Page 2 - May 2008 The Game

2 The Game, May 2008
C Tl a r i f i c a t i o n o f O R C R a n d o m D r u g T e s t i n g
Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
he ORC’s new Alcohol and determine the presence of: assessment.
Drug Policy which went into • Cannabinoids (marijuana) The new ORC Race Day Testing was
the saliva test however if an alcohol level of 0.02 to 0.04 is registered on the breathalyzer test, the person will be suspended immediately.
The persons who are tested in the morning must be the persons who are with the horse in the paddock in the afternoon. If a different person or a person who was not originally tested in the morning is with the horse in the paddock, they will be subject to testing while in the paddock.
Basically there is zero tolerance for use of drugs and alcohol while work- ing with the horses. If a drug test is positive, the person will be suspended and referred to a professional for as- sessment.
If a person is being prescribed a drug which is on the list of banned drugs, a note by the prescribing physician can be presented during the assessment.
Common sense is needed when working with horses and also when
it comes to the use of alcohol and drugs. Trainers and their employees know 3 days in advance when a horse will be racing and should take into consideration that they could be subject to random testing on the day of the race and should act accordingly.
For more details on the policy and speci cs on the consequences of positive tests visit the ORC website at www.ontarioracingcommission.ca and go to News Archives for October 15, 2007.
effect on January 1, 2008 has caused concern with many people on the backstretch.
• Amphetamine/ methamphetamine (ICE, Crystal meth)
• Cocaine
• Opiates (heroin)
initially to be performed while in the paddock however after concerns were raised by the HBPA, the testing will now be performed during the morning of the race. The following is an over- view of the procedure for testing:
The policy, which is slated as part
of the ORC Board’s continuing efforts to protect the health and safety of the horse and the participant, has extended drug and alcohol testing to include all persons who work in ‘safety sensitive positions’ in horse racing.
• Phencyclidine (PCP)
• Oxycodone
• Percodan
• Alcohol – Note new level - Fines
The ORC will pick a race day to do the testing.
The following persons are now sub- ject to testing:
and suspensions will now start with Blood Alcohol of .02 - .04
When the overnight for that race day is released, the ORC will assign a number to each of the horses listed on the overnight for that day’s card of racing.
Thoroughbred or Quarter Horse
The HBPA of Ontario have been working with the ORC to provide clari cation of the randomness of the testing and the following explanations should help to alleviate some of the concerns with the testing.
Testing in the morning will continue as it has in previous years with random people being stopped during morning training to provide a saliva test and
a breathalyzer test. If the person is over the 0.02 - 0.04 alcohol limit or a swab comes back positive, they will
be
Apprentice Jockey, Jockey, Assistant Clerk of Scales, Jockey Valet, Black- smith, Of cial Veterinarian, Clerk
of Scales, Paddock Judge, Course Marshall, Placing Judge, Exercise Person, Pony Person, Groom, Start- ing Gate Personnel, Horse Ambulance Driver, Stewards, Horse Identi er Test Inspector/TC02 Tech, Hot Walker, Trainer.
Numbers will then be put into a draw where 4 numbers will be drawn at random.
A test using a swab of saliva for drugs will be conducted unannounced throughout the racing season to
referred to a professional for
The 4 numbers will then be matched with the corresponding horses numbered on the overnight which will determine the trainers and personnel who are to be tested.
Between 9 am - 10am on the morning of the race day of testing,
the trainers of each of the 4 ran- domly chosen horses will be paged or approached in their barns and told to go to the Stewards Of ce to undergo a saliva test and a breathalyzer test.
After the trainer has been tested
they are then instructed to send to
the Stewards of ce anyone who
will be in contact with the horse
upon leaving the barn for the race and while the horse is in the paddock. This includes Assistant Trainers, Grooms, Hotwalkers, Valets and Jockeys.
It takes 3 to 4 days for the results of
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The Game May 2008.indd
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