Doping While Training - The Glut of Drugs: California

[Whirlaway]

I became interested in doping while training after reading the medication history(1) of the Baffert dead horses. That medication history included the following drugs: Lasix, Clenbuterol, Thyroxine, Corticosteroids, Acepromazine, Aquedan, Pentosan, Surpass, Aresil, Regumat and adjunct bleeder medications (type not listed).

Quite a few drugs !

How and why so many drugs?

I reviewed the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) Rules and found nothing on doping while training. Drug store is wide open – one only need be and remain below threshold come race time.

CHRB Rule: 1844 (e) Official urine test samples may contain one of the following drug substances their metabolites or analogs, in amount that does not exceed the specified levels:

1. Acepromazine; 25 ng/ml - tranquilizer
2. Mepivacaine; 10 ng/ml - local anesthetic
3. Promazine; 25 ng/ml - tranquilizer
4. Albuterol; 1 ng/ml - anabolic androgenic steroid; bronchodilator
5. Atropine; 10ng/ml - relieves airway constriction
6. Benzocaine; 50 ng/ml - anesthetic; pain reliever
7. Procaine; 50 ng/ml - pain reliever
8. Salicylates; 750 mc/ml - dermatitis treatment
9. Clenbuterol; 5 ng/ml -anabolic agent; vasodilator
10. Stanazolol; 1 ng/ml - anabolic androgenic steroid
11. Nandrolone; 1 ng/ml for geldings, fillies and mares - anabolic androgenic steroid
11. (B). 45 ng/ml for males other than geldings
12. Boldenone; 15 ng/ml in males other than geldings - anabolic androgenic steroid
13. Testosterone; 20 ng/ml in gelding - anabolic androgenic steroid
13. (A). Testosterone at any level in males other than geldings is not a violation of this regulation.
14. Testosterone; 55 ng/ml in fillies or mares

That’s an awful lot of dope and take a look at all of the steroids ! I thought they got rid of steroids. Looks like the trainers are using steroids to build muscle, killing pain with pain killers and tranquilizers, opening airways with bronchodilators and using Lasix to drop water weight – hmmmm, interesting scheme, I would have never known.

Take a look at CHRB Rule 1844 (g) Official blood test samples shall not contain any of the drug substances, or their metabolites or analogs[/b] listed in subsection (e) (1)-(eight), and (e) (10)- (14).

Rule (e) allows the drug, metabolite or analog in urine, rule (g) doesn’t allow anything in a blood test. What kind of test are the labs conducting? I reviewed CHRB enforcement(2) and found only 1 blood test since May 2013. Lab is testing urine, not blood.


Down right shame all these drugs.



(1) Link to Medication Table Final: http://www.chrb.ca.gov/sudden_deaths_reports.html
(2) Link to CHRB enforcement: http://www.chrb.ca.gov/press_releases.html

[TJ]

I thought it would be helpful to hear about the roll of drugs in horse racing, from professionals in the industry. Of course this is far from a complete list of drugs, but it is interesting, especially if you are unfamiliar with medication and its use in the race horse. Here is a 3 part video by a Paulick Report contributing writer. She has good credentials and with the help of Dr. Peter Morresey of Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital (one of the most respected hospitals in the industry) and trainer Dale Romans (eclipse award winning trainer), it lends a certain amount of credibility and understanding to the topic of drugs and race horses. TJ
Part 1: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ ... ons-part-1
Part 2: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ ... ns-part-ii
Part 3: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/ ... s-part-iii

[Whirlaway]

I expected the pain killers, the corticosteroids - the shot in the knee, maybe a shot in the ankle to make the pain go away. I expected the "Bute", Ketoprofen and Flunixin (Banamine) - and of course the Lasix. What I didn't expect to find was all the steroids and all the different types:

Albuterol- anabolic androgenic steroid
Clenbuterol -anabolic agent
Stanazolol - anabolic androgenic steroid
Nandrolone - anabolic androgenic steroid
Boldenone - anabolic androgenic steroid
Testosterone - anabolic androgenic steroid

[Jessi P]

Clenbuterol and Albuterol are actually used for their primary action as BRONCHODILATORS to improve airway and clear the lungs. They do have a secondary action of promoting appetite and helping to lay on muscle. Any time a horse is suspected of bleeding we automatically place the horse on clenbuterol for 5 days to help clear the lungs as blood (from bleeding) is the best medium for bacteria to grow in. If the horse bleeds and you dont clean the lungs out you are going to develop a lung infection that will require antibiotics AND more clenbuterol, so it's best to clean the lungs immediately after a suspected bleeding episode. Albuterol is not as strong or effective as clen but it is cheaper.

