HISA, HIWU Open Investigation Into UK Laboratory

The University of Kentucky Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory is under investigation following a change in leadership at the facility. 

The departure of laboratory director Dr. Scott Stanley, which BloodHorse reported March 4, is connected with the investigation launched by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority and the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit as well as the University of Kentucky.

HISA and HIWU, in a statement issued March 5, said its leadership met with those from UK Feb. 13 to "discuss concerns with the performance" of the lab. 

"At this time, HISA and HIWU were informed by the university that it was conducting an ongoing personnel investigation relating to Dr. Scott Stanley, the director of the UK lab, and Dr. Stanley was not permitted to be in direct communication with the other staff at the laboratory. The university also expressed staffing concerns related to the laboratory's operations," the agencies said in their statement. 

Starting Feb. 16, all samples from Kentucky and Florida that would have previously been analyzed at UK would be redirected indefinitely to Industrial Laboratories, which is one of five labs utilized by HIWU. This change in procedure was brought to the attention of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and Florida Gaming Control Commission.

HISA and HIWU said they will "continually evaluate our partner laboratories through an external quality assurance program, as well as internal assessments." 

The agencies said they are "fully confident in the ability of Industrial Laboratories to handle the increased volume of samples and ensure that all samples are processed and analyzed in compliance" with the Anti-Doping and Medication Control program.

UK notified HISA and HIWU March 1 that Dr. Stanley, who began his role with the lab in 2019, was "no longer serving" as the lab's director.

Stanley told BloodHorse that he could not discuss the reason behind his departure from the lab, citing a confidentiality agreement. However, a HISA/HIWU official said that while all agreements between laboratories, HISA, and HIWU include a confidentiality component, the decision to remove Dr. Stanley from his position was unrelated to that confidentiality agreement and made by the university.

In its own statement, UK spokesperson Jay Blanton wrote in an email that while Stanley is no longer the lab's director, he remains part of the faculty. 

"This reassignment positions him to expand the scope of his research program and focus on industry priorities. We are moving quickly to name an interim director as part of our commitment to the important work conducted at the lab. During this interim period, we have taken the appropriate steps to refer samples to other equipped laboratories for a complete analysis. We will, in the near future, announce plans for how we will search for a permanent director," Blanton wrote.

Stanley said he will focus on research at the Gluck Equine Research Center, where he has a separate research lab. The Gluck Center operates separately from the Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory.