A survey on two years of medication regulation in horse races in Iran.
Authors: Lotfollahzadeh S, Mokhber-Dezfouli M R, Tajik P, Bokaie S, Watson D G
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Medication Regulation in Iranian Horseracing Between 2008 and 2009, Iranian racing authorities implemented their first systematic drug-testing programme, testing 656 horses (354 in year one, 302 in year two) that finished first or second in races using urine sampling with confirmatory blood analysis where necessary, employing ELISA, gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography to detect prohibited substances. Approximately 47% of all samples tested positive for banned medications, with no significant sex-based differences (males 32–33.5%, females 25.5–33.3%), and notably, most positive horses showed only single positive tests (83% in year one, 78% in year two), suggesting repeat offenders comprised a small fraction of the racing population. Morphine dominated the findings at 42 detections, followed by caffeine and phenylbutazone, with morphine frequently appearing in combination with other substances in both years. The authors propose that environmental contamination of feed materials—particularly bread, hay and chocolate—rather than intentional administration may account for some positives, particularly morphine and caffeine. For equine professionals involved in racing, these findings highlight that whilst a robust regulatory framework successfully identifies prohibited substances, establishing whether detections reflect genuine doping or inadvertent contamination requires investigation of sourcing and feed handling practices; this distinction has significant implications for trainer accountability and the credibility of regulatory enforcement.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Nearly half of tested racing horses in this Iranian cohort showed prohibited substance residues, suggesting widespread contamination of feed/hay or intentional administration—trainers should audit feed sources and storage conditions
- •Morphine and caffeine are the primary concerns in this racing jurisdiction; these are often environmentally acquired (contaminated bread, hay, chocolate) rather than intentionally administered, but testing cannot distinguish intent
- •Multiple positive tests in individual horses (15-7% retested positive) warrant investigation of systemic contamination in training facilities or feed suppliers rather than assuming isolated incidents
Key Findings
- •306 of 656 horses (46.7%) tested positive for prohibited substances over the 2-year survey period
- •Positive rates were similar between males (32-33.5%) and females (25.5-33.3%) across both years
- •Morphine was the most detected prohibited substance (42 detections), followed by caffeine and phenylbutazone
- •Most horses tested positive once (78-83%), with 15% testing positive twice and 2-7% testing positive three times