Raglan - positive swabs

[David Summers]

Just heard a brief report from Andrew Bensley on Sky 2 that the Hong Kong Jockey Club has just reported that Raglan had been tested positive to the banned substance arsenic and has been stood down by HRNSW until further notice , till enquiries are concluded.

Apparently were found in samples taken from Raglan in several different races. Racing WA has apparently confirmed all this from B Samples taken.

That's all I know.

[triplev123]

Arsenic? Geeze. Old Tommy Woodcock's been gone for years so they can't blame him. :p
Seriously though, that's so old school. Makes you wonder where it comes from. Maybe some people are feeding Roxarsone or something like that? It's an arsenic compound that's fed...or at least it used to be fed....to young shed grown meat chickens in order to maximise their feed conversion. Either that...or the horse has been having a regular whack at some chook feed:confused::confused: Strange.

[David Summers]

Jamie, to your knowledge , how is arsenic supposed to affect a horse? Is it a "go fast" or a "go slow."?

[barney]

There was a galloper at start of spring carnival that tested positive to arsenic.Nothing heard since as they cant find another lab to do a test so i was told.

[Itisi]

There was a galloper at start of spring carnival that tested positive to arsenic.Nothing heard since as they cant find another lab to do a test so i was told.
I think you will find it part of the make up of ITPP.

[Trotter]

Jurocel is a form of arsenic. Allot of olden day trainers gave small doses too horses when worming. Cleans and purifies blood. Unsure if jurocel swabs tho???

[aussiebreno]

I think it was on this forum...somebody tried to peg a positive swab from the miracle mile of an unplaced runner onto McCarthy? Possibly this is it only McCarthy isn't to blame...just McCarthy paranoia.

[triplev123]

Jamie, to your knowledge , how is arsenic supposed to affect a horse? Is it a "go fast" or a "go slow."?


[VVV] In it's raw form and when given in the right amounts it's actually a cardiac stimulant.
I think it's achieved with small amounts (less than would kill the horse) of the inorganic form. There are organic forms of arsenic too & they can be extremely beneficial, in particular there's sodium arsanilate, a very good tonic to give to horses as the weather warms up as it helps them shed their winter coat etc. Nature Vet make a an injectible called Jurocyl which is contains this and is designed for that exact purpose. It's very good.
I don't know whether or not the chemists can distinguish between the organic and inorganic forms of arsenic in whatever the test is that they're using...I assume that they can?

[triplev123]

I think you will find it part of the make up of ITPP.

[VVV] G'day Mick. That was a pretty fair old furphy put about during the Spring Carnival by a Melbourne Journo who, for mine, didn't do her homework. I note she is yet to print a correction/retraction. Perhaps she thinks people have forgotten ?
I've had a look at the chemical structure of ITPP and I can't see where there is any arsenic contained in it's original form...and nor can I see how, once ITPP was administered, it could possibly produce arsenic as a metabolite.
It is true that Phosphates and Arsenates are very similar structure wise & they're close by each other on the Periodic Table. If they were picking up some kind of phosphates masquerading as arsenates in their test, that would make some sort of sense but each time they've come out and tagged it as the presence of arsenic which, so far and at least for me, doesn't make any sense if it's meant to indicate the presence of ITPP. Maybe there's more to it than meets the eye? Maybe arsenic is given in conjunction with ITPP? Buggered if I know. :confused:

[David Summers]

More details about the Raglan positive swabs here: http://www.harnesslink.com/www/Article.cgi?ID=95041

[triplev123]

The thing that spins my head is this.
ITPP's chemical formula is.......C6 H12 O21 P6
Arsenic's chemical formula is...H3 As O4
Where does the later come out of the former?

[murray green]

30 years ago When buying thoroughbreds off the track you were always checking horses for a rough spot on a horses neck where the hair was permanently turned back . That horse was surely injected with arsenic . It is a drug that makes a horse feel great and , at that time , was used extensively .

