Auckland Reactor will be racing this Sunday, but not in the Bettor's Delight at Tioga Downs as originally planned. Instead, the Reactor will be racing at Chester Downs, but even there, a dose of reality has set in as he will bypass the Open to race a notch below in a winners over event. The aim is now to be ready for the Ben Franklin eliminations at Chester on July 11.
Clearly, Auckland Reactor's connections have realized sending him against FFAllers would be fool hardy at this point as he still needs to get acclimated to the North American style of racing. The prudent decision is to allow him to get acclimated against easier stock. That being said, this field is no walkover.
Here is the field for Auckland Reactor's race prior to driver changes being made:
June 13; 10th Pace - Chester Downs - $28,000; winners over 25,000 lifetime - Estimated Post 3:45
1 - Solano (G. Napalitano Jr)
2 - Mucho Sleazy (D. Miller)
3 - Smellthecolornine (T. Tetrick)
4 - Lindy's Bandit (B. Sears)
5 - Jim's Guy (G. Napalitano Jr)
6 - Auckland Reactor N (B. Sears)
7 - Blueridge Western (C. Callahan)
While not a "must win" race, anything short of a solid effort will be devestating. This is not to say Auckland Reactor would be a bad horse, but when you pay $3.5 million, you are expecting greatness; not overnight stock.
June 30 is the deadline for NJ Governor Christie's committee on Gambling and Entertainment to report back on their findings for the future of horse racing. We may then get some clarity regarding the future of harness racing in the state.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
An Open Letter to Jennifer
The following is an open letter to the Jennifer Rom who wrote an excellent article/column for Harnesslink regarding the Lou Pena controversy. Everyone should take the time to read it.
Jennifer,
I loved your column on Harnesslink titled, “Newsflash: Lou Pena is not the Problem”. However, just to clarify; not everyone is "piling" on Lou Pena because they are owners or trainers racing against him. I have heard from others who race in other states, breeders, and people who just wager on the horses; the complaints are not coming only from those trying to protect their own best interests; they too love harness racing like you and I do.
Personally, I am glad the issue finally has gone public. For years, people have kept the conversation between themselves because discussing it in public would not be good for the sport. As a result, the problem is still here, festering like an open sore. Maybe now with the dirty laundry getting aired publicly, maybe, just maybe, something will be done to address the problem of pre-racing horses.
To me the issue is not Lou Pena who deservedly or not has become the de facto poster child for this issue. It is about every trainer that is juicing their horses. It is about trainers using beards to get around suspensions. It is about trainers that are allowed to keep racing after a split sample comes back positive while they appeal until they get a settlement they like. It is about racing commissions that apply fines and suspensions which at times are so light that medication violations are basically a cost of doing business. It’s about racing commissions that play Let’s Make a Deal with cheats instead of sticking to their guns. And yes, it is about owners who flock to trainers who are successful despite a history of recent medication violations. Horses competing in racing, be they standardbred, thoroughbred or quarter horse (we don’t have a monopoly on this problem) should be racing as close as possible on hay, oats, and water.
No, I am not calling for the automatic expulsion of a trainer violating medication rules the first time. First of all, it can be a case of violating the withdrawal period for a permitted medication; it can even be another unscrupulous person trying to frame a trainer to get them out of the way. However, when there is a record of multiple medication violations, that person needs to be banned for life, not in one state only to turn up in another state, from all of racing.
I love harness racing too; primarily as a fan, but you should be concerned about the possibility of people pumping their horses with illegal and prohibited medications. Like whipping and the problem of unwanted race horses, the treating of horses with prohibited substances will be fodder for those looking to ban horse racing; another threat to the sport you and I and countless others love. Make no mistake; the use of illegal/prohibited drugs is a serious problem. The issue should not be swept under the table.
