Milkshake Positive at Del Mar

[BitPlayer]

The following appeared in the Saturday San Diego Union-Tribune.  I haven\'t seen it reported elsewhere, so I\'m passing it along.  To me, it\'s ludicrous that they don\'t immediately disclose the trainer when a positive occurs.

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DEL MAR REPORT
Inquiry awaits trainer after test

By Ed Zieralski
STAFF WRITER

August 13, 2005

DEL MAR – A member of the committee that reviews total carbon dioxide tests on racehorses to detect illegal milkshaking confirmed yesterday that the committee and the California Horse Racing Board are investigating a trainer who ran a horse at Del Mar on July 31.

Dr. Rick Arthur, a member of the TCO2 Testing Review Committee, refused to identify the trainer and horse involved, or the exact race, but confirmed there is an investigation and said the case was turned over to the CHRB.

\"A situation occurred on July 31 at Del Mar that we are investigating, but we will not release the name of the horse and trainer until we conduct a hearing with the trainer,\" Arthur said. \"The situation is related to TCO2 testing, and it was such an unusual incident that we referred it to the California Horse Racing Board to do its own investigation.\"

Arthur said the hearing with the trainer is Wednesday at Del Mar. TCO2 is the total carbon dioxide in plasma from a blood sample obtained from a horse before a race. It indicates whether the horse was administered an alkalizing agent, called a milkshake, which is illegal. It is believed that the level of TCO2 in the horse involved in the positive test on July 31 was the highest ever recorded in a horse in California, thus the reason it was turned over to the CHRB.

Joe Harper, CEO and general manager of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, said he was unaware of the investigation.

Sources at Del Mar insisted yesterday that the positive test came from a horse in the Grade I, $300,000 Bing Crosby Handicap, run on July 31.


 

[marcus]

I agree , perhaps \" all \" horse\'s under the control of such a trainer should be suspended for 30 day\'s . It\'s a  difficult thing to compare how differently the NBA & MLB handle public relations and then to consider that Racing really isn\'t  on the PR map as of yet ...
At all levels in the racing industry , it would seem as though that all to often , personal agenda\'s take precedence over a bussiness plan .  

[dodie]

Think I read on the bloodhorse site it\'s Cole Norman.

[Delmar Deb]

Steve Anderson\'s column in DRF:

http://www.drf.com/news/article/67669.html

\"Norman horse said to test positive

Cole Norman, the Louisiana-based trainer, had a horse test positive for an excessive level of carbon dioxide in a race at Del Mar last month, according to a person familiar with the investigation.

Norman has run one horse at Del Mar this summer - Top Commander, who finished fifth in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Handicap over six furlongs on July 31.

Dr. Rick Arthur, who is heading the consortium of racetracks and racing organizations conducting the testing, said he \"could not confirm or deny\" that Norman had had a horse test positive. Arthur did say that a trainer has been asked to appear at a meeting with consortium officials at Del Mar on Wednesday and that the consortium has notified the California Horse Racing Board that a trainer has been found to have an excessive level of carbon dioxide.

\"After the meeting we will release the name of the horse and the trainer and say what action the committee has taken,\" Arthur said.

Phone calls and text messages to Norman on Saturday were not returned.\"

[Boscar Obarra]

  Yeah, they love to \'catch\' losing horse, they kill 2 birds with one stone that way.
  They scare em, and they create the illusion that these guys are losers anyway.

[shanahan]

ask David Vance or Bob Holthus about Cole Norman....and testing - particularly at Oaklawn \"we loved Cole\'s dad\" Park....

[Silver Charm]

Didn\'t Cole Norman ship out to Del Mar and win the Crosby a few years ago with Beau\'s Town. I\'m sure he ran clean.

This goes to show you how arrogant and stupid some of these guys are. They have announced to everyone around they will be testing and guys still try and get a way with it.

How many people with ANNOUNCED positives in the last twelve months? I used announced because in Kentucky they test\'em then throw away the results. Money talks right?

1.)Pletcher
2.)Dutrow
3.)Mullins
4.)Cerin
5.)Martin
6.)Brothers
7.)Mitchell
8.)Kitchingham
9.)Norman

I\'m sure I have left a few alter boys off what is quickly becoming an exclusive list. I mean we are talking about some of the leading trainers in New York, Calif, Arkansas and more. We need a weekly Watchmaker list to keep score.

Jerry Brown and others have been at the forefront of this battle. Thanks to them this list will continue to grow. The solution to stopping all of this?

Ban Rebate Shops. lol

[bdhsheets]

A couple of years ago, Texas had a slew of positives for \"EPO\" but didn\'t say who, because it wasn\'t an \"officially banned substance\" at the time....

[Fatso]

This Super Trainer, average 1 win per day at LD...Wow...close to it anyways

[sighthound]

So - if Norman can get permission, essentially there is no penalty?

www.bloodhorse.com

Louisiana-based trainer Cole Norman will be prohibited from entering horses in California for a period of one year after his horse Top Commander was found to have been in violation of limits for total carbon dioxide when he ran fifth in the Bing Crosby Handicap (gr. I) at Del Mar July 31.

Norman retains the right to request permission to run in California during the one-year ban. In order to do so, he must gain prior approval from the California Thoroughbred Trainers, the Thoroughbred Owners of California and any racing association or fair where permission is sought.

In the event Norman gains permission to run in California he must submit to any security procedures deemed appropriate by the racing association.

Top Commander tested well in excess of the 37-millimole cut-off for TOC2 levels in analysis of his blood sample obtained prior to the running of the Crosby. The Ken Maddy Laboratory at the University of California-Davis handled the analysis.

[so.cal.fan]

I know good players in Texas who bet little if at all at Lone Star Park to this day........