QUARTER HORSE DIRECTIVE No. 1 – 2012 Enhanced Testing for Clenbuterol

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WHEREAS the Ontario Racing Commission is committed to working with Industry stakeholders to expand the medication control program beyond existing pre-race, post-race testing and retention requirements;  

AND WHEREAS concerns were brought forward by the Quarter Horse Racing Owners of Ontario Inc. (QROOI) and other participants in the Quarter Horse Racing community regarding alleged misuse of the therapeutic drug clenbuterol;

AND WHEREAS the Ontario Racing Commission (ORC) responded to this concern by working with the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency (CPMA) to develop an agreement to allow for enhanced testing of samples;

TAKE NOTICE THAT effective May 13, 2012 all horses competing in Quarter Horse races in Ontario, where those horses have been selected to provide an Official Sample as defined by the CPMA and its regulations, may have their samples subjected to enhanced testing by the ORC for the presence of the drug clenbuterol. 

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE THAT any sample where clenbuterol is detected at a level of 200pg/ml or more in urine, and/or 1 – 2 pg/ml or more in blood, will be deemed to be a violation of the Rules of Thoroughbred Racing 2009 and the Racing Commission Act, 2000 and the following regulatory action against the owner and/or trainer of the horse will result:

  1. Disqualification of the horse from the race;
  2. Return and redistribution of all earnings from that race;
  3. The horse will be ineligible to race until:
    1. The owner of the horse produces a negative test result; and
    2. The ORC investigation is complete
  4. Any other penalties that the Director or his designate deems appropriate;

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE THAT if clenbuterol is detected in a horse that has been claimed, the regulatory action will be imposed against the original owner and/or trainer of record and the claimant has the option to return the horse to the original owner and the claiming price will be returned to the claimant.  The request to return the horse shall be made in accordance with the procedure outlined in Rule 12.32 of the Rules of Thoroughbred Racing.  If the horse is not returned, the new owner will be required to provide the negative test result prior to entering the horse to race.

 

BY ORDER OF THE COMMISSION

 

John L. Blakney
Executive Director