Opinion ID: 2071353
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Secondary Blood Sample

Text: Dugan's second and alternative argument on appeal is that the Commission's decision must be reversed because the official chemist failed to retain the secondary sample for independent testing by a different laboratory. The Commission's Rule regarding the use and testing of a secondary sample provides: [t]he secondary sample shall remain in the custody of the Commission veterinarian at the detention area ... If testing of the secondary sample is desired, the owner [or] trainer ... shall so notify the Commission in writing within 48 hours after notification of the initial positive test ... Testing of the secondary samples shall be performed at a referee laboratory selected by ... the trainer ... from a list of not less than two (2) laboratories approved by the Commission. If an act of God, power failure, accident, strike or other action beyond the control of the Commission occurs, the results of the primary official test shall be accepted as prima facie evidence. [7] The record reflects that the same chemist, Dalare Associates, tested both the primary and secondary samples of Night Time Goer's blood. We have already concluded that, because the 37 millimole per liter standard never became operative by the time of the race that was won by Night Time Goer, the blood gas test results from the primary samples were inadmissible as evidence against Dugan. Consequently, we need not decide the issue presented by the Commission's failure to maintain the integrity of the secondary blood sample for testing by an independent laboratory.