitamins consistent with recommended levels could also be questioned.
“Those who run afoul of generally
accepted veterinary practices by giving drugs or substances to a horse with no
regard as the effect on the health of the horse or that can affect performance
in a race will be on the hot seat as a result of this approach,” said Duncan
Patterson, Chairman of the ARCI DTSP Committee.
ARCI President Ed Martin indicated
that the proposal was developed as a result of commission tests revealing that
some horses had cobalt levels fifty or a hundred times higher than what would
be considered “normal” even after routine vitamin administrations. These
horses were believed to have been injected with cobalt chloride and the test
results caused regulatory veterinarians to question the impact and side effects
on the health of the horses in question.
“Nobody should give anything to a
horse unless you know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it is safe,” Martin
said, noting that the draft rule would give regulatory veterinarians and
commissions an important weapon to protect horses. “Nor should horsepersons,
bettors, or casual fans tolerate anyone experimenting at any time with
excessive doses of substances to horses just because the horse participates in
horse racing,” he said.
Those developing the draft believe
that commissions would no longer have to wait for research or adopted testing
thresholds to be developed and enacted in order to take action when a licensee
cannot prove that what they gave to a horse was safe and did not affected
performance.
The DTSP Committee acknowledges that
veterinarians have wide latitude under state veterinary statutes.
The committee is concerned about the overuse and possible misuse of drugs or
substances by some who might depart from acceptable veterinary practice in
significant ways.
The draft rule can be found on the
ARCI website, http://arcicom.businesscatalyst.com, and comments
are being solicited from organizations and individuals.
