Kentucky to test for Milkshakes

[xichibanx]

http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=26764

SC your state is finally coming around.

THe interesting part of this story is that they have been testing for Milkshakes at Ky Harness tracks since the 1990\'s.

xichibanx

[Chuckles_the_Clown2]

They were the last of the Big 4 racing states to do it, but the national perception forced them to it. As well as a couple letters to the Governor. These are momentous times and we should keep pushing. Knock the cozy relationship insiders back to square one.

Surgeries and Vet listings are important issues. Don\'t let them forget that.

[NoCarolinaTony]

It\'s goes way beyond that Austrainlian trainer  that came over to the US with lots of success...With lots of politicing by local US trainers, since then harness racing have had an edge for years over Tbreds in that  during the 80\'s until Harness racing began testing for shakes and instituted detention barns. KY Harness was late in jumping on board. NJ and NY harness were early adopters. It\'s hard to fathom that the holir than thou tbred owner blue bloods don\'t realize a horse is a horse and what can happen in one industry could happen in theirs.

[NoCarolinaTony]

Please forgive the run on sentences here. I\'ve had the flu all weekend and was \"excited\" to get this out.

What I was trying to say was: That Austrailian Harness trainers were taking advantnge of the milkshake in the early 80-s and was met with industry pressure to stop it by the early 90\'s its taking this long for the Tbred Blue Bloods to catch on. Rene Polin (together with Greg Martin) an old harness guy who\'s always had problems with fixing as a co conspirator. Look up his record. I used to own Harness Horses so I know the game over there.

Sorry for the blurb before.

[Silver Charm]

X-Man thanks for the referaal however there is still a lot of work that needs to be done in Kentucky. These are some excerpts taken from the Louisville Courier Journal from Keeneland officials and they are encouraging because those guys (Keeneland) could care less about earnings per share and content and field size and all the other gargage excuses people are using to try and avoid testing.


\"Penalties for violating Keeneland\'s milkshake rules would increase with each infraction.

Trainers whose horses test positive for milkshakes would be required to send any horses they plan to subsequently race at Keeneland to a detention barn 24 hours before their next race. The track would stop accepting a trainer\'s entries with a second positive test and ban that trainer for the year with a third positive.

Nicholson also said Keeneland will build a database with the testing results for all trainers.

\"It will let us know where we are. How deep the (milkshaking) problem is here.\"

They still do not know yet if they are going to be testing on Derby Day. My advice is they better be, I\'m told there will be people there asking questions about Drugs and Racing using this as the perfect platform for publicity on the issue just as the jockey\'s did last year with weights and advertising.

One of the things some of the Kentucky people need to realize is when you opened your Product up to the rest of the World with Satelite-based simulcasting, people who are wagering begin demanding higher Standards. And I mean people all over the World who are watching and wagering. You are no longer operating in your own little blind-eyed arena and you had better adjust your Standards. If you try and hold yourself to a higher ground than the rest of the industry then it better be applicable in all respective categories, DRUGS INCLUDED.

We will never know the answer but the Drug issue may have been playing a much bigger part in why we have not seen a Triple Crown winner in the last twenty five years. And why it may be another twenty five if the playing field isn\'t leveled.

[Chuckles_the_Clown2]

Silver Charm wrote:

> One of the things some of the Kentucky people need to realize
> is when you opened your Product up to the rest of the World
> with Satelite-based simulcasting, people who are wagering begin
> demanding higher Standards. And I mean people all over the
> World who are watching and wagering. You are no longer
> operating in your own little blind-eyed arena and you had
> better adjust your Standards. If you try and hold yourself to a
> higher ground than the rest of the industry then it better be
> applicable in all respective categories, DRUGS INCLUDED.
>

Truer words were never spoken. Silver, you shot right to the heart of the matter. Its about interstate integrity now. If not international integrity.

[Silver Charm]

CtC,

The title, \"But Not on Derby Day\" was used for a specific reason. Not only are they not sure they are going to put these procedures in place for the Derby but there also about 9 or 10 other Graded Stakes that are run that week. There are about three or four Grade Ones on Derby Day. What is the hold up??

I don\'t want to speak for anyone else but there are others who have had dealings with some of the Bluebloods of Central Kentucky and they like to give you the feeling they are better than you are. Derby Day for decades used to consist of the Derby and bunch of $5,000 claiming races. It was a take it or leave attitude. Tom Meeker wisely changed that.

With Susan Bunning, (KHBPA rep), proposing her Ten Year Drug Study and Power Broker Attorney J. Bruce Miller (KHBPA legal rep) filling up the re-election campaigns of every politician from Paducah to Ashland, the chance of any positive legislation coming from this COULD BE spiked harder and faster than a football after a T.O. touchdown.

These guys need to know that EVERYBODY IS WATCHING.