Decisions by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) to have its drug testing performed by a new laboratory and to revamp the manner in which it conducts its drug testing are having positive results, according to a report presented to the Kentucky Equine Drug Research Council (KEDRC) during its Aug. 2 meeting.

Previously, the state’s equine drug testing was performed by the Florida Racing Laboratory under the direction of Rick Sams, PhD, but the commission wanted the work performed locally so it would cut down on the cost of shipping samples and decrease the amount of time needed to get the samples tested and results returned.

The company selected by the KHRC, United Kingdom-based HFL Sport Science, opened a laboratory in Lexington to not only conduct Kentucky drug testing but to develop laboratory screening tests for fitness and nutritional health and to provide services to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors.

Now, with the first full quarter of the tests being conducted by HFL, the state is already seeing cost savings