The picogram revisited
by John Berry
Talk about sophistication. The world of medication and those meds administered to equines for maximum strength output has become about as sophisticated as possible.
Still, I am told, “You ain’t seen nuttin yet.”
A couple of years ago, a very well known, sophisticated and successful horsemen told me that “if you put a ‘picogram’ of medication in an Olympic-size swimming pool, authorities will be able to find it in testing.”
A picogram is 1/1,000,000,000,000th — that’s one/one-trillionth of a gram — or 1/30th of an ounce.
Breaking it down further than that, a thousandth of a picogram is a nanogram and a thousandth of a nanogram is femtogram, and then there’s the attogram, and then the zeptogram and, still smaller, the yoctogram.
So, the sequence goes from gram to milligram to microgram to nanogram to picogram to femtogram to attogram, which is one-quintillion of a gram or 0.0000000000000000001 g.
And a yoctogram has even six more zeros before that tiny number one at the end.
To put this in perspective, one grain of salt weighs, roughly, 60,000 nanogram or 60,000,000 picograms and viruses and DNA are measured in picograms or even femtograms.
With drug testing front and center — or it should be — these days, hopefully, there will be some substantial funding infused into our sport to level the playing field known as a racetrack.
The author of this Mane Attraction is very far from an expert on this subject matter but, as our youngsters get set for their first and second season of competition, there should be protocols in place covering as many equines as humanely possible for testing, as this sophisticated testing can have severe implications for those caught, while leaving the blue wall of silence unscathed.
I am told that Phenylbutazone (bute) is permitted as a medication for our horses, as is furosemide (Lasix) and certain anti-ulcer medications, and these meds cannot exceed the thresholds defined by the individual state’s rules.
And with each state’s individual guidelines or laws, it is really necessary for uniform regulations to be put out forthwith in regard to veterinary oversight.
The rules vary from state to state and the difference between, say, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and other places conducting harness racing may be significant.
Then there are said to be anti-depressants, nerve blockers and, even, snake venom used in this day and age.
With the advancement of technology, the worry is that drug testing has come so far along that it may become unfair to some, “whether it is an airborne substance from a sneeze or a picogram of something transferred from a feed bucket.”
One prominent horseman said that this sport should have priorities for standardbred horses, including universal medication rules that are specific to the needs of standardbreds: “Trainers and drivers are mentally exhausted by the different withdrawal periods from track to track, resulting in many positive tests for minor infractions, creating a horrible public perception about our industry.
“The next would/should be universal rulings for our horsemen and women.
“As we travel from track to track, it’s difficult to remember the specific rules for each individual track, which, again, spawns more infractions, which may be just, or unjust.
“And a trainer’s decision could very well affect the driver involved and owner, as well.”
Yes, not only are trainers and drivers suffering, owners are being hurt, as well, as was the case at a prominent track last season when it was charged that a 2-year-old making its first career was given something illicit and the powers that be hid behind their so-called shield and remained unscathed with the owner and trainer having no recourse or remedy a, quite possibly, suffering hundreds of thousands of dollars of lost purse money from scratches.
Yet another prominent horseman echoed those sentiments lamenting, “I’ve been doing this my entire life and it seems that nobody is on the same page.
“It certainly would solve a lot of problems if they could get the mess straightened out.”
Another leading Doctor of Veterinary Medicine doesn’t believe that a solution to the problem is even close at hand by offering, “Each horse has a different metabolism for breaking down medications given.
“One horse may have one withdrawal time, another might have a time not even close.
“I have read that there is wearable technology for patients with diabetes or pre-diabetes but that will never fly in our field.
“I remember when they could decipher four parts per million of medications.
“Now, it’s four parts per picogram or any other gram, including zeptogram or even yoctogram.
“It’s just not in the cards for the states to relinquish their power in situations like these and it would take an amount of money that is just not going to be invested in the testing of standardbreds — or any breds — to test them all.
“It’s hit or miss, mostly miss, and the odds of getting caught are still worth the risk.”
Casinos have surveillance personnel looking over the gaming floor and other personnel safeguarding their investment, whereas no such investment is made for the safeguarding of what now is haphazard testing procedures supposedly guarding the investments of trainers and owners.
One gentleman said, “If you think our casino brethren are going to look out for racing, you are gravely mistaken.
“They are looking for more ways to get rid of racing, and the runaway problem with drugs is a perfect example.
“I do hate to say it, but, it’s reality.”
In other words, if we do not hurry up and show we can govern it ourself with a strong commissioner that wields a big — but fair — stick, with an intolerance for drug use and with a single set of standards throughout North America, awaiting will be litigation with one faction against another.
One bettor, a frequent player in the prop betting movement, related, “Racing is going to have a very tough time aligning itself with other major sports.
“Whether it is baseball, football, the NBA or hockey, there are very strict penalties.
“If there is an offside in the NFL, it’s not a five-yard penalty in Chi-town and a 10-yard penalty in LA. It’s a five-yard penalty!
“Stiff fines are handed out in other sports for drug use and infractions when it comes to the rules.
“We should be thinking about the future and our survival, but the only thing that anyone is worried about is tomorrow’s racing program.
“We better start leveling the playing field for all — if that is possible — and, if not, I guess that 1:45.4 world record for a mile on the pace will last forever, and ever.”
The argument for transparency is long standing in our sport.
From proper thresholds to equitable fines to hiring well-versed personnel — not political appointees who have little or no knowledge of our sport, industry or medication issues.
It needs a complete overhaul to achieve credibility for all equine events.
But where is the answer?
Probably in a nanogram or picogram of information somewhere, I don’t know.
Good luck with that.
May The Horse Be With You!
