State toughens stance on drugged racehorses

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ARAPAHOE PARK – The State Racing Commission has closed a loophole that allowed horse owners to keep purse money won by horses testing positive for banned medications.

At the mid-way point in Colorado's horse racing season, nine horses have tested positive for banned medications. The medications, which have normal therapeutic applications, are classified differently than steroids, which are also banned. The blacklisted medications, when administered close to race time, can improve performance.

Three of the nine positive test cases have completed the adjudication process. Six are pending.

In each completed case, owners and trainers were hit with a $500 fine but allowed to keep their winnings, which can total tens of thousands of dollars in the most high profile races.

Dozens of other horse owners and trainers crowded a State Racing Commission meeting Tuesday at Arapahoe Park, the state's only horse racetrack.

Shannon Rushton, executive director of the Colorado Horse Racing Association, spoke of the collective frustration felt by horsemen who abide by the rules.

"If all I've got to do is pay a $500 fine to get a $10,000 purse, sign me up!" Rushton said.

A horse trainer sitting in the back of the room shouted, "Amen!"

"We just want to make sure that's not out there to tempt people to do that," said Rushton.

Commissioners voted unanimously to direct the State Division of Racing to start stripping purse money after positive drug tests.

State Division of Racing Director Daniel Hartman said his office had been issuing fines, rather than revoking winnings, because the state felt it was required by law to prove that the banned medications impacted the outcome of the race.

"We have always interpreted this rule to say we have to make the case as a prosecutor that [the banned substance] could have affected the performance or the condition of the racing animal," said Hartman.

Commissioners ruled racing investigators only need prove the banned medication is present to strip purse money and redistribute it to other horse teams based on the race result.

"That decision's appropriate," said horse owner and trainer Jon Shaffer. "We'll weed out some of the people pushing the envelope."

"We want to be able to prove to the people of Colorado that come out here to support live horse racing that everything is a zero tolerance situation," said Rushton. "Everybody's competing on a level playing field."