The Texas Racing Commission in recent months has handed out one-year suspensions and $10,000 fines to four trainers whose horses tested positive for ractopamine, a Class 2 drug carrying a Class A penalty under the Association of Racing Commissioners International's Uniform Classification Guidelines.
Ractopamine is a feed additive for cattle and swine designed to create lean muscle. When used in horses, it reportedly acts similarly to anabolic steroids in building muscle mass. Ractopamine has also been found to be a contaminant in commercially sold horse feed manufactured by companies that also make additives for cattle and swine that contain the drug.
Jerenesto Torrez, who has been training since 1991, is the only one of the four trainers who primarily conditions Thoroughbreds. His sanctions stem from a positive post-race test for Mine Inspector, second-place finisher in the fourth race at Lone Star Park last July 27. His suspension began on Jan. 1 and runs through Dec. 31. Mine Inspector was disqualified and also placed on the veterinarian's list for 90 days last Oct. 15 after a split sample confirmed the ractopamine finding.
The three others suspended for one year and fined $10,000 are primarily Quarter Horse trainers. They are:
All of the horses were required to go on the veterinarian's list and are required to pass an approved veterinary examination before being eligible to race.
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Gulfstream Park may soon be able to offer races on three different surfaces as officials are in the process of finalizing plans to install a Tapeta track on the outer section of the turf course. The story was originally reported by the Daily Racing Form.
“It's going to happen,” Bill Badgett, executive director of Florida racing The Stronach Group told the DRF's Mike Welsch. “Right now, we're just trying to find a time frame to implement the project that will be least disruptive to our racing schedule. We had the engineers out here on Tuesday surveying the course. The Tapeta track will be installed over what is now the outer 60 feet of the turf course. That will still give us enough room for two rail settings on the inner turf.”
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