The enforcement arm for the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority has announced suspensions of a pair of Ohio veterinarians in resolving cases that date back to the fall of 2023.
In a resolution posted May 30 to its website, the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit noted that Dr. Barbara Hippie and Dr. Margaret Smyth each will be suspended for three months in matters involving violations of rules on possessing banned substances.
The resolution notes that the charges for both covered persons were consolidated into a single proceeding and that following a comprehensive exchange of evidence, the parties narrowed the number of possession charges at issue and reached a case resolution without a hearing.
According to the case outline, Hippie and Smyth were employed by Dr. Scott Shell, who is currently serving two concurrent periods of ineligibility for two anti-doping rule violations: administration of a banned substance and possession of four banned substances. In June 2024 HIWU suspended Shell for two years and fined him $25,000 for administering 228 injections of a product named Hemo 15 to 37 horses from May 29-Oct. 19, 2023.
According to the background and history of the banned substance cases provided in HIWU's May 30 resolution post, Hippie's case dates back to two separate searches of her veterinary truck: Sept. 28, 2023, at Thistledown and Dec. 20, 2023, at Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course. HIWU said that in the first search osphos, Thyro-L, and isoxuprine—none of which were prescribed to a specific horse—were found.
The outline of the case history says that compounded clenbuterol also was found during that search. It's a banned substance, except when prescribed by a veterinarian in the context of a valid veterinarian-patient-client relationship and in accordance with the specifications set out in Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program rules. The case history says that on its face the compounded clenbuterol was not prescribed to any equine patient. It noted that subsequent testing found the substance to be more potent than the only FDA-approved formulation of clenbuterol.
Also found was pitcher plant (sarapin, explicitly named on the prohibited list), with a label indicating it was prescribed by Shell to a horse (Totally Obsessed) who raced at Thistledown that year.
In the Dec. 20 search, the case history says the truck search found two vials labeled "Hemo 15." The prescription label on both Hemo 15 vials indicated they were prescribed by Shell to a horse, Larsa, who raced at Thistledown and Mahoning Valley in 2023.
Smyth's case dates back to an Oct. 4, 2023, search of her truck in which the case history says Thyro-L (not prescribed to a specific horse) was discovered; pitcher plant, prescribed by Shell to a horse, Mo Don't No, who had raced at Thistledown in 2023; compounded clenbuterol (not prescribed to a specific horse); and Hemo 15, prescribed by Shell to Mo Don't No. The case history notes that testing of the Hemo 15 revealed that the product was illegally manufactured and not approved for use in the United States.
In reaching the case resolution, HIWU did narrow the scope of anti-doping rule violations for both vets. Lexington-based attorney W. Craig Robertson III represented both veterinarians.
In Hippie's case, records established that she had a robust farm practice with documented use of osphos, Thyro-L, isoxsuprine, and pitcher plant. HIWU accepted that Hippie had "compelling justification" for possession of each of those banned substances and agreed that she did not commit a separate possession violation with respect to those four substances.
She acknowledged that compounded clenbuterol and Hemo 15 were found in her possession and were banned substances.
In Smyth's case, records established that she also has a farm practice and documented use of Thyro-L in that farm practice. However, she did not produce analogous records documenting use of pitcher plant in her farm practice. HIWU accepted that Smyth had "compelling justification" for possession of Thyro-L and agreed that she did not commit a separate possession violation with respect to the Thyro-L charge.
The HIWU case outline posted to its site notes that Smyth otherwise acknowledged that the compounded clenbuterol and Hemo 15 found in her possession were banned substances.
As part of the resolution, HIWU recognized that Hippie already had served 25 days during a provisional suspension from Oct. 5-30, 2023. Those days will be credited toward the 90-day ban. Smyth had not served any provisional suspension days.
In outlining consequences, HIWU noted that Hippie and Smyth each will serve their respective periods of ineligibility on a staggered basis, "in order to protect the safety and welfare of covered horses training and racing at Ohio racetracks by ensuring that there is adequate veterinary coverage available."
