Tag: sam houston futurity

Friday night's $731,650 finals of the Sam Houston Futurity for 2-year-old Quarter Horses saw its field of 10 reduced to just three runners following the revelation that the prohibited drugs clenbuterol or albuterol were detected in hair samples in six entrants and two other test samples were considered inconclusive.

Juan Diaz Jr. trained the top two finishers in the race, Bh Inxs and Hock It To You, while Roberto Madrigal trained the third-place finisher, Lucky Dice.

Officials at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, Texas, announced on Thursday, a day after the Paulick Report first reported the hair test findings, that the Futurity would be contested as a non-wagering event.

Apollitical Crystal, the fastest qualifier, was listed on the Equibase chart as a “trainer” scratch, while three other finalists trained by Adrian Huitron (El Gansito, Dr Toola and Coronas Candy Man) were listed as “veterinarian” scratches. The other “veterinarian” scratches were Mr de Capi (trained by Angel Sanchez), Hes Tempting Gl (Jose Garcia) and Dealalicious (Rodolfo Sanchez).

On Thursday, Sam Houston officials released the following statement:

The Texas Racing Commission (TxRC) performed two separate testing methods on the qualifiers for the Sam Houston Futurity.

· Post-race Blood and Urine samples on the qualifying nights (May 7 and May 8)

· Hair Test samples on May 15th

Throughout this time period, all qualifiers were required to remain on Sam Houston Race Park (SHRP) property until the conclusion of the finals. TxRC staff notified SHRP that all post-race samples were negative for the ten qualifying participants prior to entry day on May 21 for the Sam Houston Futurity Finals.

On Wednesday, May 26, TxRC staff informed Sam Houston Race Park of the following results from the hair testing performed on May 15:

· Six (6) positive results for either Clenbuterol and or Albuterol (both prohibited in Texas)

· Two (2) results were deemed inconclusive

· Two (2) results were negative

A second hair sample was taken on May 26 of those horses who tested positive or inconclusive.

Based on this information, and to protect the interest of the wagering public, Sam Houston Race Park will conduct the running of this race as a NON-WAGERING event and those Sam Houston Futurity participants will compete for purse money only.

Effective immediately and until further notice, Sam Houston Race Park will stop accepting future entries from those trainers whose horses tested positive. Entries have already been accepted through Thursday, June 3, 2021.

Sam Houston Race Park reserves the right to issue further disciplinary actions against the trainers of these horses, pending actions of the Texas Racing Commission, including the results of second hair test samples if applicable.

The post After Hair Test Drug Discoveries, Only Three Runners Contest Quarter Horse Futurity At Sam Houston appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Hair testing that detected the presence of clenbuterol or albuterol in a majority of the finalists in Friday night's $731,650 Sam Houston Futurity for 2-year-old Quarter Horses at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, Texas, has cast a cloud of uncertainty over the Grade 2 race, the Paulick Report has learned.

Six of the 10 runners that qualified in the May 7-8 trials were found to have either clenbuterol or albuterol from hair samples that were taken May 15, a source with knowledge of the testing procedures told the Paulick Report. Two other horses' sample sizes were insufficient and two of the 10 tested clean, the source said. The test results by individual horses in the rich Futurity was not disclosed.

A second sample was taken from eight of the 10 horses (excluding the two that tested clean) on Wednesday, May 26, for re-testing.

Both clenbuterol and albuterol – classified by the Texas Racing Commission as Class 3 drugs with a severe Category A penalty – are prohibited in Texas for use in race horses of all breeds, in accordance with 16 TAC 319.3. Though they are bronchodilators designed to treat airway disease, both drugs can be misused for their steroidal effects that can increase lean muscle mass.

The decision to supplement plasma and urine testing with hair testing for the Sam Houston Futurity finalists was driven by the Texas Racing Commission, the source said. Robert Elrod, a spokesperson for the Texas Racing Commission, said he could not comment on the situation “because it is an open investigation.”

Track officials are said to be considering their options for the race, which is funded largely through a series of five nominations and sustaining payments that began in December 2019. The winner is slated to earn $292,660.

There are no also eligibles for the race, though positive drug tests are mentioned in the nomination form, which states: “Should a horse be disqualified for a positive drug test report or ineligibility of the horse according to the conditions of the race (i.e., age, breed, ringer, etc.) the next fastest qualifier shall assume the disqualified horse's position in the final.”

The post Clenbuterol Or Albuterol Found In Hair Tests In Six Of 10 Finalists For Friday’s $731,650 Sam Houston Futurity appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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