The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) has stepped up drug testing in Southern California with industry cooperation and soon things will be going really high tech with a new focus on biologic markers supported by The Jockey Club.

The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club (DMTC) hired an additional examining veterinarian for the current meet, while the CHRB appointed a second official veterinarian, which have allowed for increased out-of-competition drug testing—an increasingly important strategy for detecting substances and practices not easily identified through traditional post-race screening.

Rick Baedeker, CHRB executive director, said increased drug testing will continue indefinitely.

The Kenneth L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) is critical to this effort, as it is considered the preeminent facility of its kind and administers the testing for horses participating at Del Mar, Santa Anita, and all other racetracks in the state. Research is a key component of the Maddy Laboratory’s commitment to equine health and safety, and now the lab is breaking new ground by beginning development of the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP)