There were no positive results among the 12 horses tested for anabolic steroids following the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. March select sale of 2-year-olds in training in Central Florida. One horse sold at Frank Stronach's Adena Springs juvenile auction, which was conducted by OBS March 17, also was tested, and no evidence of anabolic steroids was found.
OBS began regulating the use of steroids in horses sold at its juvenile auctions earlier this year, and under the company’s policy, buyers of 2-year-olds in training can request that their purchases be tested. The blood samples are analyzed at the University of Florida in Gainesville. There were no positive results among the 21 horses tested after being sold at the OBS February select sale of 2-year-olds in training.
OBS received the preliminary results from the latest round of testing March 21, two days after the March sale ended. OBS got the final results March 24.
Tom Ventura, the OBS general manager and director of sales, said he was pleased with how smoothly the testing had gone and how quickly the results had been made available, eliminating any worries that a transaction would remain in limbo for a long period of time.
