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Equine Medical Director Blea Placed on Administrative Leave by UC Davis

Jeff Blea, California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) equine medical director, has been placed on administrative leave by UC Davis pending a formal review of his veterinary license, according to Blea's attorney, George Wallace.

The story was first reported by the Los Angeles Times.

The California Veterinary Medical Board last week announced that an emergency hearing had resulted in an interim suspension of Blea's veterinary license for a number of alleged offenses, including purportedly administering “dangerous drugs” to racehorses without a prior examination, without forming a diagnosis and without medical necessity.

The veterinary board also claims that Blea presents a “danger to public health, safety and welfare,” due to his oversight of the high-profile investigation into the death of the Bob Baffert-trained Medina Spirit (Protonico), the Kentucky Derby winner who collapsed and died after a scheduled workout on Dec. 6 at Santa Anita.

A TDN investigation into the accusations leveled against Blea, however, found a broad consensus among veterinary medical experts that the infractions are largely matters of poor record-keeping which rarely, if ever, rise to the level of a suspended license.

Though the role of the equine medical director has not historically been contingent upon having an active veterinary license, the CHRB responded to Blea's emergency interim suspension by bringing in the executive associate dean of UC Davis's School of Veterinary Medicine, John Pascoe, to oversee the necropsy of Medina Spirit.

This, the CHRB said, “satisfies the VMB's stated reason for filing the temporary suspension petition and therefore requires it to consider its withdrawal.”

A formal hearing on the veterinary board's petition for an interim suspension of Blea's license is scheduled for Jan. 21

The equine medical director is first appointed by the dean of UC Davis. The CHRB then contracts with the university for the appointee's services.

According to Scott Chaney, the CHRB executive director, “if the [Equine Medical Director] was on administrative leave, UC Davis would appoint an interim person or persons to fulfill these statutory regulatory roles of the EMD, and we would amend our contract to reflect that.”

In response to questions about who UC Davis might appoint during Blea's administrative leave, a UC Davis spokesperson wrote that “UC Davis has sufficient personnel to ensure that the obligations of the position are fulfilled.”

As part of the TDN's investigation into the accusations leveled against Blea, Eric Peterson, former member of the Kentucky Veterinary Medical Board, told the TDN that had he been presented with the same set of accusations, he would have recommended issuing a fine of “at most” $100.

“I was on the Kentucky vet board for 10 years. This would be minimal,” Peterson said. “We might not even fine him for this.”

According to Brian Langlois, former president of the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association, while from a purely public perception standpoint, “there probably is some merit” in the veterinary board's argument to remove Blea from overseeing the Medina Spirit investigation, there appears no obvious conflicts of interest that might preclude him from the task.

“I would think there would be more merit to their argument if he was the one physically doing the necropsy or physically running the drug tests, or physically collecting the samples from Medina Spirit after his death,” says Langlois. “But from what I understand, he isn't.”

The equine medical director is the “primary advisor to the board on all matters related to medication and drug testing, the practice of veterinary medicine within the areas regulated by the board, and the health and safety of horses within the enclosure,” wrote former CHRB equine medical director, Rick Arthur, in a letter to Lourdes Castro Ramírez, secretary of the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency.

In the letter to Castro Ramírez–secretary of the agency under which both the veterinary board and the CHRB sit–Arthur calls the actions by the veterinary board a “political hit-job.”

As such, Arthur urges Castro Ramírez to have inside counsel “review the obscene accusations against Dr. Blea and the politics behind their over-the-top accusations. Something needs to change at CVMB. This is a travesty for an exceptionally professional and ethical person.”

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CHRB Removes Blea From Medina Spirit Investigation, Asks Vet Board To Withdraw Request For His Temporary Suspension

The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) respects the mission of the California Veterinary Medical Board (VMB) to enforce the professional standards of its practice and passionately shares its commitment to animal safety. CHRB is equally respectful of the role of due process, which provides all California licensees the opportunity to be heard and defend their livelihood when accusations are brought against their license. In response to the actions brought by the VMB against Dr. Blea, Equine Medical Director (EMD), the CHRB respectfully disagrees with its pursuit of an emergency interim suspension order of his license, alleging he is an imminent danger to the public, citing specifically his role in the Medina Spirit investigation.

