Louis Grasso, a veterinarian from Pine Bush, NY, is one of 27 people named in a federal indictment accused of orchestrating the manufacturing, distributing, and receiving of contaminated and misbranded performance-enhancing drugs.

"The defendants who were charged [Tuesday], engaged in this conduct, not for the love of the sport and certainly not out of care for the horses, but for money," said the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District, Geoffrey Berman. "Defendant Louis Grasso included among his pain blockers vials of cobra venom, which he shipped to trainers upon request." 

He says investigators intercepted a call between the veterinarian and a trainer, Thomas Guido, talking about the death of a horse.

"Guido told Grasso about a horse who had died that was being doped with a drug similar to a blood builder. Grasso was not surprised. He replied [saying] it happens. He probably over juiced him. I've seen that happen 20 times," Berman said.

One horse owner says doping has been going on for years.

"It's probably been a hot subject for the last five to 10 years," said Ray Schnittker. "Our regulatory commissions [have] investigators I've never seen one in 40 years."

Officials say the drugs may cause a horse to run faster but it does so at the risk of the horse's health.

"These animals were injected and force-fed all manner of illegal and experimental drugs," said Berman.

"When you hear a horse die or something on the racetrack so I just wonder if there's you know there was some blood builder or something like that. That was making them, you know, screw up their heart," said Schnittker.

Steven Jones, president of the Goshen Historic Track says in a statement, "The parties charged with these crimes, if guilty, stole from the betting public and fellow owners and trainers. We hope other states will also join in the effort to rid our beloved sport of this element. This ultimately will be a good thing for our sport, and something that was needed and necessary."