However, I do agree we can’t be absorbed on this one issue alone. There are other issues which need to be addressed; one of them being why Harrah’s, the track you were first introduced to racing, does little to promote harness racing. If we value our wagering customers so much, why does Pocono Downs (home of this year’s Breeders Crown) have a takeout of over 30% on some of its wagers? Why do we steal the gamblers’ money when their horse is more than 200 feet behind when the race begins by not having a fair start rule? Why are we not dealing with the issue of elimination races where some horses are being driven with the idea of qualifying for the lucrative final instead of trying to win? What about the horsemen who rather race at one track all year for miniscule purses instead of racing on circuits with less racing dates at each track for more money? What about the problem of whipping which many states don’t want to address, the fact most tracks have not implemented programs to assure the safety of our equine athletes once their racing careers are over, or a slew of other issues we need to deal with to protect and promote the sport we love?
That being said, successful businesses don’t deal with just one problem at a time. There is no reason why the issue of trainers using prohibited substances can’t be addressed while the industry addresses other issues. Despite what the Zielinski report may say (I too have read it), integrity does matter.
As a side note, since you love harness racing as a fan, may I suggest you visit Goshen Historic Track for their Grand Circuit racing July 1-4? There is no wagering, but if you love the sport, it will be a weekend you will never forget. It is harness racing heaven.
Jennifer,
I loved your column on Harnesslink titled, “Newsflash: Lou Pena is not the Problem”. However, just to clarify; not everyone is "piling" on Lou Pena because they are owners or trainers racing against him. I have heard from others who race in other states, breeders, and people who just wager on the horses; the complaints are not coming only from those trying to protect their own best interests; they too love harness racing like you and I do.
Personally, I am glad the issue finally has gone public. For years, people have kept the conversation between themselves because discussing it in public would not be good for the sport. As a result, the problem is still here, festering like an open sore. Maybe now with the dirty laundry getting aired publicly, maybe, just maybe, something will be done to address the problem of pre-racing horses.
To me the issue is not Lou Pena who deservedly or not has become the de facto poster child for this issue. It is about every trainer that is juicing their horses. It is about trainers using beards to get around suspensions. It is about trainers that are allowed to keep racing after a split sample comes back positive while they appeal until they get a settlement they like. It is about racing commissions that apply fines and suspensions which at times are so light that medication violations are basically a cost of doing business. It’s about racing commissions that play Let’s Make a Deal with cheats instead of sticking to their guns. And yes, it is about owners who flock to trainers who are successful despite a history of recent medication violations. Horses competing in racing, be they standardbred, thoroughbred or quarter horse (we don’t have a monopoly on this problem) should be racing as close as possible on hay, oats, and water.
No, I am not calling for the automatic expulsion of a trainer violating medication rules the first time. First of all, it can be a case of violating the withdrawal period for a permitted medication; it can even be another unscrupulous person trying to frame a trainer to get them out of the way. However, when there is a record of multiple medication violations, that person needs to be banned for life, not in one state only to turn up in another state, from all of racing.
I love harness racing too; primarily as a fan, but you should be concerned about the possibility of people pumping their horses with illegal and prohibited medications. Like whipping and the problem of unwanted race horses, the treating of horses with prohibited substances will be fodder for those looking to ban horse racing; another threat to the sport you and I and countless others love. Make no mistake; the use of illegal/prohibited drugs is a serious problem. The issue should not be swept under the table.
However, I do agree we can’t be absorbed on this one issue alone. There are other issues which need to be addressed; one of them being why Harrah’s, the track you were first introduced to racing, does little to promote harness racing. If we value our wagering customers so much, why does Pocono Downs (home of this year’s Breeders Crown) have a takeout of over 30% on some of its wagers? Why do we steal the gamblers’ money when their horse is more than 200 feet behind when the race begins by not having a fair start rule? Why are we not dealing with the issue of elimination races where some horses are being driven with the idea of qualifying for the lucrative final instead of trying to win? What about the horsemen who rather race at one track all year for miniscule purses instead of racing on circuits with less racing dates at each track for more money? What about the problem of whipping which many states don’t want to address, the fact most tracks have not implemented programs to assure the safety of our equine athletes once their racing careers are over, or a slew of other issues we need to deal with to protect and promote the sport we love?