However, given the sensitive and very public nature of the necropsy and resulting investigation into the death of Medina Spirit, and in keeping with the CHRB's commitment to integrity and transparency, the CHRB has asked the Executive Associate Dean of UC Davis' School of Veterinary Medicine to oversee the necropsy and forensic examination of Medina Spirit. The CHRB believes this also satisfies the VMB's stated reason for filing the temporary suspension petition and therefore requires it to consider its withdrawal.

The CHRB is capable and specifically vested with the regulatory authority to ensure that all investigations, including necropsy reviews, are performed accurately and with the utmost diligence and transparency. This is a responsibility of the CHRB, not the VMB, and its emergency actions are unnecessary and outside the scope of its authority. This point was confirmed in the emergency petition decision stating, “There was, however, no evidence presented at hearing that would suggest that the Board (VMB) has the authority to invalidate Respondent's appointment or otherwise interfere with his duties as the Equine Medical Director.” That its emergency actions nevertheless seek to exclude Dr. Blea from contributing as the EMD to the critical and valuable work done through the necropsy program is unfortunate, and an improper application of its oversight and regulatory authority.

“In my view, the allegations against Dr. Blea have yet to be proven, and as such, he should be able to serve as the EMD until the final outcome of the accusation filed against his license can be fully adjudicated through the administrative process,” said CHRB Chairman Dr. Greg Ferraro, who previously served on the VMB. “At that point, the CHRB would be in a better position to determine any appropriate actions to take considering the final outcome and its full context in application and relationship to Dr. Blea's role as EMD.”

CHRB Executive Director Scott Chaney added, “Dr. Blea has done excellent work for the CHRB since he began his employment at UC Davis on July 1 and accepted the position of EMD. My concern is that not relying on his expertise, advice, and work in the role of EMD would diminish the CHRB's ability to effectively promote animal welfare and, in a very real way, make horses less safe in California. Of course, the full Board has the ultimate authority to determine its course of action, and the next opportunity for the Board to discuss the matter will be in closed session on January 20 following the regularly scheduled Board meeting.”

Read a report of the veterinary medical board's petition for temporary suspension of Blea's license here.

The post CHRB Removes Blea From Medina Spirit Investigation, Asks Vet Board To Withdraw Request For His Temporary Suspension appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Doug O’Neill Fined $5,000 In Settlement Agreement With CHRB

Trainer Doug O'Neill has been issued a $5,000 fine by the California Horse Racing Board pursuant to a settlement agreement, according to a stewards' ruling dated Dec. 31, 2021. The fine was issued for failing to post five “detention stall signs” at Los Alamitos on July 5, 2021, and is listed is a violation of CHRB Rule #1845 (c)(2)(A) (Authorized Bleeder Medication).

The original complaint was filed on Oct. 22, stating that investigators received a tip that a horse from O'Neill's barn that had already been entered in a race may have received illegal medication. Investigators at Los Alamitos inspected the barn on July 5 and discovered the unidentified horse did not have a sign on its stall door indicating it was running within the next 24 hours.

Assistant trainer Sabas Rivera told investigators he had treated the horse the previous day with oral pastes called Bleeder Shield and Un-Lock, which meant they had been treated within 24 hours of race time.

Un-Lock is marketed as a supplement containing amino acids and electrolytes to reduce muscle fatigue and prevent tying up. Bleeder Shield purports to contain the Chinese herb Yunnan Baiyao to prevent exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. Neither product is approved by the Food and Drug Administration because the FDA does not inspect or approve dietary supplements for horses or humans. California rules do allow the administration of oral pastes like these, but not within 24 hours of a race.

