Why should a horse receive a positive test for a drug administered with a normal amount outside the recommended withdrawal time?
Such is the case with trotter Stonebridge Rich. On November 21, Stonebridge Rich was a winner in the second leg of the Autumn Series at Woodbine Racetrack. Last Wednesday, trainer Anthony MacDonald was informed by the Ontario Racing Commission that the horse tested positive for carbocaine (mepivacaine) commonly used as an anesthetic in horses. The ORC confirmed these details to Trot Insider last Thursday.
"I had a horse injure himself in the field and he was in to go. The vet came and looked at it. I wasn't at the barn...get to the barn and the vet says 'we stitched him up but the stitches are in a good place and he really should be fine to race'. So I raced him," MacDonald told Trot Insider. "Then I get a call from the judges that I got a positive test for carbocaine...which is what they put in to stitch the horse."
"I call the vet and said 'Stonebridge Rich just tested positive for carbocaine'...he asks if that's the horse we did the stifle on and I said yes. He said 'I used the normal amount, outside the normal time...I have it written all down and I know I didn't screw up. I don't know what's going on'."
With recent tests for ractopamine positives coming in horses that were given tainted feed, the boundary for trainer responsibility became increasingly gray. MacDonald is adamant in defense of his innocence.
"I didn't do anything wrong. I specifically asked the veterinarian as he was leaving the barn, 'is this horse OK to race?' in which case he told be 'absolutely, he's fine'."
MacDonald told Trot Insider that all of the necessary documentation was submitted to the Ontario Racing Commission at a hearing on Thursday, showing that the horse received the proper dosage in the proper time prior to competition.
"Nevertheless, the horse has a positive test," continued MacDonald. "I hope I don't have to get a lawyer to make [the ORC] understand I can't do anything more."
Likening this to an individual that takes a car to a mechanic for brake repair, MacDonald notes that if the driver then gets into an accident due to brake failure he wouldn't be found at fault.
Not only would this mean a possible suspension for MacDonald, but would also shelve the horse -- a totally innocent party in this -- for 90 days.
"This horse didn't do anything wrong; it wasn't the horse's fault."
Given that Stonebridge Rich won his race, many would wonder if the application of carbocaine in fact acted as a pain block. MacDonald refutes that argument, noting the withdrawal time for carbocaine under the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency Schedule of Drugs is 48 hours.
The veterinarian that performed the procedure was Dr. Chris Grossenbacher, an ORC licensed vet that works for McMaster-Powell Equine Services.
"We're sharing all of our information, all the documentation we have with the ORC," Grossenbacher told Trot Insider. "The information we get from them is very disturbing in a sense that we have a horse that was treated in the best possible way with the best ethics.
"Everything is double and triple-checked according to CPMA guidelines. Dosage was not nearly to the maximum we, according to the guidelines, can use. Withdrawal times were considerably longer than what the CPMA gives as a guideline. Still, we come up with a positive test. If I can't trust the CPMA guidelines, what am I working with?"
Stonebridge Rich has since been placed on the list of horses ineligible to race in Canada for a period of 90 days. MacDonald's hearing is still pending.
This has obviously been a
This has obviously been a very challenging area of
horse racing.The 2011 Schedule Of Drugs does stress that
the results presented are guidelines and not absolutes.
It seems that the metabolism of much larger active horses
appears to require less medications than smaller horses.
This certainly makes things tricky at best.
Pre race testing may help,however is the ORC and the race
tracks prepared to provide up to date testing equipment and
trained qualified personel for each and every race program?
Equipment needs to be properly calibrated before using for
testing.
Should a horse through this testing before racing show a
positive test result what if any consequences will there be
for all those involved with the horse?
The CPMA changed the testing
The CPMA changed the testing methodology in Nov 2010, yet the withdrawal guidelines have yet to be updated. Interestingly, Anthony did not administer any medication, and the vet is providing information that his administrations are likely cause of the positive, yet Anthony is still facing lengthy suspension.
In reply to The CPMA changed the testing by Justin J.
Regardless of whom
Regardless of whom administered what,it still is the trainers responsibity to ensure the horse is clean.Admittedly the horse still had stitches in the wound but was raced none the less.A little extra time to heal most likely would have eliminated any chance of a positive test.The game needs to get rid of positive tests and get some integrity back.In my opinion the fines and suspensions need to be tougher.
Owners pay for horse racing .
Owners pay for horse racing . They either raise the horse from birth or purchase them . The solution to this problem is very simple . Have the medication administer by the vet , keep the horse in retention , draw a blood or urine sample , test it . And the results speak for them selves . The owners pay for trainers , drivers , vets , blacksmiths , trucking , stabiling and on and on . Now they have a horse that is disqualified from racing for 3 months , loss of purse money and their expenses continue ..
sounds good to me, good
sounds good to me, good luck.
so it's the vets fault? who actually is responsible for this equine athlete's racing decisions?
sounds like he needed to compete to me.
The inconsistencies with
The inconsistencies with tests and testing methods, metabolism differences etc harms everyone. That is especially true when those who are or who could be racing fans only see the headlines not the details. It has been stated by everyone in racing including 30 years ago by Stanley Dancer. "This problem will not be solved until there is complete pre race testing"!!
The times are only guidelines
The times are only guidelines and I'm sure all horses system react differently.Perhaps the trainer should have waited until the stitches were out and the horse had time to recover before he raced the animal.
In reply to The times are only guidelines by truckinted
The vet said the horse was
The vet said the horse was good to go, and he won the race...I'd like to think that he was "recovered".
I feel bad for Anthony on
I feel bad for Anthony on this. He tried to do the right thing by all accounts and he still ended up with a positive. Reputation will suffer now for what appears to be an innocent mistake.
Wishing Anthony all the best with this case. I hope it gets resolved in a satisfactory manner.