Barretts Equine Ltd to Test for Steroids at Fall Yearling Sale - 06-07-08

June 7 - This week leading Pamona, California-based horse racing sales facility and full-service sales company, Barretts Equine Ltd, announced that it will start testing for steroids as part of a steroid ban at its September 30th fall yearling sale.

According to Gerald McMahon, president of Barretts Equine Ltd, the company's new anti-steroid policy is designed to prevent the use of exogenous steroids within 45 day's of its fall yearling sale. These steroids include testosterone, stanozol, nandrolone and boldenone.

Said McMahon, 'Buyers will have the right to return any of the horses they bought at the sale, if they are found to have unacceptably high levels of any of the aforementioned steroids. As some of these steroids occur naturally in horses, our scientists have developed protocols to determine what levels of steroids are acceptable and which are not. We will continue to conduct these tests at all subsequent sales.'

During Barretts fall yearling sale, any buyer may request a blood test on any horse at a cost of $250, which will be carried out by a California Horse Racing Board licensed and certified veterinarian. The vet will also carry out random tests, which will help drive home the message that rampant steroid use will no longer be tolerated in the state of California.

Currently Barretts Equine Ltd is carefully choosing horses for its for its ever-popular yearling sale and, said McMahon, all consignors are being informed beforehand about the steroid ban which, from its fall sale onwards, will be included in all of its conditions of sale.

'We believe in doing what we can to try to stamp out illegal steroids and, as such, will extend this form of testing in all of our sales, although perhaps with some variations with regards to levels of medication and withdrawal,' said McMahon.