That being said, successful businesses don’t deal with just one problem at a time. There is no reason why the issue of trainers using prohibited substances can’t be addressed while the industry addresses other issues. Despite what the Zielinski report may say (I too have read it), integrity does matter.
As a side note, since you love harness racing as a fan, may I suggest you visit Goshen Historic Track for their Grand Circuit racing July 1-4? There is no wagering, but if you love the sport, it will be a weekend you will never forget. It is harness racing heaven.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Addressing a Series Problem
How many times do we need to see the situation where a horse, already qualified for a race final, being raced in a manner more consistent with preparing for the upcoming final than in winning today’s race before we do something about it? I understand the rationale behind saving the horse; why gut a horse to win a $26,000 race when the following week it will be racing for $200,000, but isn’t it a case of what is good for an individual horse actually doing harm to the sport? How many potential/novice horseplayers are we loosing when a horse, which traditionally races on or near the front end successfully, is suddenly racing from off the pace never to be heard from at the end of the mile only to revert back to its successful racing style the following week when the money is on the line?
Yes, the experienced handicapper will consider the possibility of a horse not racing aggressively in a particular week realizing it has already secured a berth in the series final, but will the novice realize this? More importantly, do we want them to? After all, what kind of message are we sending when we are rewarding the concept of saving a horse for next week?
While it would be best to eliminate elimination races, in certain events (such as sire stakes races) there is no way to get around eliminations. Instead of determining finalists by dollars earned, award points based on the order of finish. To protect the wagering public’s interests, once a horse is ensured of a position in the series final, it should be barred from wagering and disregarded for purposes of awarding points in subsequent series legs. By barring such horses from wagering, the wagering public will not find themselves wagering on a horse going through the motions and it provides more incentive for those still attempting to qualify for the final to race at maximum effort.
In the New York Times this past weekend, Joe Meagher wrote a column titled A Beautiful Sport, an Ugly Industry where he discussed the ills facing thoroughbred racing and why it is in decline. As I have mentioned many times, the issues facing standardbred racing are the same in all forms of horse racing. The reverse is true. Take a look at Meagher's column and see how many of these issues standardbred racing face.
Chris E. Wittstruck, Esq. offers his opinion on the current controversy surrounding the trainer who seemingly defies logic. While he doesn't mention names, anyone who has been following what is going on in racing will know who is being talked about.
Yes, the experienced handicapper will consider the possibility of a horse not racing aggressively in a particular week realizing it has already secured a berth in the series final, but will the novice realize this? More importantly, do we want them to? After all, what kind of message are we sending when we are rewarding the concept of saving a horse for next week?
While it would be best to eliminate elimination races, in certain events (such as sire stakes races) there is no way to get around eliminations. Instead of determining finalists by dollars earned, award points based on the order of finish. To protect the wagering public’s interests, once a horse is ensured of a position in the series final, it should be barred from wagering and disregarded for purposes of awarding points in subsequent series legs. By barring such horses from wagering, the wagering public will not find themselves wagering on a horse going through the motions and it provides more incentive for those still attempting to qualify for the final to race at maximum effort.
In the New York Times this past weekend, Joe Meagher wrote a column titled A Beautiful Sport, an Ugly Industry where he discussed the ills facing thoroughbred racing and why it is in decline. As I have mentioned many times, the issues facing standardbred racing are the same in all forms of horse racing. The reverse is true. Take a look at Meagher's column and see how many of these issues standardbred racing face.
Chris E. Wittstruck, Esq. offers his opinion on the current controversy surrounding the trainer who seemingly defies logic. While he doesn't mention names, anyone who has been following what is going on in racing will know who is being talked about.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Racino Reality Check, Metro Six Shooter, The Artiscape
Note: For those that may have missed my comments regarding the latest column by Andrew Cohen, you may read it here.
