Paulick.
La Verdad in her Honorable Miss victory
The New York stewards have advised trainer Linda Rice that her filly, La Verdad, has tested positive for clenbuterol following the Grade 2 Honorable Miss Stakes, according to a report from the Daily Racing Form. Rice told reporter David Grening on Monday that she has requested a split sample of urine and blood be sent out, because she has not treated La Verdad or any of her other 54 horses with clenbuterol.
The distribution of the July 29 race's purse is being held until the matter is resolved.
Clenbuterol is a breathing medication believed to have side effects similar to anabolic steroids in racehorses. Guidelines in New York call for the drug to be withdrawn 14 days ahead of race day.
Officials in New York confirmed to Grening that an investigation was being conducted in Rice's barn, though they would not confirm what drug they were looking for. Rice said she invited officials to look through the barn, since she says she does not even possess any of the medication.
Rice is preparing La Verdad for a run in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom at Belmont next month. The winner of over $1.1 million was entered in the Grade 1 Ballerina but scratched due to inflammation in a hind leg, which Rice said was not related to the drug overage case.
NYTHA TO ACQUIRE NEW TESTING EQUIPMENT FOR NY EQUINE DRUG TESTING PROGRAM
The New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NYTHA) today announced its commitment to acquire state-of-the-art testing equipment for the New York Equine Drug Testing and Research Program at Morrisville State College. The new equipment, a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, will be used to screen for new drugs that are alleged to be used in horse racing, including synthetic marijuana; nootropics, which enhance mental function; and modified existing drugs and peptides. It will provide New York's Equine Drug Testing Program with the increased sensitivity needed to test for these compounds in blood, urine and hair samples.
NYTHA will cover the entire cost of the equipment, approximately $450,000.
Over the last seven years, NYTHA has contributed more than $1 million to enhance New York's Equine Drug Testing Program. In 2008, NYTHA put up $500,000 to acquire the equipment to test for anabolic steroids. The organization donated $100,000 to the New York Equine Drug Testing and Research Program in 2012 to advance research to strengthen testing for illegal medications such as gene- and blood-doping substances, as well as snake toxins and protein-based drugs.
"As we've demonstrated in the past, NYTHA is staunchly committed to ensuring a level playing field for New York's owners and trainers," said NYTHA President Rick Violette Jr. "We don't know that these 'designer' drugs are being used in Thoroughbred racing, but we need to be sure that our drug testing program has the tools it needs to combat any efforts to cheat. This new equipment will help to do just that."
Will only make a significant difference if used OOC, not just race day or 48-72 hrs. prior to race day...
John