Out-of-competition testing of racehorses can be problematic, but some jurisdictions are making headway to combat use of performance-enhancing substances that aren’t administered on race day.

The Ontario Racing Commission, under a new directive, will penalize owners and trainers who don’t allow random blood samples to be drawn from their horses at Thoroughbred and Standardbred racetracks in the Canadian province as part of a new out-of-competition testing program.

Meanwhile, Meadowlands in New Jersey has refused entries from the leading trainer at the current harness meet because the New Jersey Racing Commission said one of his horses tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO)–or blood-doping–antibodies.

Beginning May 19, all owners and trainers were required to make their horses available for blood tests without prior notice in Ontario. In a notice to the racing industry, the racing commission said its “medication control program focuses on significant change of performance of all horses racing in the province, and the (commission) is committed to expanding the medication control program beyond existing pre-race and post-race testing and retention requirements