The use of clenbuterol and the potential elimination of anabolic steroids were the primary subjects of two meetings Thursday at Santa Anita. California Horse Racing Board Chairman Richard Shapiro, executive director Ingrid Fermin, and equine medical director Rick Arthur, DVM, met with trainers in the morning and veterinarians in the afternoon to update them on the CHRB’s plans and to listen to horsemen’s concerns.

“We’ve seen a marked decrease in respiratory diseases since we’ve been administering clenbuterol therapeutically,” Dr. Karen Valko said at the trainers’ meeting. “We’re seeing far fewer incidences of pleural pneumonias and a significant decrease in lung X rays.”

After hearing trainers complain of abusing clenbuterol at its Jan. 9 meeting, the CHRB medication committee had suggested a 28-day withdrawal period for the bronchodilator, effectively eliminating it from use for horses in training. However, after the Thursday meetings it appeared more likely that the committee would recommend a 72-hour withdrawal period and a switch to testing for the substance in blood rather than urine, a more precise means of testing. The veterinarian group endorsed those positions.

There have been rumors that people have been administering clenbuterol within 90 minutes of post time, but Arthur said that blood tests can easily detect those types of administrations if they are occurring. He said at the trainers’ meeting that recent blood tests the CHRB has been performing on horses racing in California indicate that only 14% of the horses showed any “measurable levels” of clenbuterol instead of the rampant overuse of the substance that has been alleged and none that would indicate race-day administration