Ontario Developing Regulations for Cobalt

Blood-Horse

The Ontario Racing Commission said March 20 it will begin developing a “practical and appropriate response” for testing for the mineral cobalt, which is endogenous to the horse but believed to have blood-doping effects when administered in large doses.

The ORC, which governs Thoroughbred, Standardbred, and Quarter Horse racing in the province, said it will use its out-of-competition testing program to facilitate cobalt regulations. The ORC plans to consult with industry stakeholders, determine a testing threshold level in coordination with the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency, and devise a penalty system.

“The ORC believes that the testing for cobalt should be addressed on an urgent basis,” the organization said in a release. “It is not only a matter related to the integrity of horse racing but more importantly an animal welfare issue. When administered in appropriate quantities, there is very little performance benefit, but when used in excess, this element can be toxic to horses.”

The CPMA, in a February industry memorandum, said it has participated in research projects on use of cobalt in Canada in conjunction with Maxxam Analytics, its official laboratory; the Canadian Food Inspection Agency; and the University of Kentucky. The regulatory agency noted the wide ranges of threshold levels being proposed or used in the United States and other countries.

The CPMA said it “has also collaborated with other racing jurisdictions and has made considerable progress toward understanding the complexities in controlling the use of this naturally occurring substance.”

The agency already is testing for elevated levels of cobalt but, until the substance is included on the official schedule of drugs, positives won’t be called. The test results will, however, be used to establish what the CPMA calls “an appropriate threshold” for cobalt testing.

“At this time there are no elimination guidelines for therapeutic doses of cobalt or veterinary-approved forms of injectable cobalt,” the CPMA said. “However, current knowledge would suggest that under no circumstances should supplementary oral cobalt be given within 48 hours of racing.”