Excellent Drug Piece

[TGJB]

Excellent Bloodhorse Op-Ed by Barry Irwin that I missed. His suggestion about the vets and trainers having to buy drugs through the track is an interesting one. I would add another-- publish all CO2 tests, every race, every day. It\'s information the public has a right to, and then at least certain trainers will have to explain how their runners are averaging 35 when a horse can\'t break 30 naturally (the threshold for sanctions in most places is 37).



http://opinions.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=36701

[miff]

A nice gesture by Barry but would do very little for the major drug issue, the ever elusive and undetectable(so far)magic bullet.

Mike

[Thehoarsehorseplayer]

And they should also publish the exact dosage of Lsx a horse received for every race.  As well as announce any changes in the dosage for today.
As it stands today, by altering the amounts of Lsx a horse receives without making announcements the framework is certainly in place for allowing trainers and vets to  cheat with drugs legally.   And since this information is available to the holding barn attendents, (forms must be submitted if the dosage deviates from the default prescription) cheating in a way that seems both sanctioned, and encouraged by track management.

And furthermore, I would say that if tracks won\'t share with the public information they are duty bound to collect concerning \"legal\" drugs,  how serious are they going to be about sharing the information they have on illegal drugs?

[bobphilo]

Good article, Jerry.

He makes an excellent point about Hong Kong racing. I find myself betting there more often, even though I have to stay up till 3:00 AM to watch the races (like for last Sunday\'s card) because the results make sense and my R.O.I. is better there than any US track I\'ve played.
Ever think of making figures for there?

Bob

[TGJB]

Bob-- yes, we\'re looking into it.

Miff-- I don\'t think the problem is a magic bullet, although I am sure there are plenty of other things being used. The main problem is that milkshakes-- which no longer have to be tubed-- can be used without any fear as long as you stay below 37. There is a huge gap between 29 (roughly the level a horse can have in his blood naturally) and the sanction level of 37 (or higher in some states). The reason for the gap is that it represents 4 standard deviations (Bob can explain), and the tracks are covering their asses legally.

[bobphilo]

Thanks, Jerry. I was half joking when I asked that but, the more I think of it the more sense it makes.
Just to show how seriously they take there betting there, when they show the possible pay-offs pre-race, they show the pay-off on a $10 ticket. They love their gambling there.

Bob

[miff]

JB,

I just don\'t believe that the complete elimination of shakes (feed or tubing)would stop certain trainers at all.I\'m not certain that the usual suspects are all about shakes.With ALL the publicity and testing for shakes I have not noticed the usual suspects winning at a lesser percentage. How come?


Mike

[magicnight]

Bob;

Not disputing that they love betting the races in Hong Kong, but, wouldn\'t the payoffs be in Hong Kong Dollars? You need about eight Hong Kong Dollars to get one US Dollar.

 

[sighthound]

>> His suggestion about the vets and trainers having to buy drugs through the track is an interesting one.

As a vet, that would be unworkable on so many levels (sorry, Barry ).

We need pre-race testing, post-race testing, inviolate levels for detectable substances, with mandatory escalating punishments.

How many would give up lasix?

Barry\'s editorial was frank and concise.  Well done.

[bobphilo]

Oops, you\'re right, magic. I forgot about the exchange rate. I quess The way they show pay-offs is just a matter of convenience.
The fact that to the officials, the bettor is king, is better shown by the strict way they deal with cheats.

Bob  

[magicnight]

Agree 100%. Those Hong Kong racing officials lead the way. Sounds like the racing is worth staying up late for, too!

[bobphilo]

Sat. night's card was definitely worth staying up for with 3 great mares making their final starts – Ouija Board, (who was scratched from the HC Vase when she came up lame) and Pride and Alexander Goldrun in the HK Cup (Pride won).

A possible profitable angle in the international races there is that the bettors may bet with a provincial bias, which gives good value with the classy Euros. I was able to get 11-1 on HK Vase winner Collier Hill – more than I would have gotten anywhere else.

Bob

[richiebee]

I love the timing. This week Team Valor trainer Todd Pletcher\'s appeal was turned
down in the administrative court of last resort. Next stop: the courts of New
York State.

The best racing action in NY over the next few years will probably be played out
in court. You have the blockbuster NYRA bankruptcy proceedings in Fed court, the
horsemen suing NYRA to protect their purse moneys, and now maybe TAP going to
court to defend his honor. And Bud Selig (who has done such a wonderful job of
managing the drug problem in his Sport) calling into question a potential
conflict of interest with Steinbrenner\'s son in law who apparently could be
at the head of both NY Racing and the NY Yankees in the near future.

The medication debate is always a lively one-- and an intelligent one-- on this
Board but I still don\'t see anybody writing that letter that says \"I will no
longer bet on racing in your state\" or \"I will no longer bet on races where
Trainer \"X\" has an entrant\".

Yeah I\'m being kind of cynical tonight, seeing that there is a letter from the
IRS in today\'s mail. I am assuming it is not a check.

It reminds me of one of my favorite lines in any movie. In TIN MEN, Danny Devito
is sitting at the dinner table with his wife (Barbara Hershey) going through the
mail. He gets a letter from the IRS, and, in a perfect Baltimore accent, says
something like \"What? Is there a road crew up on a hill somewhere waiting for my
money so they can keep working?\"

[marcus]

Perhaps a style of an  anti-trust status and a no fault type clause or provisor could find it\'s way into Racing bi-laws and charters wherein  no individual trainers or owner can sue or appeal decisions by a NYRA in regard to certain drug issues or violations , but rather only a Horsemens Association as a group would be allowed to seek judicial recourse , thus giving in added layer of protocal by a  trainers/owners peers  .

So far as the  slots issues at NYRA - it shouldn\'t stop there and I\'m beginning to belive that a Native American Group of Casino owners or operators  should be wooed into taking on the job of running NYRA and constructing a state of the art casino along with and adjacent to Aqueduct race course .

richiebee - I only like to open my mail once a week and then afterward ,taking a nice long hot bath .   The movie senario comparisons are definately funny and appropriate - How about  the 1956 french action suspense flick \" Bob Le Flembards \" ,  except  - your that guy playing cards at the end ...
       

[jbelfior]

Richiebee:


Good Luck with the IRS. Also reminds me of another famous quote made by then Detroit Lions coach, Joe Schmidt.


After getting beat 13-10 by the Vikings on a last second Fred Cox field goal into the snow at then Bloomington, Minnesota, Coach Schmidt had this to say;

\" Life is nothing but a s--t sandwich and each day we take another bite.\"


Must have been pretty cold that day.



Good Luck,
Joe B.