[candykisses]

Jurocel is a form of arsenic. Allot of olden day trainers gave small doses too horses when worming. Cleans and purifies blood. Unsure if jurocel swabs tho???

Hi Trotter
I think you'll find Jurocel replaced a product called Robycel which contained raw arsenic and would swab ,I maybe wrong but I believe jurocel is a synthetic arsenic .

My Dad ( sorry Aussiebrenno ) used to tell me a story about Phar Lap's personal Vet ,I think his name was Nelson , who after arriving home from America (after Phar Lap's death ) set up a practice in a small country town , and soon become popular amongst horse and greyhound trainers ,who would regularly get a liquid Tonic that they had to give a certain amount of drops to give their runners a lift. A young bloke with a very good greyhound which was in a Cup race on the Sat night went to see Nelson to see if his tonic would help as the dog was out of form
Nelson told the young bloke to give the dog 3 drops a night for 3 nights and 5 drops the night before the race .
Even though the young bloke did not punt the dog was sensationally backed and won with a leg in the air
The next morning when the young bloke went to walk the dog it was dead.

Dad shattered my image of Phar Lap when he told me that Arsenic enlarges the heart ( Phar Lap had a abnormal large heart)and that arsenic being a compound can not be absorbed into the body ,it usually finds it's way to the bottom of the body ,in a horse this would be it's hoofs (Phar Lap had cronic problem with his hoof's cracking and weeping ) So it was no big surprise that in recent test on Phar Lap's Hide they found high traces of Arsenic

He went on to tell me of a horse they had from a foal who was the most docile animal you ever saw , after a month long course of Robycel it suddenly turned into a nasty bastard that would lunge at you and would kick and bite.( no wonder they banned the stuff)

Cassie

[Mighty Atom]

Hi candykisses, You are right; the product was actually called Robacyl and was made by Bayer. Then Juracyl came on the market but definitely not as good as Robacyl.

[candykisses]

Hi candykisses, You are right; the product was actually called Robacyl and was made by Bayer.

Thank you Rod
Have you had any experience with the stuff ( I note you are retired like my Dad)

[Greg Hando]

We leased a horse to a vet in Sydney he won 2 races with him in quick succession after a while and after he came home for a spell approx 4 month's all his hair hair fell out mane,tail everything and looked like one of those bald cats,Grandad's comment was "Overdone the Arsenic by the look of it" apparently year's ago it was put in the horse's feed in small amount's as a pick me up after and before hard run's.

[Don Corleone]

Hey Greg,
The very first horse I went to lease was like that. I went to the old trainers barn and walked the horse and was checking it over and very excited about getting it. Luckily I took my old boss who said to me, "leave it here son, it been "nikked". I asked what that was and he said it's been given Arsenic. He then showed me how to look for signs. The horse was evenutally leased and won first up and before long it too had its mane, tail and forelock falling out.
It was a lesson well learnt by me.

[Arnie]

Why would they stand the horse down from racing? I don't know who the owners are but surely this has to be unfair to them. Any substance that was found in it's system has probably passed and it's not like the horse dosed himself up.

[Mighty Atom]

Thank you Rod
Have you had any experience with the stuff ( I note you are retired like my Dad)

Hi Cassie, yes it was a great tonic(got horses on their food) and also a great coat conditioner;brought their coats up beautiful. It was commonly used back in the 70's & 80's. There were some however that were feeding raw arsenic compounds and as previous posts have said the horses coat turned ginger shade and tufts of hair fell out and as I think arsenic poisoning is irreversible, sadly, there was no future for these horses.

[barney]

Noticed it is still in the field and someone on insiderail said was up to Wa stewards and they were going to let it run.

If they do it is just another nail in the coffin of harness racing.The horse didnt give itself the arsenic someone did and to let it race with a positive swab is telling the cheaters keep doing it as we wont act on positives either.

[aussiebreno]

Noticed it is still in the field and someone on insiderail said was up to Wa stewards and they were going to let it run.