To give you an idea as to the odds of getting a racino up and operating at the Meadowlands, the latest news from the New Jersey State Tourism and Entertainment committee should provide a sobering reality check. The committee voted 4-1 to approve a bill which would allow the eleven casinos in Atlantic City to offer online casino games for wagering by New Jersey residents. By offering intrastate online gaming, it would bypass federal law banning online gambling. The rationale? To help struggling casinos in Atlantic City. And you expect these people to vote for a referndum on VLTs at the Meadowlands?
Saturday night kicks off the debut of the Metro Six Shooter, a Pick-6 wager combining races from the Meadowlands and Yonkers Raceway with $30,000 instant carryover. While I am personally not a big fan of Pick-6 wagers, here are the top three horses I see in each leg of the Metro Six Shooter:
Leg A (Meadowlands, Race 4) – Art Maker, Westbound Artist, Cole Diddy (2-9-8)
Leg B (Meadowlands, Race 5) – Talk To Tony, Private Room, Blue Claw (6-2-5)
Leg C (Yonkers Raceway, Race 5) – Upscale Hanover, The Maniac, Ideal Michael (5-3-2)
Leg D (Meadowlands, Race 6) – Majestic Jackpot, Lennon Blue Chip, My Masterpiece (5-6-1)
Leg E (Meadowlands, Race 7) – Daylon Beware, Share The Delight, Ten Big Soldiers (12-2-5), Scratched – Dial Or Nodial
Leg F (Yonkers Raceway, Race 7) – Mr Rockford, Sakra Fella, BB Torio (1-3-8)
On Sunday afternoon, Tioga Downs hosts their first major Open race with the running of the $160,000 The Artiscape Pace for Open Mares.
Here is my review of this race:
9th Race - $160,000; The Artiscape Pace – Open Mares
1 – Southwind Tempo (8-5) – Always tough horse gets needed post relief. Factor here.
1A – Tug River Princess (8-5) – Weakest part of three horse entry which says a lot for it.
1B – Ginger And Fred (8-5) – Has been tough and she races best on smaller ovals. Note gets post eight.
2 – McGibson (10-1) – Has been racing well but this field may be too tough.
3 – Chancey Lady (9-2) – Fits this class and gets needed post relief. Just don’t see here.
4 – Dreamfair Eternal (6-1) – Winner of three straight on WEG circuit. At 6-1 presents incredible value.
5 – Up Front Kellie Jo (20-1) – Ambitiously placed. Pass.
6 – On The Glass (3-1) – Wouldn’t shock me but I don’t see it from post seven.
7 – All Spirit (20-1) – Local entrant made two moves last week to win, but this would be a major shock to win.
8 – Shanghai Lil (15-1) – Draws second tier and doesn’t seem up to it.
Selections: 4-1-3
With The Artiscape Pace being held, many of the top drivers in the northeast will be driving throughout the Tioga program on Sunday. We will see if they are able to improve some of the horses who may not have been racing at their peak.
