PORTLAND, Maine - The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry has handed down punishments to seven harness-racing drivers and owners accused of providing a banned substance to horses.
All seven were convicted of giving cobalt to their animals. All seven were fined, and five have been suspended from racing, four of them for more than a year.
William Varney chairs the Maine State Harness Racing Commission. He says the substance makes animal produce more red blood cells. "And the more red blood cells that they have, the stronger their endurance and the better that they would race."
However, colbalt can be harmful to a horse's health, and can sometimes lead to death.
Varney says the blood of horses that finish races in first, second or third place are tested for banned substances. He says random off-track testing is also being done. Varney says word that the commission is testing for cobalt has cut the number of cases dramatically.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
