Kentuckians accused in horse doping scheme

Kentuckians accused in horse doping scheme

In the thoroughbred industry, in central kentucky are part of a federal investigation into an international horse doping scheme, according to investigators.

Abc 36's monica harkins joins us in studio... to break down which kentuckians are accused in this federal case.

### in this 40 page federal indictment...more than two dozen people are charged with giving racehorses performance enhancing drugs to help them run faster...including the director of sales at a company in nicholasville that's website says works with all- natural drug-free products.

### "keeneland bell ring" first one to the finish line wins.

And now 27 people are accused of boosting their odds... illegally doping horses all over the world.

"this is the most far reaching prosecution of race horse doping in the history of the department of justice."

Among those accused in the federal indictment released monday, jason servis...who trained last year's disqualified kentucky derby winner 'maximum security.'

He's accused of giving the horse and others in his stable, performance enhancing drugs.

"nat pop" in nicholasville, monday morning the f-b-i confirms it investigated...along with the f-d- a...tailor made compounding...a drug company that works in partnership with medivet equine..another nicholasville company that says on its website that provides all- natural drug-free products.

That same website says michael kegley, junior is its sales director.

He's named in the federal indictment...accused of misbranding a drug.."sgf 1000" to make it seem like it was a supplement rather than doping.

"the defendants who we charged today engaged in this conduct, not for the love of the sport, and certainly not out of care for the horses, but for money."

I reached out to both tailor made compounding and medivet...neither responded.

...it's important to keep in mind the horse racing industry doesn't have a national organization to help regulate it....each state has its own rules and regulations.

A growing number of people and organizations...are calling for every state and every track to play by the same rules....national oversight.

The jockey club says in a statement, "from this point forward, it will be critical to the future of the sport that the reforms that are so badly needed are pressed forward by all segments of the industry."

The indictments come at a time when tracks across the country, including keeneland in lexington, are instituting stricter drug policies to improve the safety of the sport after a rash of deaths at santa anita and other tracks that led to public outrage and calls for change.

### l3 monica: white republican congressman andy barr, of lexington and new york's paul tonko are pushing for federal legislation...to build a national uniform medication program in the horse industry...through the 'horseracing integrity act,' which is before a house committee.

Monica harkins, abc 36 news.

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