If they do it is just another nail in the coffin of harness racing.The horse didnt give itself the arsenic someone did and to let it race with a positive swab is telling the cheaters keep doing it as we wont act on positives either.
I'm starting to sound like I am on the side of cheats...but...if (key word IF) the arsenic is out of its system now then there is no reason for it to be disallowed to race imo.
Penalties will be way of fines/suspensions and race disqualifications (lose prize-money).

A big flaw in the AFL is no sin binning imo. A sin bin (eg Raglan being DQed from Newcasltle Mile) has benefits for the opposing team; ie they will have 1 extra man for 10mins or whatever (or the 2nd place horse now gets 1st place prizemoney). Whereas a tribunal might give the player 2 weeks, that has benefits for future teams (eg future trainers) who had no harm done by them, yet the victim (eg the guy Barry Hall king hit or Hopoate ...erm we all know what Hoppa done!) gets no benefit from it.
It's not identical comparisons, but there isn't much point disallowing Raglan to start in the WA Cup if arsenic is out of his system imo.

[Harold Parker]

I'm starting to sound like I am on the side of cheats...but...if (key word IF) the arsenic is out of its system now then there is no reason for it to be disallowed to race imo.
Penalties will be way of fines/suspensions and race disqualifications (lose prize-money).

A big flaw in the AFL is no sin binning imo. A sin bin (eg Raglan being DQed from Newcasltle Mile) has benefits for the opposing team; ie they will have 1 extra man for 10mins or whatever (or the 2nd place horse now gets 1st place prizemoney). Whereas a tribunal might give the player 2 weeks, that has benefits for future teams (eg future trainers) who had no harm done by them, yet the victim (eg the guy Barry Hall king hit or Hopoate ...erm we all know what Hoppa done!) gets no benefit from it.
It's not identical comparisons, but there isn't much point disallowing Raglan to start in the WA Cup if arsenic is out of his system imo.

Seriously Dude ?

It earned a start in the Miracle Mile off it's Newcastle Mile win. Straight into the Victoria Cup (an amazing performance) into the WA Cup. It's tested positive so I'm within my rights to be suspicious of it's entire form here in Australia. It's grown a leg and probably not because of the warmer weather.

If Raglan starts tomorrow night, it's a disgrace.

[aussiebreno]

Yes and penalties will be withstanding for the Newcastle Mile, Miracle Mile etc.

If it is free of arsenic (or other banned subtances) in its system come start time of the WA Cup why should it not be allowed to race?

[Harold Parker]

You are totally missing the point.

If it was free of a banned substance in the Newcastle Mile does it win it, who knows ?

The Newcastle Mile is a feature thus I suspect the testing goes that step or two further hence possibly the find. The improved performances to earn a Newcastle Mile start, what about those ?

A blight on Harness Racing if it starts tomorrow night.

[aussiebreno]

You are totally missing the point.

If it was free of a banned substance in the Newcastle Mile does it win it, who knows ?

The Newcastle Mile is a feature thus I suspect the testing goes that step or two further hence possibly the find. The improved performances to earn a Newcastle Mile start, what about those ?

A blight on Harness Racing if it starts tomorrow night.
The trainer will get punishment for that i due course thru suspensions/fines etc.
The testing procedure and how it was found has been mentioned in this thread....

What disadvantage are the competitors at in the WA Cup if he starts?

[Chariots]

Am I missing something here. The press release says that the Newcastle Mile test was negative. In my opinion it would be against all recent handlings of positive swabs to stand the horse down. Owners have rights to and it was in another era where the horse was also disqualified for a positive swab.

[bbd]

Raglan did not fail the swab for the newcastle Mile. It failed a pre-race swab for the MIRACLE MILE.
The newcastle mile and the subsequent win at menangle were legit.

[Harold Parker]

OK, I only read here re the Newcastle Mile. So it only tested positive for a sample taken before the Miracle Mile ?

Oh well that's OK then ... it should be allowed to start.

