http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=38062
Hopefully this spreads to other states.
Get tough policies for suspended trainers is smart, fooling with owners can only be negative.Most owners have gi-normous ego\'s and will tell the racing jurisdictions to shove it.
Owners who invest their money have every right to employ whomever they so choose.If their trainer is suspended, then they should pick the person to succeed him/her.Racing officials should stick to running their business not the owners.
Mike
Elkurzhal:
You have reason to be proud. Unfortunately,if the rules of racing in nearby
states such as Illinois and Kentucky remain much more lax, the owners/trainers
who want to continue to cheat will eventually migrate to those venues, where
their entries will be accepted with open arms. This is why Racing needs uniform
rules for all states.
The comparisons between Baseball and Racing have been made here numerous times.
Marcus has pointed out that Baseball has come under close Congressional
scrutiny, mainly due to its exemption from federal anti-trust laws. Baseball
has one man who is responsible for the stewardship of the sport, for better or
worse.
All Racing has had in terms of national leadership is a succession of marketing
groups who have tried to sell the sport (not too successfully)but have not
tried to improve it.
Absolutely Richiebee. The threat of cheating trainers to take their horses elsewhere if they can't do what they want at one track shows that penalties must be honored with reciprocity across all tracks. This can only come with either central control or from a national group representing horseplayers that can threaten boycotts at any track.
As far as inconveniencing owners who have to transfer their horses; It's no different than when a businessman's law or accounting firm is found guilty of malpractice and they are disbarred. Those that associate with criminals pay a price in any field or business. That should make them think twice about employing cheaters.
Bob