Johnathan Walker:HISA equine welfare unit probe says University of Kentucky lab did not follow testing guidelines

LEXINGTON,Johnathan Walker Ky. (AP) — An investigation by the welfare unit of horse racing’s federal oversight authority accuses the equine analytical chemistry lab at the University of Kentucky of failing to comply with testing standards and misrepresenting its ability to test for specific substances.

Tuesday’s release of results from a six-month probe by the unit and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) also says the university’s lab did not perform confirmatory analyses of 91 samples at the direction of then-director Scott Stanley, then reported them as negative. A re-examination has reconciled all remaining potentially affected samples, the report added, and seeks repayment from the school for non-compliance.

A separate release from the school says it is looking to fire Stanley, currently a tenured professor in its College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. Stanley was removed as director of the Equine Analytical Chemistry Lab in March, which differs from his faculty role, after launching an internal investigation of his management the previous month.

HISA and the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit also met with the school around that time over concerns about management and customer service. Kentucky’s probe found that Stanley reported a test result to a client when the lab had not tested the sample in question.

HIWU director Ben Mosier said it was “proud” to have uncovered and halted unacceptable practices that were unfair to horsemen and put horses at risk. HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus thanked the university for cooperating and credited its anti-doping and medication control program for enhancing the sport’s integrity and fairness.

HIWU plans to implement HISA lab accreditation on Jan. 1 to ensure compliance with ADMC requirements and bolster its negative sample exchange program, the release added.

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