Trainers scramble to adjust to change in steroid testing

By: JEFF NAHILL - Staff Writer | Tuesday, August 9, 2005 10:44 PM PDT ∞

DEL MAR ---- It was bound to happen: steroids in horse racing.

Every other sport has its problems with the drugs that are supposed to enhance a human athlete's performance, but horse racing?

Actually, steroids have been around for years in the sport, mainly in order to help a horse recover from injury. Until trainer Laura de Seroux was fined for two steroid positives by Del Mar stewards over the weekend, however, the drugs haven't been high profile.

Oh, sure, there has been plenty of speculation in Internet chat rooms coast to coast about steroids, especially since the practice of milkshaking horses ---- applying a sodium bicarbonate solution directly to a horse's stomach to reduce fatigue ---- came front and center. But Mike Marten, a spokesman for the California Horse Racing Board, reports there have been eight steroid cases in the state in the past three years.

The steroid for which de Seroux was fined $500 is a Class VI drug in the state's listing. That's the second-lowest offense. But according to many you talk to, there is going to be a rash of positives in the near future.

"I think that is just backside scuttlebutt," said Del Mar resident Ingrid Fermin, new executive director of the CHRB, who has been preaching a get-tough stance on drugs in the sport. "I certainly haven't seen any proof of that, although I deal mainly with Class I, II and III."

Fermin and Marten agree, however, that there could be more coming because of one simple fact: California has shifted all of its drug testing to the UC Davis lab, which has some of the most sophisticated equipment in the country.Ý

"Compounds that weren't detectable before are now," Fermin said.

Trainers and their veterinarians better be on their best behavior.

Let's get one thing straight at this point: Steroids in horses are legal as long as the steroid is out of a horse's system by race time. That usually takes six to eight weeks. In de Seroux's case, the drugs didn't clear the system, but did they help the horses improve?

"I'm not sure steroids alter the performance of a horse," Fermin said, "but we knew this was something we were going to have to face, just like baseball and other sports. The steroids of today are different than those of the past. We need to take a look at this and see what performance-enhancing drugs do."

Another interesting sidebar in the de Seroux case is the drug Trenbolone.

"This steroid is not approved for use by horses," Marten said. "It's approved for cattle, but not horses. There (had) been no Trenbolone positives in California. There is no scientific data on withdrawal time. I don't know why you would use an unapproved steroid on a horse."

De Seroux said she was told it was OK to use.

"My vet told me it was legal for a horse," de Seroux said. "The stewards even looked it up in my hearing."

Whether we have heard the last of steroid positives in this state is anyone's guess, but you probably won't hear de Seroux's name again. Her 72-hour appeal period ends today.

"I'm not going to appeal because it's a moot point," she said. "I'm never going to use those steroids again."

Bad call

The disqualification of Sarafan from victory in the Escondido Handicap on Aug. 3 was dubious at best.

Sure, Sarafan hit Laura's Lucky Boy near the wire, but earlier in the stretch Laura's Lucky Boy hit Sarafan. In the past, if the other horse started the incident, then it rarely was elevated to victory after a subsequent incident.

Track stewards seem to have a different view of that this year. Maybe that's because there are two new judges in the booth, Dennis Nevin and Kim Sawyer, who are joined by holdover George Slender.

We could debate all day long about that decision and others made at the meet. Hopefully, one of the problems the stewards had ---- the lack of a good view of the incident ---- has been corrected.

Track maintenance men worked during Tuesday's dark day to move the head-on camera view seven feet. The move will allow a more panoramic view of the action down the lane.

Where Del Mar had the camera positioned, when the turf course was set at 14 feet, some of the outside horses couldn't be seen, which wasn't a good situation, especially when horses are strewn across the track.

While, I don't think this would have been helpful in Sarafan's case ---- that action took place along the rail ---- any changes to help the stewards are good.

Some of the decisions coming out of the stewards' booth this season have a lot of people scratching their heads.

One horse owner and bettor told me he has no idea what's going to happen when an inquiry or objection is made. He just wants consistency, something he felt wasn't happening at the meet so far.

Blooming business

Jeffrey Bloom has been in and around the horse racing business for years, but this summer has been nothing short of spectacular for Oceanside resident.

The 41-year-old Bloom, who is the North County Times' newest handicapper, spent nine years as a jockey before injuries ended his career. He also has been an exercise rider for many trainers, including the late Charlie Whittingham and Eddie Gregson.

Bloom has held almost every job there is at a track and still helps Del Mar with its "Daybreak at Del Mar" workout programs on weekends.

But this past spring, Bloom got his dream job: executive vice president, West Coast Operations, West Point Thoroughbreds, Inc. West Point organizes ownership syndicates, giving smaller investors a share of horses.

"It's paradise," Bloom said. "I've never worked so hard and never found such happiness. The only thing I can compare it to is riding. I'm working 24/7, but what other job can you talk horse racing and come to the races every day? It's all good. I love it."

What does the handicapper think so far of the meet, which hits the halfway point this week?

"It's been a very typical Del Mar in that there have been a lot of surprises that just don't jump off the paper," Bloom said. "The turf course has been a huge success. There's been nothing but positive comments from the riders and even though the times have been fast, there's been no problems for the horses."

On a personal note

A bad day at Del Mar is better than a good day anywhere else. I've always thought that, but this summer just proved it to me. I had to miss the first two weeks of the meet while recovering from rotator cuff surgery.

Believe me, I wasn't a happy camper when I had to miss my first Del Mar opener in 18 years.

They say Disneyland is the happiest place on Earth. Forget about it. Anyone who thinks that has never been to Del Mar.

Staff writer Jeff Nahill covers horse racing for the North County Times. His column appears every Wednesday during the Del Mar season. He can be reached at (760) 740-3550 or jnahill@nctimes.com.