Florida Administrative Code › 61 - DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION › 61DER - Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering › Chapter 61DER-17 - EMERGENCY RULE FOR YEAR 2017 › Section 61DER17-1 - Emergency Rule relating to Chapter 61D-6.005 F.A.C., Procedures for Collecting Samples from Racing Animals

Current through Reg. 50, No. 138; July 16, 2024
(1) Any
				horse the stewards, division, or track veterinarian of the meet designate,
				shall be sent immediately after the race to the detention enclosure for
				examination by the authorized representative of the division and for the taking
				of urine, blood or other such samples as shall be directed for the monitoring
				and detection of both permissible and impermissible substances. Blood specimens
				shall be taken only by a Florida licensed veterinarian (division or track) and
				witnessed by the horse's trainer of record, owner, or designee. Said
				veterinarian should attempt to attain up to six full 15-milliliter blood tubes
				from each horse sampled.
(2) Any
				racing greyhound the judges, division, or track veterinarian of the meet
				designate, shall be sent immediately prior to the race to the detention
				enclosure for examination by the authorized representative of the division for
				the taking of urine or other such samples as shall be directed for the
				monitoring and detection of both permissible and impermissible
				substances.
(3) The owner, trainer
				of record, groom, or other authorized person is permitted to witness when
				urine, blood or other specimens are taken from their horse. Each specimen shall
				be collected in a closed blood tube or urine container, assigned a sample
				number which is affixed to the specimen container, and the correspondingly
				numbered information portion of the sample tag shall be detached and may be
				signed by the owner, trainer, groom, or the authorized person if they choose to
				do so. The veterinary assistant shall accompany the state veterinarian during
				blood collection to ensure the veterinarian is taking blood from the correct
				horse. The veterinarian or veterinarian assistant shall record the time at
				which blood is collected from each animal. Failure of an owner, trainer of
				record or other authorized person to witness and/or sign the sample tag shall
				not preclude the division from proceeding with sample analysis. No horse shall
				be left unattended in the detention enclosure by the owner, trainer of record,
				groom, or authorized person. Said specimens shall be maintained in such a
				manner as to preserve the integrity of the specimen. Specimen containers shall
				be of the disposable type and shall not be reused.
(4) Once collected, the blood tubes shall be
				allowed to rest undisturbed for at least 30 minutes. After resting, serum shall
				be separated from the blood through the process of spinning the blood tubes in
				a centrifuge. Spinning shall be performed for no less than ten minutes at 2,800
				rpm. The veterinarian or veterinarian assistant must stand with the centrifuge
				at the start of the spin to ensure the centrifuge is balanced. The veterinarian
				or veterinarian assistant shall record the times when the centrifuge process
				begins.
(5) After centrifuging, the
				serum in the blood tubes shall be poured into a tube suitable for freezing and
				shipping. If multiple blood tubes exist with the same sample number, they will
				be combined into a single tube suitable for freezing and shipping. At least two
				people, including the one doing the pour, must be present to witness the pour.
				The time the pour is performed shall be recorded. The owner, trainer of record,
				groom, or other authorized person is permitted to witness when serum is poured
				from the blood tubes to the tube suitable for freezing and shipping.
(6) The tube, containing the serum specimen
				shall be closed and sealed. The sealing process is complete after a sample
				number, that corresponds to the original sample number used for collection, and
				tamper proof evidence tape, are affixed to the tube.
(7) Sealed serum specimens shall be stored in
				a freezer until they are shipped to the testing laboratory.
(8) The owner, trainer of record, or other
				authorized person is permitted to witness when urine or other specimens are
				taken from their greyhound. Each specimen shall be collected in a closed blood
				tube or urine container, assigned a sample number which is affixed to the
				specimen container, and the correspondingly numbered information portion of the
				sample tag shall be detached and signed by the owner, trainer of record, groom
				or the authorized person if they choose to do so. Failure of an owner, trainer
				of record or other authorized person to witness and/or sign the sample tag
				shall not preclude the division from proceeding with sample analysis. Said
				specimens shall be maintained in such a manner as to preserve the integrity of
				the specimen. Specimen containers shall be of the disposable type and shall not
				be reused.
(9) Only those persons
				stated in subsections (3) and (4) of this rule who are currently licensed by
				the division shall be admitted at any time to the detention enclosure, except
				the division staff immediately in charge of such work, the stewards or judges,
				or such other persons as authorized by the director, division official, or the
				division veterinarian.
(10) If
				representatives of the division are unable to collect a urine specimen from a
				horse which has remained in the detention enclosure for up to ninety minutes,
				they shall have the option to accompany the horse to its own barn for
				additional attempts at collecting a specimen. The owner, trainer of record,
				groom, or other authorized person shall accompany the horse and division
				personnel to its barn and shall remain with the horse until a specimen is
				collected, and is permitted to accompany the division personnel and specimen
				back to the detention enclosure for sealing of the specimen
				container(s).
(11) The division
				veterinarian or division investigator is authorized to confiscate any legend or
				proprietary drugs, medications, unlabeled medication, medication with altered
				labels, medicinal compounds (natural or synthetic) or other materials which are
				found in the stable area, kennel compound or elsewhere on race tracks, or in
				the possession of any person participating in or connected with racing,
				including veterinarians and trainers, and which are suspected of containing
				improper legend or proprietary drugs, medications, medicinal compounds (natural
				or synthetic) or other materials which are illegal or impermissible under these
				rules. Such legend or proprietary drugs, medications, unlabeled medication,
				medication with altered labels, medicinal compounds (natural or synthetic) or
				other materials shall be delivered to the laboratory under contract with the
				division for analysis.
(12) The
				division may confiscate any evidence that an illegal or impermissible legend or
				proprietary drug, medication, or medicinal compound (natural or synthetic) may
				have been administered to a racing animal.
(13) Any licensee who threatens to or
				interferes with, or fails to allow the taking of urine, blood or other
				specimens authorized by Chapter 550, F.S., is subject to any disciplinary
				action authorized by Chapter 550, F.S., or the rules promulgated
				thereunder.
Rulemaking Authority
					 120.80(4)(a),
					 550.0251(3),
					 550.2415(12),
					 (13) FS. Law Implemented
					 120.80(4)(a),
					 550.0251,
					 550.1155,
					 550.2415
					 FS.