BZE

From an altitude of 10,000 feet, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA)'s mandated goal is a simple two-pronged affair. Uniformity in welfare and safety. Uniformity in drug testing. Over the past few months, the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU)--HISA's enforcement arm--has made several announcements that have peeled the curtain back on just how difficult the second part of that equation will be to accomplish. Internal reviews of the six HIWU-contracted laboratories uncovered different limits of detection in blood for diabetes drug Metformin and for benzoylecgonine (BZE), a metabolite...

Cases against trainers Keri Brion and R. Lane Hendriks for benzoylecgonine (BZE) positives in covered horses have been withdrawn, according to a release from the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU). The Brion-trained Chasing After You (Speightstown) tested positive for cocaine after winning a $25,000 claimer at Presque Isle Downs Sept. 19. The former Jonathan Sheppard assistant was provisionally suspended by HIWU Oct. 14, but the suspension was postponed since the conditioner had yet to request a split sample or to inform HIWU that she was waiving her right to...