A ruling last month by the New Jersey Racing Commission sets the procedure for testing for steroid use in
standardbreds.
NJAC 13:71-23.16 was adopted on April 19, 2010 and in recognition of the 'wash out' period to return metabolism levels to a normal range, penalties will be imposed, starting August 18, 2010. Horses which test positive during the wash out period will be disqualified, denied purse money and declared ineligible for a period of at least 30 days.
Horses will be subject to blood and urine testing to detect and identify the presence of anabolic steroids. Trace levels are set for Boldenone, Nandrolone, Stanozolol and Testosterone but measurements above the threshold levels or the presence of more than one of the four permitted steroids are considered violations.
Penalty levels begin with a 45-day suspension and $1,000 fine, rise to 90 days and $2,500 for a second offense and permanent revocation of the trainer’s license for a third violation.
The rule appears below.
NJRC 13:71-23.16 Anabolic steroids
(a) The administration of anabolic steroids to horses that race shall be a prohibited practice except as authorized in (c) below.
(b) Any horse entered to start at a permitted race meet may be subjected to a blood and urine test in order to identify the presence and/or levels of anabolic steroids.
(c) Tests results identifying the presence of boldenone, nandrolone, stanozolol and testosterone shall not constitute a violation of this section if the level of these permitted anabolic steroids test at or below the following level in blood plasma:
Boldenone - 200 picograms/milliliter (200 pg/mL);
Nandrolone - 200 picograms/milliliter (200 pg/mL);
Intact Male Horses: 500 picograms/milliliter (500 pg/mL);
All Other Horses: 200 picograms/milliliter (500 pg/mL);
Stanozolol - 200 picograms/milliliter (200 pg/mL);
Testosterone -
Intact Male Horses: 2,000 picograms/milliliter (2,000 pg/mL);
All Other Horses: 200 picograms/milliliter (200 pg/mL).
For the purposes of this section, "intact male horse" shall mean a male horse that has not been gelded.
(d) Any blood samples containing one of the four anabolic steroids listed in (c) above that quantitatively measures above the threshold levels shall constitute a violation of this section. Any samples identifying the presence of more than one of the four permitted anabolic steroids shall constitute a violation of this section regardless of the levels identified in the sample. Any samples identifying the presence of one of the four permitted anabolic steroids, even if it tests at or below the threshold level, shall constitute a violation of this section if the samples also indicate the presence of any other anabolic steroid.
(e) The split sample testing procedures set forth in N.J.A.C. 13:71-23.4 in connection with urine samples shall be extended to apply to blood and/or urine samples taken in connection with testing for anabolic steroids.
(f) The trainer is the absolute insurer of the condition of all horses within his or her care and custody. For a first violation of this section, the trainer's license shall be suspended for a 45-day period, he or she shall be ordered to pay an $ 1,000 fine and be denied the privileges of all grounds subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission during the suspension period. For a second violation of this section, the trainer's license shall be suspended for a 90-day period, he or she shall be ordered to pay a $ 2,500 fine and be denied the privileges of all grounds subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission during the suspension period. For a third violation of this section, the trainer's license shall be permanently revoked and he or she shall be permanently denied the privileges of all grounds subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission.
(g) In addition to the liability of the trainer, any person licensed in any capacity by the Commission who is involved in the administration of anabolic steroids to a horse who tests in violation to this section shall be subject to penalties up to or equal to the penalties set forth in (f) above for trainers. Persons not licensed by the Commission who have been involved in the administration of anabolic steroids to a horse who tests in violation of this section shall be subject to penalties as determined by the Commission.
[page=811] (h) Upon determining that a violation of this section occurred, the tested horse shall be disqualified from the race and denied the purse money, which shall be redistributed in accordance with N.J.A.C. 13:71-23.7(b). The horse shall be declared ineligible to compete in any race in New Jersey for a period of at least 30 days after the date upon which the samples violating this section were taken. After the 30-day disqualification has been completed, no horse shall be allowed to enter a race or race until such time as the owner or trainer makes the horse available to the Commission for retesting and the samples taken are in compliance with this section. The trainer or owner who submits the horse for retesting shall bear all costs, as determined by the Executive Director, that are related to the collection and testing of the samples taken.
(i) The Commission shall commence testing for anabolic steroids pursuant to this section *[upon the effective date of adoption]* *April 19, 2010*. In recognition of the amount of time that horsemen may need to "wash out" their horses in order to return their metabolisms to the range of normal, the imposition of the penalties set forth in (f) and (g) above will begin on *[the 121st day after the effective date of the adoption of the proposed rule]* *August 18, 2010,* with the following exception. Any horse which tests in violation of the terms of this section between *[the date of adoption and the end of the 120-day "wash out" period]* *April 19, 2010 and August 17, 2010,* shall be disqualified from the race and denied the purse money, which shall be redistributed consistent with N.J.A.C. 13:71-23.7(b). Consistent with (h) above, a horse that tests in violation of this section during the "wash out" period, shall be declared ineligible to compete in any race in New Jersey for a period of at least 30 days after the date upon which the samples were taken. After the 30-day disqualification has been completed, no horse shall be allowed to enter a race until such time as the owner or trainer makes the horse available to the Commission for retesting and the samples taken are in compliance with this section. The trainer or owner who submits the horse for retesting shall bear all costs, as determined by the Executive Director, that are related to the collection and testing of the samples taken.
(j) The trainer of a horse that was claimed outside of the State of New Jersey or purchased in a private sale in any state may request that the claimed horse be tested for the presence of anabolic steroids prior to entering that horse to race in New Jersey. The trainer who requests such testing shall bear all costs, as determined by the Executive Director, that are related to the collection and testing of the blood sample consistent with (h) and (i) above, a horse that tests in violation of this section shall be declared ineligible to compete in any race in New Jersey for a period of at least 30 days after the date upon which the samples were taken. After the 30-day disqualification has been completed, the horse shall not be allowed to compete until such time as the trainer makes the horse available to the Commission for retesting and the samples taken are in compliance with this section. Any trainer who fails to request this testing prior to entering a horse claimed outside of the State of New Jersey or purchased in a private sale to race and the horse tests positive for the presence of anabolic steroids in violation of this section, the trainer shall be liable for all penalties set forth in this section.
(Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey)