Ontario trainers baffled by capsaicin positives

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainers at Woodbine and Fort Erie say they are puzzled by a rash of positives for the drug capsaicin found in local horses. Considered a Class 2 drug, capsaicin is the active ingredient in chili peppers that makes them spicy.

A release from the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association of Ontario says: “There is much speculation that the cause of these positives is the pepper and/or ‘Rap Last’ which various trainers use on bandages, cross ties, wood, etc.”

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Rap Last is a potent pepper spray that contains capsaicin and is used to stop horses from chewing on things. It can become airborne when it’s sprayed and could be inhaled by horses several stalls away.

The horses testing positive at Woodbine were Kid Forester on June 7 (trainer Mike DePaulo), Crafty Conquest on June 7 (Bill Tharrenos), All Inclusive on June 7 (Tharrenos), and Souper Hot on June 11 (Mike Mattine). All of them went on the stewards’ list and are ineligible to race in Ontario for 15-days.

DePaulo said he has no plausible explanation regarding his positives.

“It’s really odd,” DePaulo said. “I don’t know how to explain it. We use Rap Last. It’s very common to use it with horses chewing on a wall or a screen or on bandages. All of a sudden, when you have a bunch of positives, it seems like something’s wrong.”

Mattine said Souper Hot is the soundest horse under his care.

“That horse never wears a bandage,” Mattine said. “The only thing he gets is a poultice when he works and when he runs. I don’t have any [Rap Last] in the barn.”

Residue samples are being requested by the trainers for further testing.