The Indiana Horse Racing Commission issued a suspension of six years and imposed a monetary fine of $30,000 to standardbred trainer Mark P’Pool (Crown Point, IN) for accumulating eleven positive tests for dexamethasone in 2006.  The decision was made at the Commission’s public meeting on Friday, June 22, 2007 in Indianapolis. 

The penalty, initially proposed by Commission Executive Director, Joe Gorajec, was recommended to the Commission by an Administrative Law Judge who presided over a day-long hearing in Indianapolis in late March of this year.

The Commission’s decision is the culmination of an investigation initiated in the spring of 2006. The investigation focused on the illicit race day administration of dexamethasone. During the course of the 2006 spring harness meet at Hoosier Park; six trainers were cited for a total of twenty dexamethasone positives.  No dexamethasone positives were detected at the thoroughbred race meet at Indiana Downs during the same time period.

Dexamethasone is a potent, quick acting corticosteroid.

It is believed that Indiana is the first jurisdiction to assess such significant penalties for the race day administration of a class 4 drug.  While the Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI) recommended penalty for a class 4 drug is up to a 30 day suspension,  the Commission considered each race day administration as an aggravating factor.

In addition to Mr. P’Pool, trainers Craig Cornachione (Toledo, OH) and Donald Bush (Camden, OH) had been previously assessed a one year suspension for three dexamethasone positives.  Both Mr. Cornachione and Mr. Bush admitted the positives were the result of an injection on race day.  Each also agreed not to seek licensure in Indiana until 2010.  Three other trainers received one year suspensions for a single positive race day violation.

The positive tests come on the heels of Indiana’s newly instituted Integrity ’06 program.  Integrity ’06 is a series of regulatory initiatives designed to deter and detect the unauthorized administration of drugs and other substances on race day.

The Commission staff’s prosecution was aided by several industry experts including Dr. Norman Hester, Technical Director, Truesdail Laboratory, Dr. Lawrence Soma, Professor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Ursula Jedra, DVM, Chief Veterinarian, Indiana Horse Racing Commission and Janince Sojka, DVM, Associate Professor of Large Animal Medicine, Purdue University.