detention barns at Bel?

[Michael D.]

according to the ny post, the nyra will introduce pre-race detention barns when bel opens in may. anybody aware of this? for cheaters only, or for anyone selected at random?

[razzle]

Michael,

I haven\'t heard.  I did hear an unconfirmed rumor that Belmont will set aside a \"semi-detention\" barn for Frankel, Pletcher and Dutrow.  It\'s being constructed now, will be painted white, and is shaped like a popular yuppie car...  The doors latches don\'t turn, they pull out like a small plunger...  raz

[miff]

The story at the track is that ALL runners will be detained 24 hours prior to race day. A NYRA official will formally announce the program next week,I heard.

[TGJB]

This is definitely a big step in the right direction. But one note-- a couple of weeks ago Mike Hushion told me he liked my letter to the editor, but didn\'t know if detention barns would work. \"We don\'t know what the magic pill is, so we don\'t know if that will stop it\".
Tell you one thing-- milkshake testing ain\'t stopping whatever BL is doing at Aqu.

[richiebee]

Agreed that BL\'s horses have had the \"whatever\" /SOMETHING look in the last 15 days.

IMO, they need to go one step further than detention barns to make their preemptive strike against cheaters more effective. They really need to remove the animal from the custody of its trainer and trainer\'s employees for the 24 - 36 hours before the race. As the injectable alternatives dry up or are regulated out, more and more trainers will seek the ingestable alternatives, or to take advantage of some patch like technology.

But if horses are to be detained, ALL horses must be detained. My feeling is it would be unfair for some, and not all competitors, to be taken from familiar surroundings for the detention period.

[Boscar Obarra]

  C\'mon , how are the whales gonna make a living if they have to play an honest game. The handle will drop 50%.