Federal Commission Investigating Doping and Horse Racing

[Whirlaway]

Whatever it takes to save the Game.

No doubt someone from the outside has to step in and put a check on this culture of drug abuse. To think the "inner circle" can police themselves is ludicrous. I don't know that the Feds stepping in is such a good idea, but I like the idea of the threat of the Feds stepping in to get things moving in the right direction.

I believe another step in the right direction would be to set up a Federal Commission Investigating Doping and Horse Racing just like they did for major league baseball. The Commission should have a broad scope to include investigation into the slaughter of race horses and the care given to race horses after they have completed their racing careers. The Doping and Horse Racing Commission should have subpoena power. Call in Dutrow, maybe Biancone and some others dopers that have been cited, including Pletcher and a few trainers from some of the smaller tracks to send a the message across the board. Call in the complicit owners and breeders, call in representatives from the large breeding operations in Kentucky. And of course call in the Jockey Club representatives to testify under oath and include representatives from other institutions that have turned a blind eye to doping of the racehorse. No doubt, it will be politics as usual, but I bet ya' those shootin' the drugs into the race horse will be paying attention. And to call the breeders, owners and Jockey Club blue bloods to testify will likely shake the industry very deeply . . . just what it needs and more. Whatever it takes to save the Game.

I think I'll shoot a quick email to those Congresspersons working on this matter. If they can't get legislation, they should set up a Commission.

[TJ]

Whatever it takes to save the Game.

No doubt someone from the outside has to step in and put a check on this culture of drug abuse. To think the "inner circle" can police themselves is ludicrous. I don't know that the Feds stepping in is such a good idea, but I like the idea of the threat of the Feds stepping in to get things moving in the right direction.

I believe another step in the right direction would be to set up a Federal Commission Investigating Doping and Horse Racing just like they did for major league baseball. The Commission should have a broad scope to include investigation into the slaughter of race horses and the care given to race horses after they have completed their racing careers. The Doping and Horse Racing Commission should have subpoena power. Call in Dutrow, maybe Biancone and some others dopers that have been cited, including Pletcher and a few trainers from some of the smaller tracks to send a the message across the board. Call in the complicit owners and breeders, call in representatives from the large breeding operations in Kentucky. And of course call in the Jockey Club representatives to testify under oath and include representatives from other institutions that have turned a blind eye to doping of the racehorse. No doubt, it will be politics as usual, but I bet ya' those shootin' the drugs into the race horse will be paying attention. And to call the breeders, owners and Jockey Club blue bloods to testify will likely shake the industry very deeply . . . just what it needs and more. Whatever it takes to save the Game.

I think I'll shoot a quick email to those Congresspersons working on this matter. If they can't get legislation, they should set up a Commission.

Hi Whirl,
Horse racing is a business....everyone involved in it currently knows that.....it was more of a sport when we had the great farms of years ago, with gentleman owners actually loooking to improve the breed, such as Tartan, King Ranch, Darby Dan, Rokeby, Bohemia, Calumet, Claiborne, Cain Hoy, Lazy F, Meadow, Wheatley...and so many more no longer really involved. As a sport it is secondary....but to those not in the trenches it becomes a sport...something they can be involved with via betting on it. There is a big difference when horseman get together and discuss racing and fans enter into the same type conversation. There are things said within horseman's conversations that are understood without definition or explanation. This basic knowledge comes only through years of working around horses and being in the business.....kind of like a water cooler convesation in an office, only makes sense to those involved. The Feds can't possibly come up with a commission that will be of any consequence unless they reach out to real horseman....not vets or jockey's or stewards or racing officials....many of whom don't really get it or have hidden agenda's and vendetta's against some all ready in the business. It will eliminate all the medications and dispose of good horseman that end up getting 3 positives in their career. So many of these positives are issued even though the actual trainer wasn't even present when it happened. It's the absolute insurer rule which is a good rule if you are issuing the suspension, but certainly is a reasonable out for a trainer to bring such a situation to the courts. When it gets to the point you will lose your license, the courts will be backed up. There won't be a trainer that will accept any violation without going through the court system. What is unfair....there are a handful of trainer's winning a high percentage of races and also coming under suspensions for long periods of time. What has prevented these trainer's from being banned....everyone wants Dutrow crucified....but how about all the rest of the top trainers that have served 6 months or more and they are still at the top of the game....I don't believe Dutrow ever received a 6 month suspension....but I'm not sure? Can you actually see the feds helping racing in a situation they don't have a clue about? I don't know....but I'm glad I'm winding down in this business and won't have to get frustrated with a new degree of incompetent bureaucrats to oversee and destroy racing. TJ

[Bast]

Can you actually see the feds helping racing in a situation they don't have a clue about? TJ

Imagine an operation like the DHS governing racing, with the racing equivalents of open borders and groping 6 year olds.

[Patuxet]

TJ wrote:"we had the great farms of years ago with gentleman owners actually looking to improve the breed, such as Tartan, King Ranch, Darby Dan, Rokeby, Bohemia, Calumet, Claiborne, Cain Hoy, Lazy F, Meadow, Wheatley..."

I don't mean to carp or go off subject but IMO you omitted the most important of all family farms, at least in terms of improving the breed. AG Vanderbilt's Sagamore Farm gave us the mighty Discovery, damsire of Bold Ruler, without which there would have been no Secretariat. However Sagamore's greatest contribution by far was the epochal Native Dancer, also out of a Discovery mare. Without Native Dancer there would have been no Northern Dancer or a score of Native Dancer male-line KY Derby winners. It boggles the mind!

I'd also include two significant farms owned by Vanderbilt kin, the C. V. Whitney Farm (2 Belmont winners) and Jock Whitney's Greentree Farm (4 Belmont winners). They were all in it for the sport.

I know you were making a point, not being definitive, but both families are honored with stakes named after them and I like to give credit where credit is due.

Allison

[TJ]

TJ wrote:"we had the great farms of years ago with gentleman owners actually looking to improve the breed, such as Tartan, King Ranch, Darby Dan, Rokeby, Bohemia, Calumet, Claiborne, Cain Hoy, Lazy F, Meadow, Wheatley..."

I don't mean to carp or go off subject but IMO you omitted the most important of all family farms, at least in terms of improving the breed. AG Vanderbilt's Sagamore Farm gave us the mighty Discovery, damsire of Bold Ruler, without which there would have been no Secretariat. However Sagamore's greatest contribution by far was the epochal Native Dancer, also out of a Discovery mare. Without Native Dancer there would have been no Northern Dancer or a score of Native Dancer male-line KY Derby winners. It boggles the mind!

I'd also include two significant farms owned by Vanderbilt kin, the C. V. Whitney Farm (2 Belmont winners) and Jock Whitney's Greentree Farm (4 Belmont winners). They were all in it for the sport.

I know you were making a point, not being definitive, but both families are honored with stakes named after them and I like to give credit where credit is due.

Allison

Hi Patuxet,
You get no argument from me, and they do deserve mention. I actually was around all of them in NY....it was funny I thought of AGV...even got cookies from the man...it was a thing he did at Belmont, as he got older he got sweeter:>) but I couldn't remember the farm name, and didn't want to use his name...should have remembered Greentree though, used to be in their private barn at Saratoga. TJ

[TJ]

double post