(Lexington, Ky.) 5/10/21 Updated 6/09/21
“The horse racing industry standard for beta-methosone was arbitrarily established at a concentration of the drug that is miniscule and unfair,” according to Dr. Clara Fenger, Veterinarian, on WVLK-AM 590’s Jack Pattie talk show today. She is not associated with horse trainer, Bob Baffert.
Her comments came in response to the suspension of Bob Baffert, trainer of Kentucky Derby Winner (2021) Medina Spirit from Churchill Downs races pending outcome of a confirmation test.
Medina Spirit’s blood sample initially showed 21 picograms of beta-methosone, a miniscule amount of the drug which has no effect on the horse’s performance according to Dr. Fenger.
Three weeks later, the confirmation test came back positive, resulting in a two-year ban of Bob Baffert from Churchill Downs. This Journal Kentucky article was in abeyance pending outcome of the second test.
After the initial suspension, Baffert said he discovered that the horse’s veterinarian had used a cream containing beta-methosone and was unaware the drug was in it.
Dr. Fenger, whose practice is based in Georgetown, Ky., published a paper showing that the environmental level of Beta-Methosone should be established at 100 picograms (ten to the minus ninth power).
In other words, one may expect our environment to contain the drug in an amount five times larger than that found in Medina Spirit’s blood stream.
Thus, horses may be inadvertently exposed to up to 100 picograms in their food or water.
Drugs in Our Environment May Affect Test Result
Betamethasone is excreted by horses without undergoing any chemical alteration, so it leaves the horse in urine, feces, etc.
The Kentucky Department of Agriculture has documented that most contamination of natural bodies of water is from farm runoff.
That is how Betamethasone enters the environment, becomes concentrated, and may be present in hay, water, and other things consumed by a horse.
Some creams and ointments used by humans also contain the chemical. If a horse accepts food from that person’s hand, the Betamethasone could also enter into the horse’s body.
