Subject: POSITIVE FINDING OF EPHEDRINE RETURNED BY HORSE, AWESOME BOY
March 04, 2024


The First Instance Tribunal, Delegatees of the Jamaica Racing Commission, on the 4th March, 2024 concluded an investigation under Section 25 of the Jamaica Racing Commission Act, into a report by the Racing Chemist that a urine sample taken from the horse, AWESOME BOY, following the running of the third race on Tuesday, 20th SEPTEMBER 2022, indicated the presence of EPHEDRINE, which is in breach of Rule 257 under the Rules of Racing. The split portion of the sample (B Sample) was subsequently analyzed at the University of the West Indies Mona Analytical Chemistry Lab (UWIMAC), where the presence of EPHEDRINE was confirmed to be in the sample taken from the horse. After thoroughly considering the evidence presented, the Tribunal: • Accepted the finding of the Racing Chemist, that the urine sample taken from the horse AWESOME BOY on the 20th September 2022, contained the drug EPHEDRINE (Class 2 prohibited substance). Pursuant to Rule 207 of the Racing Rules 1977, AWESOME BOY was disqualified from the race. • Ruled that Trainer Donovan Russell was found responsible for the positive finding returned by horse AWESOME BOY. • Imposed fine on Trainer Donovan Russell, as follows: o Two Hundred and Twenty Thousand Dollars ($220,000.00) for the Class 2 drug-EPHEDRINE, to be paid no later than Ninety (90) days after the date of ruling. Mr. Garth McBean K.C., the Commission’s Legal Adviser, marshalled the evidence on behalf of the Commission.