Penn Vet

William Joseph ("Doc") Solomon, beloved veterinarian, farm owner and mentor to many, has passed at the age of 84. As founder and owner of Pin Oak Lane Farm, a full-service farm and equine veterinary clinic in York County, Pennsylvania, "Doc" Solomon was responsible for helping to raise a Kentucky Derby winner, Lil. E. Tee, the supposed supporting act who took a curtain call in the 1992 running of the race after favorite Arazi flubbed his lines. Alongside the many talented horses that "Doc" Solomon helped nurture, he inspired many young...

A new test developed by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) can detect the presence of gene doping in equines. Partly supported by the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association (PHBA) and the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission, the findings, which systemically detect the local administration of illicit, gene doping therapies, are a significant breakthrough. Unlike other small molecule pharmaceuticals, gene doping agents trigger cells to produce performance-enhancing proteins, which often are virtually indistinguishable from naturally occurring proteins within the body, making it more difficult to...