The Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit announced Aug. 11 that Lexington-based Equine Integrity and Anti-Doping Sciences Labs has been granted probationary Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority Equine Analytical Laboratory accreditation and immediately will start accepting Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program samples.
EQIAS Labs, formerly known as the University of Kentucky Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, is no longer managed by the university and is now operated by Eagle Diagnostics, an affiliate of The Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory.
EQIAS Labs applied for HEAL accreditation after the laboratory achieved interim Racing Medication & Testing Consortium accreditation under the University of Kentucky in December 2024. EQIAS Labs submitted detailed documentation demonstrating its qualifications and capabilities to perform the testing required under the ADMC Program in compliance with program rules. Additionally, HIWU conducted a site visit and directed the distribution of multiple external quality assessment scheme samples to EQIAS Labs for analysis.
All documentation and assessments were reviewed by the three members of the independent Laboratory Expert Group, which voted to approve EQIAS Labs for probationary HEAL accreditation. The Laboratory Expert Group is required by the ADMC Program Rules and evaluates the performance of program laboratories, in addition to providing HIWU with advice and recommendations regarding the overall management of HEAL accreditation and the Equine Laboratory Standards included in the ADMC Program Rules.
"HIWU is excited to partner with EQIAS Labs and renew ADMC Program testing in Kentucky," said Ben Mosier, HIWU's executive director. "We are confident that EQIAS Labs will utilize the best of both equine and human anti-doping science and will be a positive addition to our program."
EQIAS Labs is led by Dr. Travis Mays, who spent more than 20 years at the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, while SMRTL is a global industry leader in human drug testing and is accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
EQIAS Labs will be analyzing ADMC Program samples collected in Kentucky, as well as assigned B Samples. The full list of program laboratories is published on the HIWU website.
