29-04-2025
Kentucky Veterinarian Accepts Four Months' Ineligibility, Fine After Unapproved Substance Found In Truck
Kentucky veterinarian Dr. Benjamin Bealmear has accepted a four-month period of ineligibility and a $4,165 fine after the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit found an unapproved substance on his veterinary truck. According to a case resolution document released by the organization on April 24, officials with HIWU and the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation searched Bealmear's truck at The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington, Ky., in early October 2024. During the search, Bealmear identified two bottles for investigators which were labeled as "B Blend - Pelphrey." The bottles had been compounded by Boothwyn Pharmacy in Kennett Square, Penn. In 2017, Boothwyn received a warning letter from the Food and Drug Administration alleging it was producing drugs in violation of federal law, including failure to follow certain procedures to prevent contamination or assure sterility. The warning said Boothwyn was producing unapproved new drugs, and compounding drugs 'intended for conditions not amenable to self-diagnosis and treatment by individuals who are not medical practitioners.'
The active ingredient in the bottles labeled B Blend is adenosine triphosphonate, commonly known as ATP, according to the HIWU documents. ATP is a naturally occurring substance in the body which fuels muscle cells. A synthetic version is commonly given by trainers hoping to improve muscle recovery, though it may also behave as a vasodilator. The substance is rated as an S0 banned substance by HIWU, meaning it is not addressed in the organization's rules, has no government approval for human or veterinary use, and is not universally recognized by veterinary regulators for valid use. All substances that meet these criteria are considered banned under the Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program.
Bealmear told investigators the bottles were made by Boothwyn in June 2022 and expired in September 2022, and that he had used the substance on certain racehorses who were former patients of Dr. Rick Pelphrey until 2021. Bealmear said he had not used the substance on racehorses since September 2022, an assertion that was substantiated by records he provided. He also said he had cleaned out his truck prior to the implementation of HIWU but did not realize the product would be against the authority's signed an admissions and acceptance of consequences in the case. The decision from HIWU noted that he had cooperated with the investigation, has had no disciplinary history since being licensed in 1992, and readily admitted to possessing the substance. Find the full case resolution document here.
