drug testing in horse racing

All this week, the TDN has been trying to nail down concrete details surrounding the studies performed for the Racing Medication & Testing Consortium's (RMTC) Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) into the way metformin behaves in Thoroughbreds. It turns out that the first of the three papers stemming from this study was published Wednesday in the online journal, Drug Testing and Analysis. In short, the study finds a "prolonged detection time" for the drug. This first study involved 12 Thoroughbreds aged between two and seven years of age. It was broken...

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority ("HISA") and its prohibited substance enforcement unit, the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit ("HIWU"), are to be commended for withdrawing the TCO2 charges against numerous trainers with respect to a rash of positives in Pennsylvania, which, by inference, they allege are caused by so-called "milkshaking." "Milkshaking" is the practice of pumping baking soda into a horse's stomach, which is believed to prevent or slow lactic acid buildup in horses and allow them to run faster and for longer periods. The numerous positives coming out...

Bob Baffert has been placed the squarely in the cross hairs over Medina Spirit (Protonico)'s Betamethasone positive following last week's GI Kentucky Derby and amid the chorus of criticism, admonishment and outright verbal assault, a fellow Hall of Famer took up the mantle of defense for his beleaguered colleague. "Unfortunately, it is the story of this Preakness," said D. Wayne Lukas, who has won the second jewel of the Triple Crown six times. "Racing doesn't deserve to get the black eye for something this minor. Now, if there is an...

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board can gain access to and test-by blood, hair or urine sample--every Thoroughbred in the country, on licensed or unlicensed premises, without notice after being granted Authorised Officer status by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The announcement was part of a wide range of new measures and funding unveiled on Friday as part of Irish racing's anti-doping strategy. These also include the announcement of the planned development of a whole-of-life Thoroughbred traceability system, including 30-day foal notifications; the issuing of e-passports, beginning with...