More: Mitigating circumstances spare trainer Bob Baffert a suspension over medication violations What is a picogram?Ī picogram is one-trillionth of a gram. The horse's owner can face disqualification and "loss of purse," and the horse can be required to "pass a commission-approved examination before being eligible to enter."
Medina Spirit, according to Baffert, tested positive for 21 picograms of betamethasone, which the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission labels as a Class C drug.Ĭlass C drugs are approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration, according to regulations, and have a lesser degree of potential performance influence than Class A or B drugs.įor Class C drug violations, penalties for the trainer can range from a zero to 60 day suspension and a fine of $500 to $5,000, depending on how many prior violations he or she has, according to administrative regulations.
It is legal in Kentucky as a therapeutic.īut any race day positive is a violation, The Courier Journal previously reported. More: 'It's so easy to cheat': Is horse racing finally getting serious about drug misuse? Is it a banned substance? In humans, corticosteroids are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma and allergies.īut the Cleveland Clinic notes that corticosteroids are "different from the male hormone-related steroid compounds that some athletes abuse."Ĭorticosteroid drugs administered into joints can provide relief from discomfort for horses, according to Kentucky Equine Research. They can additionally suppress the immune system.īetamethasone specifically can be used to "relieve redness, itching, swelling or other discomforts caused by certain skin conditions," the Mayo Clinic said.
The drug and other corticosteroids such as hydrocortisone and prednisone suppress inflammation, according to the Mayo Clinic. View Gallery: Kentucky Derby 2021 winner Medina Spirit photos at Churchill Downs What is betamethasone?īetamethasone is a corticosteroid, meaning it's a man-made steroid that resembles cortisol, a natural hormone produced by the adrenal gland.
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