For those looking to wager on Tioga Downs’ weekend cards, here are my early selections:
Tioga Downs, Saturday, June 5 1st - Tim Whiskers, Real Houdini, Princess Delight (6-3-7)
2nd - Latest Fashion, Aunt Ruby, Seven Bends (5-6-3)
3rd - Bonb Blue Chip, Tangerine, Sheenajunglequeen (3-1-2)
4th - Slated For Success, Banker Ablaze, Talkaboutjoy, S A Poster Boy (3-1-8-9)
5th - Zapphappy Kash, Catamount N, Double D Fine (3-6-7)
6th - Earlivic, Keystone Thomas, Heidi Falls (7-8-1)
7th - Wholli Molli Eddie, Panic, Counter Top, Cody's Honor (1-9-6-3)
8th - Think Gold, Baseball Express, Andover America (4-3-1)
9th - Hitontheflipside, Dreamanotherdream, Super Lotto (5-3-1)
10th - Briarwood Rex, Wattie N, Tree Light, Big Al's Delight (4-3-1-5)
Tioga Downs, Sunday, June 6
1st - Family Fortune, Tricky Fella, Goldstar Patriot D (2-7-4)
2nd - Hearty Fellow, Uncommon Hanover, Cool Flying Fun (1-3-4)
3rd - Seton Hall, Byrd, Cee Pee Bush (2-1-5)
4th - Life Of Roddy, Allamerican Solo, Ty Baron, Hose Me Down (7-6-1-8)
5th - Letsgo Volo, Wygant Prince, Folk Tail (4-7-6)
6th - Oceans Motion, Crown Lady, Hank's Queen (POE) (6-5-1A)
7th - Hobby Art Benka, Gavino, ML's Boy, Firmly (4-1-6-9)
8th - Kashability, Winbak Dimensions, Paydaze A Comin (5-4-3)
9th - Dreamfair Eternal, Southwind Tempo (POE), Chancey Lady (4-1-3)
10th - Allamerican Titan, Lahaye, Card Dealer (2-6-3)
11th - Cape Karuna, Magnum, Jove's Success (8-1-3)
12th - Keep On Dreamin, Star Drifter N, True Magic, Lookinforasign (5-4-9-2)
To give you an idea as to the odds of getting a racino up and operating at the Meadowlands, the latest news from the New Jersey State Tourism and Entertainment committee should provide a sobering reality check. The committee voted 4-1 to approve a bill which would allow the eleven casinos in Atlantic City to offer online casino games for wagering by New Jersey residents. By offering intrastate online gaming, it would bypass federal law banning online gambling. The rationale? To help struggling casinos in Atlantic City. And you expect these people to vote for a referndum on VLTs at the Meadowlands?
Saturday night kicks off the debut of the Metro Six Shooter, a Pick-6 wager combining races from the Meadowlands and Yonkers Raceway with $30,000 instant carryover. While I am personally not a big fan of Pick-6 wagers, here are the top three horses I see in each leg of the Metro Six Shooter:
Leg A (Meadowlands, Race 4) – Art Maker, Westbound Artist, Cole Diddy (2-9-8)
Leg B (Meadowlands, Race 5) – Talk To Tony, Private Room, Blue Claw (6-2-5)
Leg C (Yonkers Raceway, Race 5) – Upscale Hanover, The Maniac, Ideal Michael (5-3-2)
Leg D (Meadowlands, Race 6) – Majestic Jackpot, Lennon Blue Chip, My Masterpiece (5-6-1)
Leg E (Meadowlands, Race 7) – Daylon Beware, Share The Delight, Ten Big Soldiers (12-2-5), Scratched – Dial Or Nodial
Leg F (Yonkers Raceway, Race 7) – Mr Rockford, Sakra Fella, BB Torio (1-3-8)
On Sunday afternoon, Tioga Downs hosts their first major Open race with the running of the $160,000 The Artiscape Pace for Open Mares.
Here is my review of this race:
9th Race - $160,000; The Artiscape Pace – Open Mares
1 – Southwind Tempo (8-5) – Always tough horse gets needed post relief. Factor here.
1A – Tug River Princess (8-5) – Weakest part of three horse entry which says a lot for it.
1B – Ginger And Fred (8-5) – Has been tough and she races best on smaller ovals. Note gets post eight.
2 – McGibson (10-1) – Has been racing well but this field may be too tough.
3 – Chancey Lady (9-2) – Fits this class and gets needed post relief. Just don’t see here.
4 – Dreamfair Eternal (6-1) – Winner of three straight on WEG circuit. At 6-1 presents incredible value.
5 – Up Front Kellie Jo (20-1) – Ambitiously placed. Pass.
6 – On The Glass (3-1) – Wouldn’t shock me but I don’t see it from post seven.
7 – All Spirit (20-1) – Local entrant made two moves last week to win, but this would be a major shock to win.
