Press Release:
Remington Park and Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association, with approval of the OHRC, have jointly agreed to implement a House Rule during the 2019 Quarter Horse Mixed Meet requiring a clean hair test free of any prohibited drugs be submitted for every horse prior to entry in any race at the meet.
It is very important for all owners and trainers planning to race at the Remington Park Quarter Horse Mixed meet in 2019 to be aware that every horse will be required to provide a clean hair test prior to being eligible to enter any races. Certain prohibited drugs have the ability to affect performance long past the time they can be detected in blood or urine. The goal of this proposal is to screen and eliminate participation of horses that testing indicates may have been administered prohibited and illegal drugs within the past five (5) to six (6) months.
“Horsemen have had over 3 years to comply with the prohibition of performance enhancing drugs (since March, 2015) and implementing a pre-entry hair testing requirement at this time is a logical way for OQHRA and Remington Park to send a strong message that use of prohibited drugs is not acceptable at this track!” said Debbie Schauf, executive director of the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association.
This new House Rule has been implemented in an enhanced effort to maintain a race meeting of the highest quality and free of any practices which are corrupt, incompetent, or unprincipled; and to maintain the complete honesty and integrity of horse racing at Remington Park. The hair testing will provide additional safeguards for the welfare of the horses and riders from the potential risks resulting from use of prohibited drugs. It will also safeguard the wagering public by using the best efforts of the track and the horsemen to ensure that horses are competing free from performance-enhancing drugs.
Every horse must be tested, either at the track by the Remington Park veterinarian, or at a track in another jurisdiction by an approved track or state veterinarian following the directions of the Remington Park veterinarian, prior to being eligible for entry in any race at Remington Park. The hair sample should be collected not more than 30 days prior to the first time a horse is entered, and a horse with a clean test free of prohibited or illegal drugs will be eligible to enter for up to 45 days. There will be no penalty for either horses or trainers whose horses do not produce a clean test; however those horses will NOT be able to enter a race until such time as they do produce a clean test.
Testing will begin no later than February 4 (date track opens for horses prior to the meet). Scheduling will be handled through the racing office. Each owner/trainer/authorized individual responsible for the horse must pay the testing fee of $250 prior to collection of the hair. Once the horse has been tested and received a clean report, when it is entered and races in an overnight race, the owner will be paid a participation fee of $250 to offset the initial cost of the hair test. (Horses requiring repeat testing will not be reimbursed.)
In some cases, if a horse is not entered within the 30 day window the track may (with the approval of the OHRC) establish a reduced fee for horses that are not entered within the 45 day window. Horses not entering within the 30 day period will be required to re-test at their owner’s expense in order to comply with the requirement that every horse provide a clean test report within 30 days of initial entry.
“Remington Park is committed 100 percent to the highest standards of safety and integrity,” said Scott Wells, president and general manager. “We have worked diligently with the OQHRA on this initiative and we appreciate the support and guidance of the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission. We believe the Remington Park Quarter Horse and Mixed Breed season is the best of its kind anywhere in the world and we want to stay one step ahead of anyone who would try to cheat by using long-lasting performance-enhancing medications.”