Seriously ... because the owners have rights ? what about the owners of the emergencies in the Miracle Mile, Vic Cup, WA Cup etc ?

It's an embarrassment to Harness Racing if it starts. NSWHR has done their part, it's time for the Stewards in WA to do theirs.

[Harold Parker]

In fact if I owned the 1st Emergency I'd be seeking legal advice.

[aussiebreno]

You sure do provide more entertainment than Sunrises David Koch Joke of the Day.

[barney]

How do we know its out of its system.The tests have to go to Hong kong for testing.I might sound like im harping but the sport is on the nose now with most punters and if this starts in a big race with a positive over its head then it wont stink it will be foul stench that will give the anti harness people a free hit.We cant afford that.

[aussiebreno]

How do we know its out of its system.
I don't know personally thats why I said IF in my reply to you earlier.

[barney]

I don't know personally thats why I said IF in my reply to you earlier.

Thats why if they let it start they need to let joe public know that it is clean and arsenic in not a performance enhancing drug.

Congrats on reaching 1000 posts lol

[triplev123]

Been doing some reading and here are a few of the more interesting things I found out.

- Potassium supplements greatly decrease the risk of heart rhythm problems associated with arsenic exposure.

- Naturally occurring sulfurous substances contained in Garlic etc. will greatly assist in the excretion of arsenic.

- Urine tests for arsenic indicate recent exposure (within the previous 24-48hrs).

- Hoof & hair tests show prolonged exposure (within the previous 6-12 months).

- There are analytical techniques capable of distinguishing exposure to organic or inorganic arsenic.

- When consumed most inorganic arsenic is converted to organic compounds and excreted in the urine. On the other hand organic arsenic, when consumed, is excreted in the urine in a largely unchanged form.

[Harold Parker]

Arsenic isn't a performance drug Barney ?

It is

[aussiebreno]

Thats why if they let it start they need to let joe public know that it is clean and arsenic in not a performance enhancing drug.

Congrats on reaching 1000 posts lol
Yep, if its usually stays above the threshold amount for a certain amount of time then by all means rule him out.
But if it leaves the system after say 24-48 hours (tripleV post #34 gave me that figure not sure if I've made a correct assumption) then I think it should be ok.

And thanks lol, I might have had 2 or 3 decent posts in that time :p

[Chariots]

I understand that Raglan will be tested for Arsenic prior to being allowed to start in the Pacing Cup and then subject to Hrnsw clearance.

[barney]

What i understand it helps in the recovery with a horse.But is a banned substance so may be another reason

[Danno]

Been doing some reading and here are a few of the more interesting things I found out.

- Potassium supplements greatly decrease the risk of heart rhythm problems associated with arsenic exposure.

- Naturally occurring sulfurous substances contained in Garlic etc. will greatly assist in the excretion of arsenic.

- Urine tests for arsenic indicate recent exposure (within the previous 24-48hrs).

- Hoof & hair tests show prolonged exposure (within the previous 6-12 months).

- There are analytical techniques capable of distinguishing exposure to organic or inorganic arsenic.

- When consumed most inorganic arsenic is converted to organic compounds and excreted in the urine. On the other hand organic arsenic, when consumed, is excreted in the urine in a largely unchanged form.

Great piece of work there jamie, my personal observations over the years are that a worrying percentage of arsenic stays in the horse's system.

If the horse has been subjected to fairly high doses over a significant period, the animals body cannot effectively dispense the arsenic, allowing the drug to go on it's merry way gradually destroying the liver, kidneys and pancreas.

Do you think that arsenic is a therpeutic drug or a performance enhancer? In my opinion it's another one that treads a fine line, because it can be used both therapeutically, but in the wrong doses can not only be a performance enhancer but significantly detrimental to the overall welfare of the horse.

[triplev123]

That's true Dan. It certainly would have significant a residual effect. No risk whatsoever.
In regard to therapeautic vs performance enhance...like Bute, I think it's both and like Bute, recent or past exposure can easily & very effectively be determined.

