You're right. I should give the Governor credit for doing the right thing by getting rid of the ineffectual NYSRWB.

LOL - Matz was an international Olympic-level rider for years. He knows all about strict drug testing, rules filled with minutia, horse access limitations, quarantines, permitted medications and withdrawal times, etc. Hard to unimpress someone that's used to this sort of thing. But they've done it.

Maybe the TB world could take some lessons from those that are further ahead in the drug testing game. But I'm glad to see them do this. I'm sure they sat down with O'Neill and said, "Don't you DARE test positive and ruin our TC" :rolleyes:

While the regulations are a bit over the top this is really a non-issue for the most part.

The Wednesday mandate wasn't new. Been that way awhile.

Someone do the right thing after the pressure has been applied. It's a big roll eyes. Do it in November for the new year. These instant changes are desperation moves to appease a.ssholes.

can't believe it's taken this long to put something like this in place-but it should be for all races, not just the belmont. it's one way to keep better track of the horses and what's going on with them. certainly can't know what's going on when they aren't on the grounds.

Good idea, maybe they can bunk a pony with them and see if the horse will give up some secrets.

Joe Drape strikes again:

Tougher Drug Rules Ordered at Belmont, With Extra Scrutiny on O’Neill

I've never been a big O'Neil fan but I think his appoach to all of this scrutiny and extra standards being put in place has been really outstanding.

Certain other trainers would have been whining to everyone about being a victim.

You got that right, babe. ;)

There were general detention barns for 5 years -- not a stakes-specific detention barn -- whose use ended after the Belmont meet in July 2010.

There is a stakes horse barn at Saratoga for ship-ins.

If there wasn't so much scrutiny on O'neill maybe there'd be a conspiracy theory about these new rules being put in place and Alpha conveniently coming down with a fever and scratching ;p

How else is Dougie going to respond to the fact that NY wants to make sure that if this horse wins the TC that there is no bad test, given his track record and all. Most other trainers dont have as many infractions as Doug, besides the obvious guys.

I agree but I think his disposition is being helped by the fact he thinks he has the best horse.

DRF|Belmont Stakes 2012: Security barn irks trainers

ELMONT, N.Y. – The requirement that all horses in the Belmont Stakes reside in a detention barn for 72 hours before the race has angered a number of trainers in the race who say that those staffing the barn lack necessary horse sense and that the atmosphere is not conducive to horses performing at their optimum.

The latest contretemps occurred Wednesday afternoon, when the security staff at the barn told Doug O’Neill, trainer of I’ll Have Another, and Michael Matz, trainer of Union Rags, that they could not cook their oats before feeding their horses. O’Neill, who has outwardly maintained an even keel over all the hoops he has been required to jump through leading up to this race – no nasal strip for his horse, moving to the security barn, exhaustive requirements for licensing for his personnel – finally had enough and threatened to pull his horse from the race, pointing out that I’ll Have Another needs his oats cooked to avoid colic.

Minutes later, permission was granted to cook oats, so Oatgate was averted.

“They yell about Lasix and things like that, but the biggest problem is uniformity,” Matz said Thursday morning. “Why can’t we have the same rules for the Triple Crown races? They didn’t have this for the Derby. They didn’t have this for the Preakness. Why are they making a big deal here?”

What a d'bag Sabini came off as on ATR yesterday. Steve, great job expressing some common sense and asking some tough questions which made Sabini run behind the cloak of he can't comment due to pending investigations.

Watchmaker, of all people, summed this ridiculousness up well the other day.

I'm sure they'll make up for it with a Doug O'Neill bobblehead. Hipster approved.