[TJ]

I expected the pain killers, the corticosteroids - the shot in the knee, maybe a shot in the ankle to make the pain go away. I expected the "Bute", Ketoprofen and Flunixin (Banamine) - and of course the Lasix. What I didn't expect to find was all the steroids and all the different types:

Albuterol- anabolic androgenic steroid
Clenbuterol -anabolic agent
Stanazolol - anabolic androgenic steroid
Nandrolone - anabolic androgenic steroid
Boldenone - anabolic androgenic steroid
Testosterone - anabolic androgenic steroid

To expect to comment knowledgeably on drugs in racing after, in your own words, "I became interested in doping while training after reading the medication history(1) of the Baffert dead horses". It honestly takes more then the Internet which has more old news then new circulating. What you aren't aware of is that many drugs showing up in a horses system, stay in their system for a long time. Many of these drugs are remnants of therapeutic treatments because they were sick....not because a trainer tried to dope his horse. That is why we have withdrawal times and specific permissible levels in the blood....so we know if this was an attempt to alter the outcome of a race, or it was simply the permissible residual amount left in the blood from a previous therapeutic treatment.
Jessi P referenced the proper use of Clenbuterol and Albuterol, both can be abused and used daily in training. Which the RMTC has addressed and set longer withdrawal times for use to 14 days. Let me add, many TB racing jurisdictions have adopted these rules on their own. Of note is the USTA, (trotters, Standardbreds) who withdrew from the RMTC over this because they continue to use a withdrawal time of 3 days.....that's unacceptable.
As I mentioned, the Internet is misleading as much of the info is outdated. For instance, concerning STANOZOLOL, the RMTC has addressed this at its Sept meeting of this year. Previously permitted with a 30 day threshold prior to the race. Under the new reform RMTC has eliminated that threshold and in effect STANOZOLOL is now a banned substance in racing jurisdictions who have adopted the new reforms. California has some of the strictest guidelines for drugs and will be changing over to the new stricter reforms as they are approved. Currently in California, the WD time for Stanozolol, Nandrolene, Boldenone and Testosterone is 60 days. Most others states are 30 days. These strict 60 day WD times in California, effectively does away with the race enhancing ability of steroids as from years past, when it was legal. Then Stanozolol could be used once or twice monthly....which was the steroid Big Brown was legally administered prior to the new strict enforcement against steroid use brought about because of BB. This effectively does away with the performance enhancing ability steroids once afforded a race horse legally. Big changes in racing and those in the industry are well aware and must be aware of these changes....or end up getting positive test results. Additionally, only one of these steroids are allowed to be present residually in the blood at quantities which assure proper WD time was adhered to. If more then one is found it is grounds for suspension. TJ

[Whirlaway]

Clenbuterol and Albuterol are actually used for their primary action as BRONCHODILATORS to improve airway and clear the lungs. They do have a secondary action of promoting appetite and helping to lay on muscle. Any time a horse is suspected of bleeding we automatically place the horse on clenbuterol for 5 days to help clear the lungs as blood (from bleeding) is the best medium for bacteria to grow in. If the horse bleeds and you dont clean the lungs out you are going to develop a lung infection that will require antibiotics AND more clenbuterol, so it's best to clean the lungs immediately after a suspected bleeding episode. Albuterol is not as strong or effective as clen but it is cheaper.

Considering all the negative press steroid use received with Big Brown, his trainer and the Kentucky Derby, most horse racing fans believed steroid use was banned. I was surprised, and no doubt many horse racing fans are surprised to find steroid use, and drugs that mimic steroids, is alive, well and thriving in California. The RMTC (Racing Medication Testing Consortium) has presented a position paper on the use of Clenbuterol. In that paper the Consortium also addresses the use of Albuterol. An excerpt:

RMTC Recommendations Regarding Use of Clenbuterol

In a recent report out of New York, a task force identified clenbuterol as a major safety and integrity issue in racing. The task force reported that a significant number of horses at NYRA tracks were being administered clenbuterol – many of which were not receiving it to treat airway disease. Similar findings have been reported throughout the United States. Prior to the CHRB suspending authorization of Clenbuterol in California, the equine medical director reported that 58% of thoroughbred horses and 100% of quarter horses nominated to major stakes showed detectable levels of clenbuterol in plasma samples.

