HIWU: Efforts to Harmonize Laboratory “Testing Sensitivity” Underway

In a statement Thursday, the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU)–the enforcement arm of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA)–said that an internal review of the six accredited laboratories used by the agency had unearthed different limits of detection in blood for metformin, a banned substance at all times under HISA.

“Following this review, which was conducted in collaboration with the laboratories, it was determined that not all applied the same Limit of Detection in analyzing samples for the presence of Metformin. HIWU has since met with all six laboratories to establish an updated, uniform Limit of Detection,” according to the HIWU statement.

Furthermore, “there are efforts to harmonize testing sensitivity across the laboratories through an external quality assurance program that includes single- and double-blind quality assurance samples and a passed sample exchange program,” according to the HIWU statement.

“Additionally, substances will continue to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to ensure that all laboratories contracted by HIWU report uniform results for the same substances present at the same levels in different samples,” the statement reads.

All HIWU-contracted laboratories contracted are accredited by the Racing Medication & Testing Consortium.

According to HIWU, HISA's Equine Analytical Laboratory Accreditation standards are currently in development, and HIWU expects the process to continue through 2024.

Because of this flaw in testing uniformity, HIWU has lifted the provisional suspensions it had initially imposed on trainers Guadalupe Munoz Elizondo and Javier Morzan for metformin positives.

The agency wrote that it will also be withdrawing the Equine Anti-Doping Charge letters against Elizondo and Morzan “due to their Covered Horses testing positive for Metformin at levels in blood that would not have been reported as Adverse Analytical Findings under the updated Limit of Detection.”

Elizondo trainee, Quinton's Charmer (Quinton's Gold), tested positive for metformin, a common type 2 diabetes drug in humans, in a sample taken June 11 this year.

The Morzan-trained Lady Liv (Bal A Bali) tested positive for metformin after finishing third at Delaware Park June 24.

Elizondo and Morzan were two of five trainers this past week who have seen their provisional suspensions lifted by HIWU. Besides the metformin cases, two were for cocaine positives, and one was for the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide.

On Tuesday, Michelle Pujals, HIWU general counsel, sent Elizondo a letter explaining the decision behind lifting the provisional suspension.

In the letter, Pujals wrote that “HIWU has determined that there was variability across laboratories with respect to Limit of Detection for this Banned Substance, and, in order to eliminate inconsistency in enforcement based on interlaboratory capabilities, HIWU is determining whether this finding will be pursued as an Adverse Analytical Finding.”

On Wednesday, TDN submitted to HIWU a list of questions about the contents of the letter, including further explanations on what was meant by “variability across laboratories,” and “inconsistency in enforcement based on interlaboratory capabilities.”

TDN will follow-up with HIWU about the remaining questions unanswered by Thursday's statement.

There remain three trainers with pending hearings for metformin positives whose provisional suspensions have not been lifted by HIWU. They are Jonathan Wong, Angel Sanchez and Michael Lauer.

In Thursday's statement, HIWU wrote that the review of and update to the metformin limit of detection in blood represents “progress from previous state-based regulatory structures in which laboratories historically operated independently of each other, resulting in substances being controlled differently depending on the laboratory conducting the testing.”

The statement adds that “HISA's national structure enables HIWU to oversee all testing across the country and facilitate uniform enforcement of the ADMC rules. HIWU is committed to the harmonization of its laboratories and continues to work with them to reach this goal.”

The post HIWU: Efforts to Harmonize Laboratory “Testing Sensitivity” Underway appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Four Additional Trainers Handed Provisional Suspensions By HIWU

The Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU) has updated its list of trainers that have been provisionally suspended after their horses have allegedly tested positive for banned substances, and the new names are Natalia Lynch, David Reid, Javier Morzan and Mary Pirone.

Lynch, who is based in New York and had a winner Sunday at Saratoga, was sanctioned for allegedly having a horse test positive for Altrenogest. According a 2018 press release from the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC), Altrenogest is a progesterone receptor agonist used to control estrus in fillies or maintenance of pregnancy in mares. It is marketed in the United States as an oral formulation known as ReguMate. According to the National Library of Medicine's website, Altrenogest is structurally similar to the anabolic androgenic steroid, trenbolone.

The horse in question is Motion to Strike (Competitive Edge), who tested positive after finishing fourth in a $5,000 claimer at Monmouth June 24. The horse was claimed from that race by owner-trainer Silvino Ramirez. Ramirez now has the option of having the void claimed and returning the horse to Lynch.

According to Equibase, Lynch has been training since 2020 and has had 21 winners from 214 starts. She is 5-for-56 on the year.

In regards to Lynch, NYRA issued the following statement Friday: “NYRA has been alerted via HIWU that a horse under the care of trainer Natalia Lynch has tested positive for the banned substance Altrenogest. Per HISA rules, Lynch is now under a provisional suspension nationally and cannot participate in any activities at NYRA tracks. HISA/HIWU rules allow for Lynch to request a formal hearing and the analysis of a split sample. Lynch had occupied four stalls at Saratoga Race Course and 11 stalls at Belmont Park. Horses under Lynch's care are being transferred to a covered person who is not affiliated with Lynch as required by HIWU.”

Also new to the list, trainer Mary Pirone was also provisionally suspended for an Altrenogest positive. Based at Emerald Downs, Pirone has been training since 1987. She has won just two races since 2020, going 2-for-31 over that time. Pirone's Benny the Jet (Bernardini) tested positive after finishing fifth in a $2,500 claimer at Emerald Downs June 24. He was also claimed out of that race and in his next start he won for trainer Jorge Rosales and owner Dawn Spillman.

Trainer McLean Robertson, the dominant trainer at Canterbury Park, was also provisionally suspended by HIWU for Altrenogest.

Trainer Javier Morzan was provisionally suspended after his horse Lady Liv (Bal a Bali {Brz} tested positive for Metformin. Top Northern California trainer Jonathan Wong was also provisionally suspended for Metformin. Metformin is commonly used in humans to combat type 2 diabetes. While Metformin is a permitted medication by the U. S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) for humans in athletic competition, the National Institutes of Health published a study indicating it has an effect on athletic performance. In a study of 10 men, they determined that “time to exhaustion was significantly higher after Metformin than placebo ingestion,” and that “Metformin improved performance and anaerobic alactic contribution during high-intensity exercise.”

Morzan is currently racing at Delaware Park. He is 5-for-60 on the year and has won 18 total races during a career that began in 2020.

HIWU's list also includes trainer David Reid, who was provisionally suspended after a horse he trained tested positive for Venlafaxine. In humans, Venlafaxine is used to treat depression. It is also used to treat general anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and panic disorder. Reid, who  is based at Hawthorne, has a career record of 36 wins from 184 starters.

The post Four Additional Trainers Handed Provisional Suspensions By HIWU appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights