by Jeff Lowe

The California Horse Racing Board moved forward on Thursday with an anabolic steroid regulation that will likely be in place in time for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships in October at Santa Anita Park.

The board gave final approval for a reclassification of the anabolic steroids boldenone, nandrolone, stanozolol, and testosterone to Class 3 status, which would carry penalties resulting in purse redistribution and trainer suspensions.

Barring any complications in the Office of Administrative Law’s regulatory process, the measure will probably become law near the start of the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting on September 24.

The board has performed race-day testing for the four steroids in a warning phase since July 1, and CHRB Equine Medical Director Rick Arthur, D.V.M., said 320 of 347 horses were within the regulation threshold levels over the first ten days. Arthur said the 27 positive tests all were for stanozolol, which was formerly manufactured as Winstrol.

“Just a brief check has shown that all [of the horses testing positive] were treated within the 30 days [of race day] which is contrary to our withdrawal recommendation,” Arthur said.

Arthur compared the results to a rash of positives when the board began regulating high bicarbonate (TCO2) levels.

“I’m afraid the situation is somewhat similar to the TC02 regulation where there was a small number of trainers who insisted on resisting the regulation,” Arthur said. “Ironically, some of the same names in the TC02 regulation are here [in the steroid violations].”

The board also proceeded with a regulation that would increase the fine for a trainer failing to report at entry that a horse has been gelded to a minimum of $1,000. The measure would include a provision allowing consideration for mitigating circumstances. The typical fine was $300.

Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer