UC Davis Veterinarian to Oversee Medina Spirit Necropsy

Following the temporarily suspended veterinary license of California Horse Racing Board equine medical director Dr. Jeff Blea, the CHRB announced Jan. 6 that it has asked John Pascoe, the executive associate dean of the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, to oversee the necropsy and forensic examination of Medina Spirit .  

The Bob Baffert-trained and Zedan Racing Stables-owned Medina Spirit, who tested positive for betamethasone following his first-place finish in the May 1 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs, collapsed and died following a workout at Santa Anita Park last month. Blea, as equine medical director, had been expected to play a leading role in the review of the necropsy's findings.

Since a complaint was filed last month against Blea, the CHRB has continued to back the first-year equine medical director, who took the position last summer following the retirement of Dr. Rick Arthur. Blea had previously been a private practitioner at California racetracks.

The complaint alleged that Blea and two other Southern California veterinarians had committed infractions.

In an interim suspension order Jan. 3, Administrative Law Judge Nana Chin wrote that the California Veterinary Medical Board was concerned that Blea "could affect ongoing inquiries by the CHRB into recent sudden racehorse deaths," the Los Angeles Times reported. The Times reported the VMB has scheduled a formal hearing Jan. 21 related to Blea with the adjudication of the charges to be held within six months to a year.

In a release issued Thursday, the CHRB wrote that it "respects the mission of the California Veterinary Medical Board to enforce the professional standards of its practice and passionately shares its commitment to animal safety. CHRB is equally respectful of the role of due process, which provides all California licensees the opportunity to be heard and defend their livelihood when accusations are brought against their license. In response to the actions brought by the VMB against Dr. Blea, equine medical director, the CHRB respectfully disagrees with its pursuit of an emergency interim suspension order of his license, alleging he is an imminent danger to the public, citing specifically his role in the Medina Spirit investigation."

It said having another individual oversee the necropsy and forensic examination of Medina Spirit was taken into account given "the sensitive and very public nature of the necropsy and resulting investigation." The CHRB added that it believes this "satisfies the VMB's stated reason for filing the temporary suspension petition and therefore requires it to consider its withdrawal.

"The CHRB is capable and specifically vested with the regulatory authority to ensure that all investigations, including necropsy reviews, are performed accurately and with the utmost diligence and transparency. This is a responsibility of the CHRB, not the VMB, and its emergency actions are unnecessary and outside the scope of its authority," the release added.

The CHRB called the emergency actions to exclude Blea from contributing as equine medical director "unfortunate, and an improper application of its oversight and regulatory authority." 

"In my view, the allegations against Dr. Blea have yet to be proven, and as such, he should be able to serve as the EMD until the final outcome of the accusation filed against his license can be fully adjudicated through the administrative process," CHRB chairman Dr. Greg Ferraro, who previously served on the VMB, said in the release. "At that point, the CHRB would be in a better position to determine any appropriate actions to take considering the final outcome and its full context in application and relationship to Dr. Blea's role as EMD."

CHRB executive director Scott Chaney added in the release, "Dr. Blea has done excellent work for the CHRB since he began his employment at UC Davis on July 1 and accepted the position of EMD. My concern is that not relying on his expertise, advice, and work in the role of EMD would diminish the CHRB's ability to effectively promote animal welfare and, in a very real way, make horses less safe in California. Of course, the full Board has the ultimate authority to determine its course of action, and the next opportunity for the Board to discuss the matter will be in closed session on Jan. 20 following the regularly scheduled Board meeting."

In a petition to suspend Blea's license, Rob Bonta, attorney general of California, and Elaine Yan, deputy attorney general, requested the suspension of Blea given that "the appearance of the impropriety alone erodes public trust."

The veterinary board said in the filing that it received an anonymous complaint that Blea and other veterinarians prescribed and administered medications, including thyroxine, a thyroid medication, to horses without an examination or medical necessity.

Thyroxine had been popular with some horsemen and veterinarians but was suspected of being overprescribed. The drug can also have an impact on heart function.

Beginning in 2014, the CHRB issued instructions to veterinarians and horsemen for prescribing, dispensing, and labeling thyroid hormones in an effort to curb indiscriminate use.