Virginia Law

A. Test barn. Test samples shall be collected in the test barn under the supervision of the commission veterinarian or his designee. The commission veterinarian may, at his discretion, permit test samples to be collected in the horse's stall or any other location the commission veterinarian deems appropriate. Under these circumstances, the commission veterinarian shall maintain a written record of his decision.

B. Horses to be tested. The stewards or commission veterinarian may, at any time, order the taking of test samples from any horse stabled within the enclosure of the horse racing facility, prior to racing or after racing including qualifying races and official timed workouts for the stewards or commission veterinarian. However, the stewards shall designate at least one horse from each race for the collection of test samples.

C. Collection procedure.

1. The trainer or a permit holder designated by the trainer shall accompany the horse to the test barn and witness the collection and splitting of the samples. The trainer or permit holder designated by the trainer shall cooperate with the commission veterinarian and the commission's veterinary technicians in the performance of their duties. The trainer or permit holder designated by the trainer must remain with the horse until the horse is released from the test barn.

2. Horses from which samples are to be collected shall be escorted following the race directly to the test barn by the commission's veterinary technicians, and the horses shall remain in the test barn until released by the commission veterinarian, his designee, or the test barn supervisor.

3. Stable equipment, other than common necessities for washing and cooling out a horse, is prohibited in the test barn. A practicing veterinarian may attend a horse in the test barn only in the presence of the commission veterinarian or the commission's veterinary technicians.

4. During the collection of test samples, the owner or trainer, or an assistant designated by the owner or trainer, shall be present and witness the collection of the test sample, the splitting of the sample, and sealing of containers. In the case of a claimed horse, the owner or trainer, or an assistant designated by the owner or trainer in whose name the horse started, shall be present to witness the collection of the test samples.

5. The test and split samples collected from a horse shall have identification tags affixed. One portion of the tag, bearing a printed identification number, shall remain with the sealed test and split samples, and the other portion of the tag bearing the same printed identification numbers shall be detached in the presence of the witness. The commission veterinarian or his designee shall on the detached portion of the tags identify the horse from which the test and split samples were collected, the race and date, and other information deemed appropriate. The detached portion of the tag shall be witnessed by the trainer or a permit holder designated by the trainer and shall be retained by the commission veterinarian for safekeeping.

6. A horse's identity shall be confirmed by examining its lip-tattoo, digital tattoo, microchip, or freeze brand number. A horse that has not been properly identified using any of these methods shall be reported immediately to the stewards.

7. If, after a horse remains for a reasonable time in the test barn, a test sample of urine cannot be collected from the horse, the commission veterinarian may, at his discretion, collect a test sample of blood or permit the horse to be returned to its barn where a test sample may be collected under the supervision of the commission veterinarian or the commission's veterinary technicians.