University of Kentucky Equine Lab Director terminated โขfollowing Examination into Testing Irregularities
LEXINGTON,โ KY -โ Theโฃ director โขof theโ university โofโข Kentucky’sโค equine analytical chemistry โขlab hasโค been terminated โคfollowingโ a report detailing meaningful failures in testing protocols and misrepresented results, according โto a report released this week. The findings stem from an โinvestigation initiated after the โHorseโ Improvement welfare Organization (HIWU) discovered a โsample โsubmitted for analysis had never beenโ opened.
In November 2023, HIWUโข requested “targeted confirmatory analysis” from the lab, then overseenโ by โขStanley, of a blood โsample suspected ofโข containing Erythropoietin, a banned substance in horse racing. Over the subsequent two months, HIWU repeatedly sought updates on โฃthe analysis via in-personโ requests, email, โand phone calls.
Stanley initially reportedโ in late โDecember โข2023 that the sample had been analyzed and the substance was not confirmed, statingโ the โlab would “repeat the โฃanalysis to ensure the result was accurate.” Inโ January โ2024, Stanley โขinformed HIWU โthe substance was not detected.
Though, on february โฃ23, 2024, when HIWU inquired about the remaining sampleโฃ volume for potential re-testing by another lab, staff revealed the original sample “had never been analyzed and, actually, had never even been opened,” remainingโค sealed in the lab’s refrigerator.
The investigation further revealed the lab:
* โข did not โฃcomply with HIWU-mandated testing specifications and instructions, including standardโ operating procedures and analysis methods;
* misrepresented โboth it’s ability to test for specific prohibited substances โand the completion of analysis forโ certain prohibited substances;
* โ โand failed to โperform confirmatory analysis on 91 samples that initially screenedโฃ positive for prohibitedโ substances, rather reporting them as negative under โStanley’s direction.
The lab, now known โขas the Equine Integrity & Anti-dopingโค Sciences (EQIAS)โ Labs, was acquired โby eagle Diagnostics in April. โขTravis mays โwas subsequently appointedโ as the newโค director, having previously overseen drug testingโ and toxicology operations at Texas โขA&M’s โคVeterinary Medicalโฃ diagnostic โLab.
Stephanie Kuzydym is an enterprise and investigative sports โreporter. Reach her at skuzydym@courier-journal.com or on โsocial at โฃ@stephkuzy.