All I can say is drug cheating trainers in harness racing should be glad they are not regulated by the United States Equestrian Foundation. Yesterday, I happend upon a magazine which listed ruling by the USEF and let me tell you if a standardbred or a thoroughbred traienr got subjected to these rules, they would not be happy.
For example, last week at the Meadows, a trainer was fined $500 and ordered to refund any purse money for medication money.
In a ruling by USEF officals, it was determined a show horse was medicated with a probhibited substance. The penalty? A two month suspension from the sport, inhcluding not be allowed to attend as a spectator, a $2,300 fine, the return of any purse money or trophies earned and for the kicker, "Any horse or horses owned, leased, or of any partnership, corporation or stable of the trainer, or shown in their name or for their reputation, (whether such interest was held at the time of the alleged violation or acquired thereafter), shall also be suspended,..." That's right. any horse in the stable is suspended even if the horse came into the stable after the infraction. No transfer of horses from the stable to another trainer. Horses are frozen out.
Now I understand the show world for horses is high society, but the question needs to be asked why can the show world have such stiff fines yet comparatively, where we have people wagering on our races, our fines are relatively light?. Owners, get a free ride in horse racing other than losing the purse money, but no such way in the USEF world.
Maybe despite the protests of some that owners shouldn't be penalized, maybe suspending the horses should be looked at.
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