Uniformity sought in horse racing drug testing policies--Overuse of bute in Maryland’s race horses made up nearly half of the 54 drug violations recorded by the Maryland Racing Commission in the last five years, records show.

It’s like Tylenol, but for horses.
Phenylbutazone—commonly known as bute—is an anti-inflammatory drug used to dull fever and pain in equines. But too much of it could mask asymptomatic injuries in a horse and put the animal at risk on race day, veterinarians say.
Overuse of bute in Maryland’s race horses made up nearly half of the 54 drug violations recorded by the Maryland Racing Commission in the last five years, records show.
The typical punishment? A $500 fine.
“The money is never enough when you think about what’s on the table,” said Dr. Kathy Anderson, an Elkton-based veterinarian and vice president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, adding the winner of a typical horse race could walk away with $20,000.  
She’s hopeful that will change with the tougher rules adopted by the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, a national outfit that’s pushed for uniform regulations on pharmaceuticals used on race horses. Maryland’s Racing Commission adopted the rules in January and became the first state to fully implement them.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a problem. I’d say it’s a challenge,” Anderson said.
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