Yes, humans must first touch the drug

[headstr8ner]

First, let me say that I would have benefitted greatly if Medina Spirit was off the board. But before bashing any trainer for an alleged positive, I explore possible ways a human prescribed drug may get transmitted. In addition to equine version “BetaVet”, for example, many people are prescribed betamethasone in the form of gels, ointments, lotions, foams, sprays and more, for many common disorders. I am not a doctor. I am not a veterinarian. But I am someone who has been around racehorses for many decades.

Let’s think of all the people that are in contact with the horse. Every handler in the barn. Transportation personnel. The jockey and their valet. The horse identifier in the paddock. The assistants who help saddle the horse. The personnel that put the tongue tie on the horse. How about the people that pat the horse after a win and before it gets sent to the test barn?  

If anyone looks at important instructions and cautions for the ointments or gels for skin conditions that dermatologists prescribe, one will see that it can easily be transmitted to others. This drug, I believe, may have a half-life of 6 hours in humans. So half is still in you 6 hours later ( total 12 hours). It is excreted in urine. I have known many people who have pissed in horses’ stalls. Imagine if they were prescribed this med, didn’t wash their hands and continued to touch the horse’s nostrils, mouth, hooves, etc.

I try not to judge too quickly.

[Roman]

You said it better than me, at that level, especially. Surprised that all don’t wear some type of gloves. I see the lip tattoo lady wears gloves, but she checks all the hoses in the same race with the same gloves. If you are check for picograms, you basically need a clean room , why not just stop at nanograms?

Didn’t realize the hate for Baffert until I read some of the Twitter comments. As a player, his horses never really screamed him using anything like EPO, elephant juice, or any other high octane juice.

It’s one of the reasons I stay away from the lower level races, and stick to the bigger days because of doping. The more eyes the better I think.

[Aceover]

Amazing list of coincidences that only seem to happen to his barn.
Was it last year that one of the excuses for a positive was a groom with cough syrup?

[richiebee]

> Surprised that all don’t wear some
> type of gloves. I see the lip tattoo lady wears
> gloves, but she checks all the hoses in the same
> race with the same gloves. If you are check for
> picograms, you basically need a clean room , why
> not just stop at nanograms?

> All true but these contamination issues have plagued Baffert continuously, other trainers not so much.


> It’s one of the reasons I stay away from the
> lower level races, and stick to the bigger days
> because of doping. The more eyes the better I
> think.

Look at the races Baffert has been cited for. Arkansas Derby, Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, Santa Anita Derby. These are all BIG races on big days. I would suggest that maybe you SHOULD be betting lower level races. At least in those races you can assume all the horses are in pain AND medicated, legal or otherwise.

People become hateful when an individual is afforded special privileges and treatment. Baffert has Bo Derek and Belinda Stronach protecting him. The man has such a thick coating of Teflon on him that your eyeballs will slide off his image.

If the CHRB and Jockey Club think they can not live without Baffie, at least make it fair and more interesting. Let Baffert entries carry seven extra pounds of weight, a leaden Scarlet Letter of sorts.

[confused]

They wiretapped Navarro and Servis (thank God), so it was really pathetic listening to Baffert complain about being the only one this is happening to.  Who knows what they\'d learn if he was tapped?  And when was the last time you heard Asmussen complain about being targeted?  I think he\'s received around 20 suspensions during his career.

[jerry]

So it’s just a coincidence. Sorry, I’m not buying that. Baffert has too many drug positives for this to be coincidental. He cheats. If the sampling results hold up he should be given a 1 year suspension. Let him work on his tan.