Here is a link to the position paper therein the RMTC also addresses the use of Albuterol - the link to the paper is near the mid-bottom of the page.

http://www.rmtcnet.com/content_pressreleases.asp?id=&s=&article=1676

[TJ]

Clenbuterol and Albuterol are actually used for their primary action as BRONCHODILATORS to improve airway and clear the lungs. They do have a secondary action of promoting appetite and helping to lay on muscle. Any time a horse is suspected of bleeding we automatically place the horse on clenbuterol for 5 days to help clear the lungs as blood (from bleeding) is the best medium for bacteria to grow in. If the horse bleeds and you dont clean the lungs out you are going to develop a lung infection that will require antibiotics AND more clenbuterol, so it's best to clean the lungs immediately after a suspected bleeding episode. Albuterol is not as strong or effective as clen but it is cheaper.

Considering all the negative press steroid use received with Big Brown, his trainer and the Kentucky Derby, most horse racing fans believed steroid use was banned. I was surprised, and no doubt many horse racing fans are surprised to find steroid use, and drugs that mimic steroids, is alive, well and thriving in California. The RMTC (Racing Medication Testing Consortium) has presented a position paper on the use of Clenbuterol. In that paper the Consortium also addresses the use of Albuterol. An excerpt:

RMTC Recommendations Regarding Use of Clenbuterol

In a recent report out of New York, a task force identified clenbuterol as a major safety and integrity issue in racing. The task force reported that a significant number of horses at NYRA tracks were being administered clenbuterol – many of which were not receiving it to treat airway disease. Similar findings have been reported throughout the United States. Prior to the CHRB suspending authorization of Clenbuterol in California, the equine medical director reported that 58% of thoroughbred horses and 100% of quarter horses nominated to major stakes showed detectable levels of clenbuterol in plasma samples.

Here is a link to the position paper therein the RMTC also addresses the use of Albuterol - the link to the paper is near the mid-bottom of the page.

http://www.rmtcnet.com/content_pressreleases.asp?id=&s=&article=1676

Sorry, I guess our posts crossed in cyber space as I didn't see this post when I responded to your other post. At the risk of being repetitive, I'll try to address this in a way that might make sense of the way things are done in organized racing...relating to pre-race drugs and drugs used for therapy relating to illness or injury.
All Steroids, to include Clenbuterol under the new withdrawal times, effectively prevent steroids from being used in a way which allows a performance enhancing race. Steroids are not banned as they are useful to a horse as a therapy to improve certain illnesses or injury in the horse. Without the monthly or bi-monthly administration of steroids, their usefulness to improve a race performance is null and void....or a positive test will occur. There is no benefit to giving steroids to improve a horses race, if the last time it was administered was 60 days prior to that race as in the withdrawal time rules of racing in California.
The position statement you searched out by the RMTC, refers to the RMTC position on Clenbuerol, Albuterol and corticosteroids in their response to the USTA's letter stating that their breed should be subject to different rules then the TB breed. From the first sentence from this RMTC paper:
The Racing Medication & Testing Consortium (RMTC) is releasing two position papers which stated that no physiologic difference among the various racing breeds exists to justify changing regulatory thresholds from those recently established by the Racing Medication & Testing Consortium (RMTC) for the use of corticosteroids and clenbuterol.
TJ

[valjoe]

All Steroids, to include Clenbuterol under the new withdrawal times, effectively prevent steroids from being used in a way which allows a performance enhancing race. Steroids are not banned as they are useful to a horse as a therapy to improve certain illnesses or injury in the horse. Without the monthly or bi-monthly administration of steroids, their usefulness to improve a race performance is null and void....or a positive test will occur. There is no benefit to giving steroids to improve a horses race, if the last time it was administered was 60 days prior to that race as in the withdrawal time rules of racing in California.