8 – Shanghai Lil (15-1) – Draws second tier and doesn’t seem up to it.
Selections: 4-1-3
With The Artiscape Pace being held, many of the top drivers in the northeast will be driving throughout the Tioga program on Sunday. We will see if they are able to improve some of the horses who may not have been racing at their peak.
For those looking to wager on Tioga Downs’ weekend cards, here are my early selections:
Tioga Downs, Saturday, June 5 1st - Tim Whiskers, Real Houdini, Princess Delight (6-3-7)
2nd - Latest Fashion, Aunt Ruby, Seven Bends (5-6-3)
3rd - Bonb Blue Chip, Tangerine, Sheenajunglequeen (3-1-2)
4th - Slated For Success, Banker Ablaze, Talkaboutjoy, S A Poster Boy (3-1-8-9)
5th - Zapphappy Kash, Catamount N, Double D Fine (3-6-7)
6th - Earlivic, Keystone Thomas, Heidi Falls (7-8-1)
7th - Wholli Molli Eddie, Panic, Counter Top, Cody's Honor (1-9-6-3)
8th - Think Gold, Baseball Express, Andover America (4-3-1)
9th - Hitontheflipside, Dreamanotherdream, Super Lotto (5-3-1)
10th - Briarwood Rex, Wattie N, Tree Light, Big Al's Delight (4-3-1-5)
Tioga Downs, Sunday, June 6
1st - Family Fortune, Tricky Fella, Goldstar Patriot D (2-7-4)
2nd - Hearty Fellow, Uncommon Hanover, Cool Flying Fun (1-3-4)
3rd - Seton Hall, Byrd, Cee Pee Bush (2-1-5)
4th - Life Of Roddy, Allamerican Solo, Ty Baron, Hose Me Down (7-6-1-8)
5th - Letsgo Volo, Wygant Prince, Folk Tail (4-7-6)
6th - Oceans Motion, Crown Lady, Hank's Queen (POE) (6-5-1A)
7th - Hobby Art Benka, Gavino, ML's Boy, Firmly (4-1-6-9)
8th - Kashability, Winbak Dimensions, Paydaze A Comin (5-4-3)
9th - Dreamfair Eternal, Southwind Tempo (POE), Chancey Lady (4-1-3)
10th - Allamerican Titan, Lahaye, Card Dealer (2-6-3)
11th - Cape Karuna, Magnum, Jove's Success (8-1-3)
12th - Keep On Dreamin, Star Drifter N, True Magic, Lookinforasign (5-4-9-2)
Cohen Gets to the Point
Harness racing writer Andrew Cohen, in a column on Harnesslink once again speaks out regarding the problem of illict medication in racing. While the article follows up on his column from last week where he discusses allegations of doping and the interview by Brett Sturman of Lou Pena, this week's column gets to the crux of the problem; how there is a widespread problem with drugging of horses and how it impacts the future of standardbred racing with respect to ownership and attracting new fans.
It is not my intention to discuss any individual case here or name names, but let me ask these questions:
Why does the NJRC seem to be more willing to negotiate medication offenses versus other states? Could it be they are trying to keep their expenses down rather than fight in court? Perhaps because the cost of the racing commission is passed back to the tracks?
Why did the state of New Jersey get rid of their horse racing unit of the NJ State Police, the very group that investigated and arrested individuals associated with Eric and Sheldon Ledford? Why did the Meadowlands decided to stop putting two or three random overnight races a night in the detention barn? It may not have uncovered additional cases of drugging but some trainers did better out of the detention barn and some did worse; clearly it helped level the playing field somewhat.
Would a racing commission less willing to negotiate, the existence of a division of the state police dedicated to horses racing, regular use of the detention barn alone stop these problems? Likely not, but what kind of message is being sent to potential cheaters?
This goes past New Jersey.....
