cannabidiol

In March of 2018 when the ground around Ontario was frozen solid as a rock, Warren Byrne took a nasty spill. He had just hopped on a hot-headed unraced 3-year-old gelding when it took off blindly. Byrne was pitched onto the hard ground, breaking his upper arm--an extensive fracture that required a plate and seven screws. After the surgery, doctors warned Byrne that he was suffering bone-density issues from a medication he had long taken, describing the problem as being akin to early osteoporosis. He also reacted badly to the...

The Cannabidiol (CBD) market is growing faster than a garden weed, and as the vast roots of this multi-billion dollar industry reach further into everyday life, it's hardly surprising that the racing industry has had to take accommodating actions. This can be evinced in a California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) notification sent to trainers Friday, warning that use of these CBD products can lead to a positive "for CBD and/or CBD metabolites in blood and urine," and that, because CBD is currently unclassified in California, a positive would by default...