Hi tj
I thought you might be wrong on that one so I did a quick search at California vet list and found those 2 currently on the list under "medication" and firing bullet works

http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Result ... registry=T

http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Result ... registry=T

if you got time to search you'll find many more, also muscles don't just disappear overnight it's a well known fact steroids affect performance for up to 6 months

[TJ]

All Steroids, to include Clenbuterol under the new withdrawal times, effectively prevent steroids from being used in a way which allows a performance enhancing race. Steroids are not banned as they are useful to a horse as a therapy to improve certain illnesses or injury in the horse. Without the monthly or bi-monthly administration of steroids, their usefulness to improve a race performance is null and void....or a positive test will occur. There is no benefit to giving steroids to improve a horses race, if the last time it was administered was 60 days prior to that race as in the withdrawal time rules of racing in California.

Hi tj
I thought you might be wrong on that one so I did a quick search at California vet list and found those 2 currently on the list under "medication" and firing bullet works

http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Result ... registry=T

http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Result ... registry=T

if you got time to search you'll find many more, also muscles don't just disappear overnight it's a well known fact steroids affect performance for up to 6 months

Hi Val,
Steroids under the old rules, when used every two weeks or monthly as with Big Brown...created muscle. You were permitted to use more then one type of steroid increasing the muscle building effect. That is no longer permitted. Steroids are used therapeutically only.....for a specific period of time due to injury or illness. Not continually on a diet of steroids as before, specifically to turn them into king or queen kong. That doesn't happen with the new withdrawal rules.....that is why they were created, for therapeutic thresholds not racing thresholds....if the horse comes up with a steroid positive, the trainer will be severely sanctioned and the purse taken away.
Also please explain what the vet list has to do with it and bullet works, not sure the connection you are trying to make...thanks. TJ

[valjoe]

if what you're saying is correct than why are they training on steroids, they sure are not injured or sick

[valjoe]

Look at that one, worked the very same day it was put on the vet list, haven't even started yet

http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Result ... registry=T

[TJ]

if what you're saying is correct than why are they training on steroids, they sure are not injured or sick

Hi Val,
If you are referring to clenbuterol, which I stand against...it is not as powerful a muscle builder as is the more potent anabolic steroids mentioned above. Granted there are many abusing Clenbuterol, although currently that is not banned, but the withdrawal time of 14 days is sufficient to limit the performance enhancement it once had under the old 3 day rule. There is a current discussion about banning clenbuterol for this reason of abuse. The scientific withdrawal times and blood testing parameters are created with one thing in mind...to render useless the steroidal ability to improve a race performance under the parameters they set. IF, they are over that limit....as I said, severe sanctions will be served. It is in the works, but the stronger anabolic steroids that were used strictly to increase muscle mass....they are not allowed in training. They are in the process of performing out of competition testing and I'm sure when they get that in full swing, we will find a few trainers in big trouble. TJ

[TJ]

Look at that one, worked the very same day it was put on the vet list, haven't even started yet

http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Result ... registry=T

Hi Val,
Yes, but I don't understand the point you are trying to make....does it concern steroids and the vet list? Sorry, I'm not understanding your point. TJ

[valjoe]

Hi tJ
I"m not talking about clenbuterol it's currently 21 days withdrawal time here and you are not required to go on the vet list. The horses that i listed received medication for which they had to go on the vet list, and i can't think of any medication besides steroids that require 60 days on a vet list, and after they got it they started working on a regular basis,

here is the list http://www.chrb.ca.gov/misc_docs/VetList.pdf

[TJ]

Hi tJ
I"m not talking about clenbuterol it's currently 21 days withdrawal time here and you are not required to go on the vet list. The horses that i listed received medication for which they had to go on the vet list, and i can't think of any medication besides steroids that require 60 days on a vet list, and after they got it they started working on a regular basis,

here is the list http://www.chrb.ca.gov/misc_docs/VetList.pdf

Hi Val,
Yes, I know it's 21 day WD for Clen in California....they have tougher sanctions then other track and went to 21 days, when RMTC currently calls for 14 days. CHRB are having discussions with TOC concerning banning clen all together for anything but therapeutic use.
I only see one horse listed for meds and was put on that list on 2011? Never got to the races? Seems like they are all for 1/4 horse tracks, Fairs or small tracks? If your assumption is correct, if they received 60 days on the vets list, they could have been caught under out of competition testing....which I suppose is a good thing. Racing truly is working hard to get this done...it isn't an easy task, but I believe it will come to pass. TJ