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Equine veterinary journal2025; doi: 10.1111/evj.14496

Survey on 9 years of anti-doping controls in horse races in Italy.

Abstract: Doping in racehorses is a threat to horse welfare and the integrity of the sport. Despite its relevance, the literature on the prevalence of anti-doping violations worldwide is limited. Objective: To analyse anti-doping violations in racehorses in Italy. Methods: Retrospective observational study. Methods: Data on horse races, anti-doping testing, and confirmed violations between 2014 and 2022 were collected and analysed. Positivity rates, most common drug classes and parent drugs, and differences between trotting and galloping horses were investigated. Results: During the considered 9-year timeframe, the national laboratory analysed a total of 104,770 samples. A total of 536 horses were confirmed to be positive (92.8% positivity rate at second analysis). The average prevalence over the years was 0.48 ± 0.15% in trotters and 0.50 ± 0.15% in gallopers. Seventy-seven parent drugs, belonging to 29 different drug classes, were detected. The five most represented drug classes were steroidal anti-inflammatories (19.0%), stimulants (16.4%), NSAIDs (15.5%), anabolic steroids (9.9%) and sedatives (9.7%). The five most frequent substances were dexamethasone (8.4%), cocaine (7.1%), testosterone (6.5%), caffeine (5.6%) and theophylline (4.1%). Conclusions: Our data derive from official analyses performed in compliance with the national regulation on anti-doping controls in racehorses; information on the concentration of the detected analytes was not available. Testing only the best-placed horses does not allow for correlating drug administration and improved performance; horses with less chance of winning might slip through the control system with negative consequences on their welfare. Conclusions: The percentage of confirmed doping violations in horse races in Italy in the 9 years (2014-2022) evaluated in this study was low (0.49 ± 0.15%). Considering the drug classes found most frequently, violations might have been more often the consequence of deliberate administration rather than accidental feed contamination.
© 2025 The Author(s). Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2025-03-13 PubMed ID: 40079490DOI: 10.1111/evj.14496Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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The article describes a 9-year survey on doping controls in horse races in Italy, investigating the prevalence of anti-doping violations, the most commonly found drug classes and substances, and their impact on horse welfare and racing integrity.

Research Methodology

  • The researchers carried out a retrospective observational study using data collected between 2014 and 2022. This data included details on horse races, anti-doping testing, and confirmed violations.
  • The study explored differences between types of racehorses, including trotting and galloping horses. It also looked into the positivity rates and the frequency of various drugs used.

Findings and Results

  • Over the 9-year period, the national laboratory analyzed a total of 104,770 samples from various horse races, with 536 horses confirmed as positive in anti-doping tests. This represents a 92.8% positivity rate at the second analysis.
  • The average prevalence per year was calculated to be 0.48 ± 0.15% in trotting horses, and 0.50 ± 0.15% in galloping horses.
  • There were 77 different parent drugs belonging to 29 drug classes detected during the survey. The most represented drug classes were steroidal anti-inflammatories (19.0%), stimulants (16.4%), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) 15.5%, anabolic steroids (9.9%), and sedatives (9.7%).
  • The five most frequent substances encountered were dexamethasone (8.4%), cocaine (7.1%), testosterone (6.5%), caffeine (5.6%), and theophylline (4.1%).

Conclusions and Implications

  • The data for the survey was collected from official analysis performed in line with the national regulation on anti-doping controls in racehorses. The researchers did not have access to information on the concentration of the detected analytes.
  • According to the researchers, testing only the best-placed horses may not result in a complete picture of doping violations. It might also mean that horses with lower chances of winning could potentially slip through the control system, which could negatively impact their welfare.
  • Overall, the confirmed doping violations in horse races in Italy over the 9-year period were relatively low (0.49 ± 0.15%).
  • The classes of drugs most frequently found suggest that the violations were more likely due to deliberate administration rather than accidental feed contamination.

Cite This Article

APA
Roccaro M, Rinnovati R, Stucchi L, La Rocca F, Cascio G, Peli A. (2025). Survey on 9 years of anti-doping controls in horse races in Italy. Equine Vet J. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.14496

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English

Researcher Affiliations

Roccaro, Mariana
  • Department for Life Quality Studies, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Rimini, Italy.
Rinnovati, Riccardo
  • Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy.
Stucchi, Luca
  • Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
La Rocca, Federica
  • Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy.
Cascio, Giuseppe
  • Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy.
Peli, Angelo
  • Department for Life Quality Studies, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Rimini, Italy.

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