From TTimes Online:
Ontario commission directive calls for bloods tests at any time
The Ontario Racing Commission has issued a directive requiring owners and trainers within the province, including those at Woodbine in Toronto, to have their horses available for blood tests at any time without prior notice.
The new policy, effective immediately, is part of a medication control program, which the commission said \"focuses on significant change of performance of all horses racing in the province of Ontario and the ORC is committed to expanding the medication control program beyond existing pre-race, post-race testing and retention requirements.\"
Failure to adhere to the policy could result in a horse being scratched and/or the trainer or owner being stripped of the right to enter a horse or horses within the province, the directive states.
I rarely speak up (just mostly read), but A step in the right direction I am not so sure about that. I would have to know more specifics but I can think of lots and lots of scenerio\'s were this policy would not work. For instance what if a horse were to get sick or Sustain a Minor injury. There are alot of medications that can be used to treat an Illness or injury that are banned to run on.
I can see randomly testing a horse from the point of entry until said horse runs but why in the world would you test horse that ran 3 weeks ago and maybe has no intentions of running for another 3 weeks.
That is why I am thinking there has to be a whole lot more to this than simply testing a horse at anytime for any reason