The Kentucky Horse Racing Authority supports the regulation of anabolic steroids in racehorses in the state, and took the first step toward drafting and adopting the revised model rule offered by the Association of Racing Commissioners International and Racing Medication and Testing Consortium during a Dec. 17 meeting.
The first step toward adoption of the rules in Kentucky would be to place the rules before the Kentucky Equine Drug Research Council, and then have them returned before the full KHRA. If approved, the regulations would be sent to the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission.
KHRA executive director Lisa Underwood said the KHRA plans to work with members of the industry--such as veterinarians and trainers--to receive their input on the use of steroids.
Underwood said no time frame has been set on adoption of the rules. “I hope it will not take as long (to adopt) as the drug rules,” she said in reference to sweeping changes approved several years ago. “We hope to have rules in place as close to the model rules as possible. If we can move ahead quickly and people are cooperative, perhaps we can have it in place within six months.”
There is a nationwide push for the regulation of four commonly used steroids--boldenone (Equipose), stanozolol (Winstrol), nandrolone (Durabolin), and testosterone--all of which are governed by the RMTC model rule being implemented in various states. All other steroids would be banned.
Under the RMTC model rules, concentrations of those anabolic steroids shall not exceed the following: a concentration of one nanogram per milliliter of Winstrol is permitted in urine for all horses regardless of sex, while 15 ng/ml of Equipoise in male horses other than geldings is permitted. No Equipoise shall be permitted in geldings or females; Durabolin is permitted at one ng/ml or less in geldings and fillies and mares; testosterone is permitted at 20 ng/ml in geldings and 55 ng/ml in fillies and mares.
A urine-based test would be used for the detection of steroids in a horse’s system.
States such as Indiana, Pennsylvania, Delaware, California, Iowa, and Virginia have moved to regulate the use of steroids in Thoroughbred racehorses.
In other business at the KHRA meeting:
--Trainer Cody Autrey was fined $1,000 for not having on file a valid coggins test and health certificate with proof of equine herpes inoculation for Golden Glen on the Churchill Downs grounds.
--Trainer D. Wayne Lukas waived his right to formal hearing and was fined $500 for a Phenylbutazone overage in the horse Spirit Line Nov. 7 at Churchill. Purse money was not affected by the ruling.