Dexamethasone

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. Among the key rulings from the last week, trainer Bonnie Lucas was suspended seven days after a post-race Xylazine positive in a sample taken from Tankinator, who was injured and vanned off in a race at Parx Racing on Nov. 7. Xylazine is a Class B controlled medication under HISA that can be used to sedate racehorses. It remains unclear whether Tankinator was euthanized as a result of...

French National Hunt trainer and former champion jump jockey David Cottin faces a 12-month suspension as both trainer and owner after failing to observe the correct withdrawal times in the use of corticosteroids on four horses in his stable. A veterinary officer from France's National Federation of Horseracing carried out an inspection at Cottin's yard in Lamorlaye, near Chantilly, on December 3, which revealed "several violations", according to a statement released by France Galop on Monday. Of particular concern was the evidence of intra-articular (joint) injections, as well as injections...

Robertino Diodoro, currently second in wins and fourth by earnings in the Oaklawn Park trainer standings, had a fifth-place finisher from three months ago disqualified via stewards' ruling Monday because of a Class 4 dexamethasone positive. Although the DQ ruling itself did not impose a fine upon Diodoro, a separate stewards' ruling fined him $1,000 under the "absolute insurer" clause. By issuing a separate fine, the Oaklawn stewards handled Diodoro's Class 4 positive similar to how they did in 2020 when Diodoro had two winners and a fifth-place horse disqualified...

Conditioner Adolfo Macias has been suspended 90 days following the search of his barn at a Central Kentucky training center. The story was originally reported by the DRF based on a ruling issued by Kentucky stewards. Macias waived his right for a formal hearing on the suspension, which will begin Dec. 1 and run through Feb. 28. The search, which was conducted July 28, turned up "injectable medications, hypodermic syringes, and needles." The search took place about three weeks after the Macias-trained Enraged (Big Blue Kitten) won a maiden claimer...

Edited Press Release The Maryland Racing Commission, upon the recommendation of its Equine Safety, Health and Welfare Advisory Committee, has approved a motion to modify a regulation on five corticosteroids to eliminate testing threshold levels and employ level of detection for the substances. The MRC took the action at its Sept. 23 meeting at Laurel Park. The change will be filed with emergency status and there will be public comment period. Given the regulatory process involved in rule-making, it is anticipated the update regulation will be implemented Nov. 1. The...

For the third time as many days this week, the nation's third-leading trainer by wins for 2020 has been fined and had a winner disqualified for a Class 4 drug positive. According to a Sept. 2 ruling issued by the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission, the Robertino Diodoro-trained Erebuni (Ministers Wild Cat) came up positive for dexamethasone in post-race serum testing after winning the 10th race at Will Rogers Downs May 4. The race was a $5,000 NW4L claimer in which the mare was favored at 19-10 odds. Dexamethasone is an...