The Racing Medication and Testing Consortium’s (RMTC) Tactical Research Program was instrumental in the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission’s (DTRC) recent prosecution of racehorse trainer Donald Roberson by working with the HFL Sport Science’s Lexington, Ky., laboratory to identify dichloracetic acid and tadalafil.

Roberson received a two-year suspension and $2,500 fine, the maximum penalty the stewards could impose. The DTRC upheld the stewards ruling Oct. 16.

The substances were found during a July 13 search of Roberson’s barn by the DTRC that uncovered pre-loaded syringes with hypodermic needles attached and a large quantity of injectable substances. The injectable substances were compounded products labeled as GTO Accelerator and SK360. Samples of these two compounded substances were sent to the HFL Sport Science Lexington laboratory as part of the RMTC’s Tactical Research Program.

"The information obtained from RMTC and HFL Sport Science Lexington assisted the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission in prosecuting this case," stated DTRC executive director John Wayne in a release. "Access to this type of resource is a valuable tool for racing commissions in identifying unknown substances