You know, earlier this eveing before I went out for pizza and a bottle of red, I typed and then canned but in light of the above will now revive a story of thousands of years past and involving high ranking members of the Roman Cavalry.
When they'd get a favourite 'war horse' that was coming to the end of his road they would feed them on initially small but ever increasing doses of arsenic.
The residual arsenic build up in the horse's tissues was ultimately such that when the trust steed duly snorted his last snort the carcass had so much arsenic in it that it did not decompose in the usual manner.
Instead, they'd drag old neddy outside and leave it in the sun to effectively 'dry out'...ala sundried tomatoes but sans the subsequently...at least partially...reconstitutional effects of Olive Oil.
What they'd then do is pick up their now significantly lighter sun dried nag, take him back home and prop him up prominently in the corner of the dining room of their Villa, no doubt as a rather graphic reference point for when they got nicely pissed & felt the need to inflict themselves upon their guests by way of recounting glorious horse assisted battles of days on by. Very much like the 'Holiday snaps Slide Shows' of my youth. "Now here's Merv at low tide pumping for Yabbies on the flats at Patonga. ;)

On the subject of therapeautic vs performance enhancer, the crucial thing here is that arsenic actually has an existing threshold while...for example, phenylbutazone does not.
Riddle me that Batman. Is that madness or is that madness?
An every day, widely used and greatly effective NSAID has NO THRESHOLD in place whilst Arsenic does. ?????????????

[Danno]

Do you think that arsenic is a therpeutic drug or a performance enhancer?

With all due respect robin, do you reckon you could answer my question?????????

[triplev123]

I did Trooper.
Perhaps Macular Degeneration or Glaucoma has you in it's grip? Off to OPSM tomorrow?
Right up at the very top of my reply I said

QUOTE [In regard to therapeautic vs performance enhance...like Bute, I think it's both and like Bute, recent or past exposure can easily & very effectively be determined. ]

[Danno]

I did Trooper.
Perhaps Macular Degeneration or Glaucoma has you in it's grip? Off to OPSM tomorrow?
Right up at the very top of my reply I said

QUOTE [In regard to therapeautic vs performance enhance...like Bute, I think it's both and like Bute, recent or past exposure can easily & very effectively be determined. ]

Fair cop, wasn't reading properly, forgot to put your commas in for you...I'll get my eyes checked

[triplev123]

I'm heading there next Tuesday.

[peteboss4]

I understand that Raglan will be tested for Arsenic prior to being allowed to start in the Pacing Cup and then subject to Hrnsw clearance.

Still in the field. res are out. so looks like hes running.

[David Summers]

WA stewards announced a couple of minutes ago that Raglan will definitely be a starter in the WA Cup.

[Chariots]

Swab negative to arsenic and all other conditions met so Hrnsw have lifted stand down allowing it to start in Pacing Cup

[Harold Parker]

No doubt influenced by the HRNSW articles in today's media. One subject is bad enough, can't afford two.

[peteboss4]

WA stewards announced a couple of minutes ago that Raglan will definitely be a starter in the WA Cup.

Could open up a Pandora's Box maybe ?
Just saying.

[David Summers]

This is one of those articles in the media earlier this morning http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/-/racing/12582300/raglan-s-cup-start-depends-on-swab/

[David Summers]

Yet another press release in the past few minutes http://www.harnesslink.com/www/Article.cgi?ID=95075

[zipzap]

Bill Muscat got 4 months for having Phenylbutazone and Oxyphenbutazone in Mystic Sunset at Menangle on 29 November 2011 what a surprise when it won hard held

[triplev123]

Geeze Zipzap. That comment indicates that there's more depth to be had in a tea spoon than there is in your understanding of the pharmacology of Phenylbutazone.
To suggest that the horse won hard held as a result of trace amounts of a NSAID in it's system, one that doesn't work at all beyond 12hrs post administration but nevertheless, under the present system/testing regime can and does produce trainer answerable positives out beyond 132hrs post administration...is just plain wrong.

