Step One

[TGJB]

Key paragraph is the third one.

http://news.bloodhorse.com/article/45767.htm

[fkach]

Sounds like good news and a decent start.

[sighthound]

An immediate ban on toe grabs other than 2-millimeter

The above would have an immediate impact in helping prevent catastrophic injuries.

I give TJC credit.  They are not going to allow the government to take over their sport.

Meanwhile, NTRA acknowledges that certainly issues should be examined.  Snort.

[richiebee]

Love all the optimism, but if history is any indicator, an equine chemist,
possibly in Europe or Canada, could right this moment be working on a steroid
substitute or undetectable steroid. The cheaters consistently have stayed ahead
of the Law in Racing because...

...the punishments are a joke. Fairly or unfairly, Racing had a chance to make
a strong statement last year in L\'Affaire Biancone, but chose not to. (I know
you disagree with this, Sight.)

An owner and trainer were suspended at the Meadowlands harness meet in the last
couple of weeks for use of performance enhancers. I seem to remember reading
that each was suspended for more than 10 years.

[TGJB]

Richie-- stay tuned. If the right things aren\'t done, I\'ll be leading the guys with torches myself. But I think this time it will be different, for several reasons. One of which is that one of the people the group sought out for extensive input was yours truly, which would NEVER have happened in the past.

The question will not be intent. It will be ability to coerce, to force tracks to do some things they don\'t want to. Like spend money. And you and I and a lot of other horseplayers may hold the key to that.

Anyway, stay tuned.

[P.Eckhart]

To have 4 allowable steroids with a 30 day withrawal period is not dealing with steroids it\'s a formal charter for training with steroids.

[rosewood]

Richi,

As strongly as I support all that Jerry and some others are doing, I agree that it\'s a little early to get out the party hats, Biancone is still in Kentucky and in the news.

As for chemist in Canada and Europe working; it is thought that a blood doping agent stronger than EPO was being experimented with as early as 2000 that would clear the system in 48 hours. My hard drive crashed recently and I lost a lot of data, so I can\'t provide the links. It was either in the steroids or Tour de France data.

[NoCarolinaTony]

TGJB,

A sincere congrats on the forward progress on this effort. I know you have been one of the lone voices for \"us guys & gals\". I hope your efforts are rewarded with a change in policy.

Been on the sidelines myself recovering from surgery past week or so. The board is making for some better reading lately.

Regards,

NCTony