NEWS
Kentucky to get new drug-testing lab
Posted: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 10:51 PM
An England-based company will open a world-class drug-testing laboratory in Kentucky and begin testing equine blood and urine in 2011, according to published reports.
HFL Sport Science already tests for racetracks in Great Britain out of a Newmarket facility and will replace the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine's Racing Laboratory by February 1, 2011, according to a contract approved on Tuesday by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
A state task force in 2008 recommended that the commission use a laboratory in Kentucky. When a suitable option could not be found, commissioners began looking elsewhere and came across HFL Sport Science, who has promised to build a facility in Kentucky.
The commission selected HFL Sport Science over the U.S. Equestrian Federation, which plans to shift its facilities from Ithaca, New York, to Lexington this year.
The new drug-testing contract includes a clause that automatically will adjust the cost of testing if the new lab agrees to handle testing for another state at a lower cost than outlined in the Kentucky agreement, which is scheduled to run through January 31, 2013.
HFL also has agreed to donate 5% of its profits from drug testing for other states to Kentucky’s Equine Drug Research Commission, which funds research on medications and drug testing.
Commission member Dr. Jerry Yon worked with HFL Sport Science on the contract. He said HFL Sport Science has been conducting drug testing and research on animals for 40 years. Yon said HFL Sport Science's parent company, Quotient Bioresearch, has a strong desire to expand to the North American market, Daily Racing Form reported.
The state’s racetracks currently fund post-race drug testing in Kentucky. The University of Florida took over Kentucky drug testing from an Ohio State University laboratory.
