We’re taking a lot of abuse out there. ... We’re being accused of steroid abuse because she was so large,” he said. “I can tell you that Mr. Porter goes to the sale to look for good horses and that’s one of the things you look for — a horse that’s big enough, strong enough and fast enough to compete in big races.”

Jones said the last time he used steroids was in 1997, on a severely injured horse. He said, even then, he used just a fraction of the allowable amount of the drug.