[barney]

Geeze Zipzap. That comment indicates that there's more depth to be had in a tea spoon than there is in your understanding of the pharmacology of Phenylbutazone.
To suggest that the horse won hard held as a result of trace amounts of a NSAID in it's system, one that doesn't work at all beyond 12hrs post administration but nevertheless, under the present system/testing regime can and does produce trainer answerable positives out beyond 132hrs post administration...is just plain wrong.

So you think or are suggesting made no difference then why are they banned.It seems to me that you think that open slather is the go .The people i talk to and respect just want a level playing field with all horses winning on ability not with help from drugs .

[triplev123]

Christ. Here we go again.
Brian, I AM NOT suggesting open slather. Never have, never will.
What I AM suggesting however is that we put in place thresholds for sustances such as Bute... ala TCO2's etc. ....in order to prevent the honest Trainers being unfairly charged and suspended/fined as a result of trace amounts of non pharmacologically active therapeutic substances being detected in a swab subject to an overtly sensitive test that has a black and white...yes it is present or no it is not present...outcome.

Although, as always, a quantifying of the level detected has once again been conveniently overlooked, I would be prepared to bet both my left & right cajones that the amount in the abovementioned swab was below that at which it would be having any anti-inflamatory effect on the horse whatsoever.
Have you ever used it to take away discomfort from a horse...with a sore foot for example.
The stuff craps itself and stops working after 12hrs. From 24- 48 -96-132 hrs out and no way known that it's working BUT if that horse happens to be a racehorse then currently a Trainer can still score a positive for it.
Do you think that's fair? I don't.
Worse still is that the testing protocol is there to enable the time of administration to be easily pinpointed. In the US they can tell the difference between Bute at 24 and 48 and 96 hrs post administration. Why can't we do so here?

[barney]

All i know if it tested positive the trainer is guilty of using a prohibited drug and he got suspended for 4 months.Yet you are saying unfair they all know the rule if they race a horse with it in its system they will test positive and be suspended.

[Greg Hando]

I see Real Life has just been scratched from the Cup cut his back leg in a float mishap.

[zipzap]

So you think or are suggesting made no difference then why are they banned.It seems to me that you think that open slather is the go .The people i talk to and respect just want a level playing field with all horses winning on ability not with help from drugs .

I dont know what line of work VVV is in but he seems to knock people down with any post i have noticed that is about a banned drug.

[triplev123]

As far as Harness Racing is concerned my 'line of work' is one of trying to introduce a little common sense and pragmatism to the debate...instead of the usual reactionary, ill-informed and in most cases just plane wrong statements and accusations that have been levelled far too many times on this and other Forums whenever this particular subject comes up. Look deep within yourself for I've no doubt that you too are capable of rational thought.

[zipzap]

Its banned drug that helps a horse with soreness you dont have a case full stop

[triplev123]

Its banned drug that helps a horse with soreness you dont have a case full stop

[VVV] Thankfully at a National and International level, not everyone wishes to similarly bury their head in the sand Zipzap.
A re-think of the whole approach to therapeautics is already in the wings. It is going to happen. Not tomorrow, not next month and maybe not next year but be well assured that it will come to pass.
As I've asked previously when this very subject raised its head, isn't it better...doesn't it make more sense to be part of the process by which those changes are made and different rules are adopted...than it is to scream about the outcome after all is said and done?

[teecee]

Attached is an excerpt from an article referred to me by my niece.
She is an equine veterinary surgeon based in Kentucky USA.

I find the list Table 1 in the article interesting as it is a whose who of drugs returning more than 95% of positives in Austalasian racing jurisdictions. As you can see we are very much behind the 8 ball with developing thresholds for these drugs.

