During a panel discussion May 8 of the ongoing Association of Racing Commissioners International annual meeting in Louisville, Ky., five racing investigators spotlighted successful investigations and encouraged coordination across jurisdictions.
Calling racing investigators the guardians of the sport of horse racing, Keeneland vice president of equine safety Dr. Stuart Brown introduced and moderated the five racing investigators, whose positions ranged from those involved in state oversight to those employed by tracks or entities such as Breeders' Cup or the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit.
David Duncan, senior director of operations for Breeders' Cup, described the process utilized at Breeders' Cup, in which investigators accompany veterinarians when they are treating horses during the week of the event, collecting syringes and other items used for treatment. He said this allows investigators to rule out whether the items were a source of contamination or illicit medication should a horse end up with a test finding for a prohibited medication.
Don Ahrens, director of security and parking for Sam Houston Race Park and a longtime member of the Breeders' Cup security team, said two years ago they were able to scratch a horse from competition when the horse was observed being treated with a nebulizer within 24 hours of a race in violation of rules. A nebulizer is a medical device that converts liquid medication into a mist, allowing for easier inhalation into the lungs.
Ahrens did not identify the horse or the trainer responsible for the horse.
Duncan said Churchill Downs has utilized a similar observation practice for about three years during the week of the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1) to monitor veterinarians who are treating Derby and Oaks horses. Under the Derby format, investigators are voluntarily contacted by attending veterinarians for observation by the integrity team.
Four years ago, test results taken from Medina Spirit showed the prohibited race day presence of betamethasone in his system. He was ultimately disqualified from victory in the 2021 Kentucky Derby.
Panelists emphasized the importance of cooperation from different agencies and regulators in oversight. The Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation's director of enforcement Paul Brooker said honoring another jurisdiction's decisions through reciprocity is vital.
It is also beneficial to know all rulings related to competitors, Ahrens said. The ARCI keeps a database of sanctions, and "So it's very important to get that stuff in these databases on a timely basis," Ahrens continued.
Joining the panel as it came to a close, ARCI president Ed Martin encouraged Ahrens and others to reach out if they spot an omission in the database. Speaking of the collection of regulators and agencies, he said, "Not every tower is talking to each other," and "That means someone needs to kick somebody" into compliance.
