The Texas Racing Commission has suspended the testing of racehorses in the state, the regulator announced January 14.
Amy Cook, chief executive officer of TRC, wrote in an email to BloodHorse that the move is “a response to the concerns of the Texas Horsemen’s Partnership that need to be addressed.” She noted that “specifically, the way the committee conducted the May 2021 hair testing process failed to provide adequate notice and transparent procedures to the participants.”
Along with existing blood and urine tests, a number of agencies, organizations, and regulators have added hair testing in recent years. In Texas, shortly after feather testing began last May, Sam Houston Futurity for Quarter Horses was held as a no-betting event after the majority of the 10 finalists failed to qualify. failed the hair test for albuterol or clenbuterol.
Cook wrote that the suspension “is in effect until we are able to convene a meeting of our Health and Safety Committee (scheduled now) to provide an opportunity to build consensus.” agreement with all parties concerned.
When asked about whether the hair test would be successful in Texas, Cook noted that she doesn’t have a specific number regarding the number of positives from hair versus blood and urine. She writes that such data would be a “good aspect to consider as we deal with our procedures in test execution.”
