Trainers of horses that test positive for anabolic steroids at this year’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park will face a one-year suspension from the event, Breeders’ Cup Ltd. announced on August 1.
In addition, trainers who violate steroid regulations three times will face a lifetime ban from participating in Thoroughbred racing’s season-ending championships.
The Breeders’ Cup also announced on August 1 that it will neither fund stakes purses nor award Breeders’ Cup Challenge races to tracks in the United States and Canada unless those tracks are in states or provinces that adopt Racing Commissioners International (RCI) model rules on anabolic steroids via either state regulation or house rules.
Breeders’ Cup currently funds $6-million in purses via its stakes program, and 53 races in the U.S. and Canada have been designated as official qualifying events for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
Anabolic steroids already are prohibited in all racing jurisdictions in Europe and Asia, where Breeders’ Cup Challenge races were run earlier this year.
“The Breeders’ Cup Board believes it’s crucial that we take a leadership role in eliminating anabolic steroids from our sport,” Breeders’ Cup Chairman William S. Farish Jr. said. “We encourage each race track and racing jurisdiction to move swiftly in enacting these much-needed regulations.
“It is important that the industry takes a coordinated approach to address medication and safety issues. We pledge to continue to work with the NTRA, The Jockey Club Safety Committee, Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders’ Association, and other industry leaders in this regard.”
In May, the California Horse Racing Board adopted rules to begin anabolic steroid testing following all of its races. The 2008 Breeders’ Cup World Championships will be the first time in the event’s history that post-race steroid testing will be conducted.
The first four finishers in all 14 Breeders’ Cup races, and at least one horse selected at random, will be tested. Violations will result in purse forfeiture and suspensions.
In addition to anabolic steroid testing, there will also be out of competition testing for EPO (blood doping) ten days prior to this year’s Breeders’ Cup and TCO2 (milk shaking) testing prior to all 14 Breeders’ Cup races in the Santa Anita detention barn. A failed EPO test would make the horse ineligible for competition and the trainer subject to suspension, and positive TCO2 tests will result in purse forfeiture and suspensions.
“We must provide an even playing field for all our equine athletes if we are to continue to offer the best Thoroughbred racing in the world,” said Breeders’ Cup President Greg Avioli said. “Our number one priority remains preserving the integrity of our competition and protecting the welfare of our athletes.”