In 2013, O'Neill appeared before California stewards after a barn foreman administered an amino acid paste to runner Cinco de Mario, who was entered to run within 24 hours. Cinco de Mario was subsequently scratched from the race. At the time, O'Neill said the foreman made a mistake and was meant to give the paste to a horse in the next stall who was more than 24 hours out from a race. At the time, the trainer also said he would time the administration of oral supplements like that one 25 to 30 hours out from a horse's race, because he believed they could still be effective in that window without violating the rules. He received a $1,500 fine in that case.

The post Doug O’Neill Fined $5,000 In Settlement Agreement With CHRB appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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California Vet Blea’s License Suspended on Interim Basis

The California Veterinary Medical Board has filed an interim suspension order against the license of Jeff Blea, the UC Davis Equine Medical Director who advises the California Horse Racing Board on matters relating to equine health and welfare. The order reads, “The allegations include prescribing, dispensing, and/or administering thyroxine and other drugs to racehorses without establishing a veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR), without performing an examination, without forming a diagnosis, and without medical necessity.”

According to John Cherwa at the Los Angeles Times, an emergency hearing was held Dec. 24, and Administrative Law Judge Nana Chin signed the temporary suspension order.

The petitioner for the order was Jessica Sieferman, the Executive Officer of the California Veterinary Medical Board, and was filed by Rob Bonta, the Attorney General of California. They write in her petition that “the Board is investigating licensed veterinarians who have prescribed, dispensed, or administered drugs to racehorses, and the medical necessity of such drugs.”

The filing suggests that as a practicing veterinarian, Blea has a vested interest in the findings of the Medina Spirit necropsy, and that suspending his license will “prevent the appearance of impropriety,” while failing to clearly connect the dots as to why Blea specifically would have a vested interest simply by virtue of being a veterinarian or in his administrative roles.

It reads, “Because Respondent Blea is alleged to have administered dangerous and medically unnecessary drugs to numerous racehorses, it stands to reason that he approves of such practice by other veterinarians. Any necropsy and investigation results identifying any racehorse's cause of death as drug-related would be detrimental to Respondent Blea, his career, and his livelihood. With the Board's allegations pending, there exists a clear conflict of interest with Respondent Blea's continued involvement in the drug testing program and investigations. The requested interim suspension order will prevent the appearance of impropriety and any possible undue influence by Respondent Blea. The Medina Spirit investigation is currently underway. An impartial, complete and transparent investigation without undue influence and the appearance of impropriety is necessary to determine the root cause of Medina Spirit's death so that remedial action can be taken to prevent additional equine deaths.”

The filing goes on to say that Blea treated six horses with “dangerous drugs” without showing that he completed a “proper physical examination. A proper physical examination would consist of a documented general organ-system examination and may consist of more detailed and focused examinations of particular areas of interest.” It says that Blea “administered at least one of the following dangerous drugs…Thyro-L, Lasix, acepromazine, Adequan, phenylbutazone, methocarbamol, glycopyrrolate, trichlomethiazide/dexamethasone, Dormosedan, and Torbugesic.”

“Respondent Blea is alleged to have committed medication violations on racehorses and is part of the team that oversees the UC Davis drug testing program and investigates medication violations. The appearance of the impropriety alone erodes public trust. The mission of the Board is to protect consumers and animals. Adequate protection of racehorses requires learning the true causes of their sudden deaths so proper remedial action can be taken. That can only happen with impartial, complete and transparent investigations. Petitioner requests the Court to grant the interim suspension order suspending Respondent Blea's license,” the report concludes.

Blea is a respected veteran of the veterinary medical field, both in California and nationally. Aside from decades of equine practice, during which time he has been associated with some of the most well-regarded horsemen in the business, like Richard Mandella, Blea is also a former chair of the American Association of Equine Practitioners' Racing Committee. He also sits on the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act's Anti-Doping and Medication Control Standing Committee.

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