A University of Kentucky laboratory is required to repay more than $1 million after federal horse-racing authorities discovered that 91 drug tests had been falsified.
The lab could also be the subject of a criminal investigation, as its former director, Dr. Scott Stanley, is accused of issuing fake test results, including two that wrongly implicated unnamed horsemen.
This revelation came after a nine-page report and a news conference by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and its enforcement body, the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU).
They cited the lab for “persistent delays in reporting results, unprofessional staff behavior, and unresponsiveness to HIWU communications.”
Much of the scrutiny is focused on Stanley, who allegedly disregarded established rules and procedures.
HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus said, “This was the case… of a lab director who substituted his own judgment for the standards, rules, protocols, and guidelines that had been established and agreed upon.” She emphasized that ensuring horsemen are treated fairly is at the core of the issue.
The University of Kentucky’s equine analytical-chemistry lab was one of five testing facilities contracted by HIWU. After the lab’s failures came to light, HIWU cut ties with it in February, as the lab handled “less than 10 percent” of national samples.
Following the discovery of misconduct, Stanley was removed from his role as lab director on March 1, and the university is now pursuing his termination.
The investigation revealed that Stanley reported negative results on 91 samples that should have undergone confirmatory analysis after initial screenings indicated possible prohibited substances.
HISA and HIWU retested all 91 samples but have not disclosed how many violations were ultimately confirmed.
Meanwhile, two horsemen were affected by false positives, though HISA pledged to compensate them financially and avoid clawing back prize money from those who benefited due to disqualifications.
Lazarus and HIWU Executive Director Ben Mosier have refrained from naming the horsemen involved, directing reporters to the HIWU website for further details.
The University of Kentucky has agreed to reimburse the funds for the faulty tests, which Lazarus estimated would exceed $1 million.
Though criminal charges have not yet been filed, Lazarus confirmed that HISA is cooperating with federal law enforcement in the ongoing investigation.
However, she declined to speculate on Stanley’s potential motives, leaving that determination to law enforcement.
HIWU continues to shift its testing responsibilities to labs in California, Colorado, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, as it rolls out new accreditation standards under the Horseracing Equine Analytical Laboratory (HEAL) program, set to be fully operational by January.
This program aims to raise the bar for lab performance across the industry, ensuring more reliable testing and increased collaboration.
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