Equine Drugs, Medications, and Performance Altering Substances: Their Performance Effects, Detection, and Regulation
http://thomastobin.com/drugsmeds/001-cavehorse.jpg
Dr. Thomas Tobin, Dr. Julio Gutierrez, Emily Schwartz,
Dr. Fernanda Camargo, and Charlie Hughes
Equine Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology Laboratory
The Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40546-0099

Dr. Rodney Eisenberghttp://thomastobin.com/drugsmeds/001-chinesecart.jpg
Frontier Biopharm
6013 Atwood Drive, Suite 300
Richmond, KY 40475
e-mail: rod@frontierbiopharm.com

Dr.Andreas Lehner
Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health
College of Veterinary Medicine
Michigan State University
4125 Beaumont Road
Lansing, MI 48910

Mr. Kent Stirling
Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association
P.O Box 1808
Opa Loca, FL 33055-0808


Based on a presentation to the Equine Law section
of the Kentucky Bar Association at Keeneland,
Lexington, Kentucky, Oct 21, 2005
(webpage updated Dec 2010)

Table of Contents

1 Summary
2 Background and Definitions
3 History
4 Can Drugs or Medications Influence the Outcome of a Race?
5 The Introduction of ELISA Testing (1988)
6 Mass Spectral Confirmation
7 Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry/Mass Spectrometry
(LC/MS/MS)
8 "Zero Tolerance" Testing
9 Numbers of Medication Molecules: Medication Dosing and Elimination
10 Thresholds, Including "No Effect Thresholds" (NETs)
11 Withdrawal Time Guidelines
12 Reference Standards
13 Medication Rules
14 The Current Racing Medication Testing Consortium (RMTC) &
Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) Rule
15 Further Reading
16 Appendices



1. Summary

Thoroughbred Racing has been testing for drugs and medications since about 1903. Today, racehorse testing is by far the longest established, broadest in scope and most sensitive drug testing performed on earth. Racehorse testing is also performed within an extremely stringent regulatory context, and my understanding is that many of our constitutional protections as US citizens are inoperative in the racing environment. Racehorse testing is also remarkably “clean,” as the incidence of deliberate use of performance affecting substances seems to be very small.

There are good reasons for all of the above. It is empirically clear that medications are highly likely to influence the performance of racing horses, although the scientific evidence for actual improved performance is much less than overwhelming.

In the mid-nineteen eighties, however, the use of high potency drugs with clear potential to affect performance was not particularly well controlled. Following a directive from the Kentucky State Racing Commission, an interdisciplinary team at the University of Kentucky worked on adapting ELISA testing to racing chemistry; this proprietary technology was at that time a major step towards solving the problem of the abuse of high potency drugs in racing horses, and these tests are now marketed worldwide out of Lexington (www.neogen.com/forensickits.htm)

One of the lessons that came out of ELISA testing is that advances in drug detection/testing are research driven. Once a medication is “called positive”, that is the first “positive” is called and prosecuted, the rate of use of the substance drops dramatically, to close to zero, but not quite zero; it appears that there are always people ready to try a medication that worked for them, or for a colleague, or a rival, in the past.

Overall, the rate at which performance altering medication violations are reported in racing is extremely small. For example, from 1995–1999 there were about 3 positives for every 100,000 samples for Association of Racing Commissioners International [ARCI] Class 1 violations after trace level identifications of dietary and environmental substances are eliminated. By far, the most common identifications reported in racing are residual “traces” of well recognized and widely used therapeutic medications, so called “tail-ends” of therapeutic medications , and traces of dietary and environmental substances that also happen to be ARCI substances, for example trace level identifications of caffeine and other substances widely used by humans.

The ease with which such “traces” of therapeutic medications, dietary and environmental substances can be detected using current testing technology has now clearly led scientists and regulators away from the old “zero tolerance” approach, which many authorities now see as outdated, to defined regulatory limits or “thresholds” for therapeutic medications, endogenous, dietary and environmental substances.

This situation was driven in large part by ELISA testing, which allows highly sensitive detection of trace amounts (tail ends) of therapeutic medications, environmental and dietary substances. In the nineteen nineties, following another Kentucky Racing Commission directive, the University of Kentucky program at The Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center pioneered the basic research that underpins the evolving and now in principle very well established concept concerning the use of regulatory “thresholds” in racing regulation.