Look at the penalties issued for medication violations in some states. Get caught? It is the cost of doing business. Like everything else, it boils down to the risk/reward ratio. What is the risk (fine, suspension) and compare it to the reward? Right now, the risk is so little people are willing to take a chance. Change the rules to make it harder to use a beard (it's possible), make it harder for trainers to game the system when they get caught, and make owners who decide to use trainers with a recent history of violations pay a penalty when they get caught. Trainers will think twice about cheating and owners will think twice about using these trainers.
I know the argument, How can you penalize the owners, especially when you are trying to attract new owners? Because we need to stop owners from leaving highly regarded and competent trainers who play by the rules to go to trainers with known medication violations. When you give a trainer a horse, you basically hire them. If you wouldn't hire them to work for you in your regular business you have no business hiring them to train your horses. If they get caught breaking the rules by medicating your horse, you need to suffer as well as the trainer.
Certainly, most trainers and owners play by the rules, but the bad ones are hurting the integrity of the sport, jeopardizing its future. How many times do you think an existing or new owner is going to tolerate purchasing or claiming a horses whose form changes dramatically once they get their hands on it? How many times is the gambler going to tolerate seeing a horse with a dramatic form reversal before they disappear? Just as important, with society's increasing demand for better treatment of animals, how long do you think they are going to tolerate what they consider the widespread use of drugs in racehorses?
It is time racing stops treating illegal medication as a problem, but a threat to its existence. Because it is.
For those looking for selections for Tioga Downs as well as my thoughts regarding the Metro Six Shooter, it will be provided in the next posting.
It is not my intention to discuss any individual case here or name names, but let me ask these questions:
Why does the NJRC seem to be more willing to negotiate medication offenses versus other states? Could it be they are trying to keep their expenses down rather than fight in court? Perhaps because the cost of the racing commission is passed back to the tracks?
Why did the state of New Jersey get rid of their horse racing unit of the NJ State Police, the very group that investigated and arrested individuals associated with Eric and Sheldon Ledford? Why did the Meadowlands decided to stop putting two or three random overnight races a night in the detention barn? It may not have uncovered additional cases of drugging but some trainers did better out of the detention barn and some did worse; clearly it helped level the playing field somewhat.
Would a racing commission less willing to negotiate, the existence of a division of the state police dedicated to horses racing, regular use of the detention barn alone stop these problems? Likely not, but what kind of message is being sent to potential cheaters?
This goes past New Jersey.....
Look at the penalties issued for medication violations in some states. Get caught? It is the cost of doing business. Like everything else, it boils down to the risk/reward ratio. What is the risk (fine, suspension) and compare it to the reward? Right now, the risk is so little people are willing to take a chance. Change the rules to make it harder to use a beard (it's possible), make it harder for trainers to game the system when they get caught, and make owners who decide to use trainers with a recent history of violations pay a penalty when they get caught. Trainers will think twice about cheating and owners will think twice about using these trainers.
I know the argument, How can you penalize the owners, especially when you are trying to attract new owners? Because we need to stop owners from leaving highly regarded and competent trainers who play by the rules to go to trainers with known medication violations. When you give a trainer a horse, you basically hire them. If you wouldn't hire them to work for you in your regular business you have no business hiring them to train your horses. If they get caught breaking the rules by medicating your horse, you need to suffer as well as the trainer.
Certainly, most trainers and owners play by the rules, but the bad ones are hurting the integrity of the sport, jeopardizing its future. How many times do you think an existing or new owner is going to tolerate purchasing or claiming a horses whose form changes dramatically once they get their hands on it? How many times is the gambler going to tolerate seeing a horse with a dramatic form reversal before they disappear? Just as important, with society's increasing demand for better treatment of animals, how long do you think they are going to tolerate what they consider the widespread use of drugs in racehorses?
It is time racing stops treating illegal medication as a problem, but a threat to its existence. Because it is.
For those looking for selections for Tioga Downs as well as my thoughts regarding the Metro Six Shooter, it will be provided in the next posting.
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