The skinny on milkshaking

The Pennsylvania Racing Commission has issued its formal policy on Alkalinizing Substances (milkshaking).  In a nutshell, horses will be selected at random 2 hours before a race, and samples of saliva, blood or urine will be collected.  Samples may also be taken after a race.

Samples will be tested post race and be deemed "positive" when a high metabolic alkalosis is determined above the following levels:

(1) The regulatory threshold for TC02 is 37.0 millimoles per liter of plasma/serum, and;

(2) The decision level to be used for the regulation of TC02 is 37.0 millimoles per liter of plasma/serum plus the measurement uncertainty of the laboratory analyzing the sample.

(3) Upon a sample being called positive, the Commission shall not be responsible in any manner in determining the source or physical condition of the horse that may have caused a high alkalosis level. It
will be incumbent upon the trainer or owner to provide any mitigating evidence at the Stewards hearing as to a high alkalosis reading.

Penalty:

The recommended penalty for a first offense of a high alkalosis reading is a fine of $1500 (fifteen hundred dollars), a suspension of 30 (thirty) to 60 (sixty) days and loss of purse.

That's the story, folks.  It'll be interesting to see how many horses test positive for milkshaking; now all the Commission needs to do is develop a reliable testing method for shock waving and Epogen use and the playing field might get leveled ... just a little.