More recent challenges include developing effective regulatory methods for the newer recombinant hormonal products such as the various human recombinant erythropoietin products and variants thereof and growth hormones. More recently, a high quality ELISA test has been made available for human recombinant erythropoietin and racing chemistry has scored a major scientific breakthrough by developing the first mass spectral confirmation method to detect use of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) in horses or, indeed, in any species.


2. Background and Definitions

There are at least 30 million known chemical substances and 4,000 or more prescription medications. Racing regulators in the United States , therefore, divide drugs and medications into two major groups:

The largest group of concern to regulators is the "performance-enhancing substances", whose identification in a horse is viewed with great regulatory concern. Testing for these substances usually proceeds at the highest level of sensitivity possible; so-called "zero-tolerance" testing. About 900 or so substances are classified by the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) Uniform Classification System for Foreign Substances as potentially performance enhancing in a five class system, the most complete listing of such substances available anywhere in the world (http://www.arci.com/druglisting.pdf).

The second and smaller group comprises the "therapeutic medications", recognized by the American Association of Equine Practitioners [AAEP] and the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium [RMTC]. There are approximately 50 plus of these medications used therapeutically in horses in training (Table 1). Since about the year 2000, it has come to be much more generally accepted that we must set “limitations” on the sensitivity of testing for therapeutic medications. These limitations are variously called thresholds or reporting levels, or decision levels ( California ) apparently depending on the semantic preference of the individual jurisdiction.

Table 1. Therapeutic Medications Routinely Used and Identified as Necessary by the Veterinary Advisory Committee — (Racing Medication and Testing Consortium [RMTC] draft list of therapeutic medications, 2005)


1. Acepromazine17. Dipyrone 33. Omeprazole 2. Albuterol18. Flunixin 34. Pentoxifylline3. Aminocaproic Acid19. Fluprednisolone35. Phenylbutazone4. Atropine20. Fluphenazine36. Phenytoin5. Beclomethasone21. Furosemide37. Prednisolone6. Betamethasone22. Glycopyrrolate 38. Prednisone7. Boldenone23. Guaifenesin39. Procaine Penicillin8. Butorphanol 24. Hydroxyzine40. Pyrilamine9. Cimetidine25. Isoflupredone41. Ranitidine10. Clenbuterol26. Isoxsuprine42. Reserpine11. Cromolyn27. Ketoprofen43. Stanozolol12. Dantrolene28. Lidocaine 44. Testosterone13. Detomidine 29. Mepivacaine 45. Triamcinolone14. Dexamethasone30. Methocarbamol 46. Trichlomethiazide15. Diazepam31. Methylprednisolone16. DMSO32. Nandrolone

The full article is available at.....
http://thomastobin.com/drugsmeds/drugsmeds.htm

[triplev123]

Cheers Tony, plenty of interesting reading there. Most appreciated.

Jaimie

[zipzap]

Yes but this is not America(thank god i was born here in the lucky country) so until the rules are changed people cant bitch when they hear of a banning for its use.

[Greg Hando]

G,day Tony was wondering what the number after each substance was is it day's,hour's or something else ?
Don't matter just found it .

[Greg Hando]

I particularly pricked my ear's when i read this :

And as an aside, where the metabolized drug goes after urination can be a matter of some regulatory significance. If the dose of drug administration to horses large, and the drug/metabolite is excreted at high concentrations in the horse's urine, the horse will contaminate his stall environment. It has been shown that a "clean" horse put into the environmentally contaminated stall can immediately go "positive" for the medication in question, creating an interesting regulatory circumstance, and demonstrating another compelling argument in favor of regulatory thresholds for therapeutic medications.

[murray green]

Thats right Greg . A horse can actually absorb DMSO , excreted through urine , through its feet or body if it lies down . It is very possible that Smoken Up was a victim of circumstance .

[Greg Hando]

Yes maybe