Los Alamitos tests reveal trace positives in Super Derby runners

CYPRESS, Calif. - Los Alamitos announced Thursday that it has released the purse of the $972,100 Los Alamitos Super Derby for Quarter Horses, run on Nov. 22, despite trace-level positives in pre-race tests for the bronchodilators clenbuterol and albuterol among several the 10 finalists. Clenbuterol and albuterol both have muscle-building qualities in addition to helping aid breathing.

Four of the 10 finalists tested positive for clenbuterol, while eight of the 10 came up positive for albuterol from out-of-competition tests conducted by the racetrack, according to a statement released by the track. The track did not state the levels of medications found in the hair and blood samples, which were taken on Nov. 17.

Rick Arthur, California’s equine medical director, said in a phone interview on Thursday that all 10 finalists for the Super Derby “passed post-race tests” conducted by the racing board. Clenbuterol is allowed to appear in official post-race tests up to 140 picograms, or trillionths of a gram, per milliliter of urine. Albuterol is allowed to appear in official post-race tests up to 1 nanogram, or billionth of a gram, per milliliter of urine.

Los Alamitos has more stringent house rules than does the racing board pertaining to the use of clenbuterol, which has been the subject of widespread positives in Quarter Horse racing throughout the nation. The medication is not allowed for use in Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos, although some runners in the Super Derby could have been treated with the medication at other tracks earlier this year.

Track owner Ed Allred announced in late November that Los Alamitos will conduct hair follicle testing on qualifiers of major Quarter Horse futurities and derbies beginning in 2015. The policy will also include out-of-competition random testing for Quarter Horses running in overnight races. Hair follicle testing is more sensitive than blood or urine test, and can detect medications used over a longer period of time.

Allred said at the time that the track will work with the state’s official laboratory, at the University of California-Davis, for the out-of-competition testing, which will be conducted at track expense.

In the statement released Thursday, Allred expressed frustration about the Super Derby runners testing positive for the medications.

“We are paying out the purse to the Super Derby because we have no other recourse under the current regulations,” he said. “This will not be the case next year.”

In early November, the track announced the cancellation of the $600,000 Champion of Champions, which was scheduled for Saturday, because of the absence of a nationwide policy pertaining to clenbuterol use in Quarter Horse racing. In past year, the Champion of Champions has played a pivotal role in year-end championship voting, and has brought together runners from several circuits.

There has been concern in recent months related to clenbuterol abuse in Quarter Horse racing. Los Alamitos ran time trials for the Super Derby on Oct. 12, but delayed the final for three weeks so the 30 fastest qualifiers could undergo extensive testing. After the delay, the original 10 qualifiers were allowed to start.

Trainer Eloy Navarro qualified eight of the 10 finalists, including race winner Foose Cash Sr, who tested positive for clenbuterol and albuterol, the track said. Navarro said in the winner’s circle on Nov. 22 that he had not administered clenbuterol to Foose Cash Sr but said the horse could have been administered the medication during the summer when based at Ruidoso Downs. Navarro said that he did not train Foose Cash Sr at the time.

On Nov. 17, the out-of-competition clenbuterol tests were conducted via hair follicle testing, while albuterol tests were conducted from blood samples, according to the track’s statement. Runner-up Highest Fire did not test positive for either medication. The third through 10th-place finishers were positive for at least one of the medications, the track said.

The issue of clenbuterol use at Los Alamitos is scheduled to be discussed at the California Horse Racing Board’s next meeting, which is scheduled on Dec. 18 at Los Alamitos. The racetrack and the state’s official Quarter Horsemen’s organization, the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association, will ask the racing board to not allow the use of clenbuterol for all of 2015. A similar request was granted in October 2011 for a year.