IF You had a chance to speak at this hearing would you? just curious.:)

And they andtheir work was casually dismissed by pathetic Randy Moss who reduces his stature in racing every time he opens his mouth lately. And predictably, his 'testimony' will be hailed in the coverage. You just watch...

Sure, why not? I would just bring Sammy Sosa's lawyer with me if they had any really tough questions.

When I heard of the hearing the first person I thought would be invited in Scot Waterman. I couldn't believe it when I didnt see his name on the list..

Resuming...

They keep refering to "drugs" without any specifics. Just get rid of drugs. What about the drugs that have been developed that are absolutely beneficial for horses?

Moss and Van Berg basically just called for an increase in takeout to fund the phantom war on "drugs". This is such a joke. The issue is so complex yet they are treating it as though some national commission funded by simulcasting is goign to solve all these problems.

Come on Chuck, there are NO beneficial drugs for horses.:rolleyes:

Dutrow's written testimony:

When I was contacted by one of your staffers and asked to speak here today I agreed because I wanted to share my insights and points of view on some of these issues and I hope that I can be helpful here.

I also hope that I was not asked to be here because of some of the problems I have had in the past. I hope your staff people were sincere in inviting me because they valued my insight. I want to be part of the solution and not part of the problem.

I also ask for your patience today. I’m not always the best at explaining things. I’ve been taking care of horses all my life. I dropped out of high school more than 30 years ago to take care of horses and sometimes I think I do better with horses than with people.

As you may know, I am the trainer for Big Brown, the very talented horse who won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness this year. Despite my best efforts and those of the team of people around him, he did not win the Belmont Stakes but that’s horseracing. Big Brown is healthy and our plan right now is to keep him racing this summer and fall.

In addition to Big Brown, I am responsible for approximately 150 horses at any one time – 110 in active training and 40-50 at various farms getting ready to race. My operation has about 75 people, including grooms, stable hands, exercise riders, blacksmiths and vets, who care for our horse on a daily basis.

While some people’s focus is on the big days, we care about our horses and keeping them safe 365 days a year. Taking care of horses is a way of life for us. Our horses get the best care we can give them. They are gifted athletes and are trained to give their best performance when they run.

During the Triple Crown, I was asked several questions about my past and I expect those will come up today so let me address them.

My barn has been penalized in the past for medication violations. I was suspended and fined five years ago when traces of a prohibited substance, mepivicaine, turned up in a test for one of my horses. I said then that we don’t use it and I don’t know how it happened.

We have also had violations when legal, permitted, therapeutic medications have shown up in race day tests because they were given to the horse too close to the race. That’s something that many trainers in the country have had to deal with. But I take responsibility for the condition of my horses.

During the Triple Crown I told the media that my horses are given Winstrol on the 15th of each month. This is an FDA approved medication and is within the current rules of racing in most states. It is something we started a few years ago at the recommendation of one of our vets.

People have asked me why I do it. My observation is that it helps the horses eat better. Their coats brighten. They’re more alert. It helps them train. Having said that, our barn has won hundreds of races with horses that weren’t on steroids. Earlier this winter, I won two one million dollar races in Dubai, where steroids are prohibited. If steroids are banned in the United States, we’ll stop using them.

I also said that I’m not qualified to speak to the science of it. For that, I would suggest that you talk to the vets and scientific experts.

Thank you.

I guess what bother me the most outside of the one sided witness list is that much of what is talked about here is either so generalized as to be of no use, opinion based on questionable facts or simply untrue. But that apparently is what they want.

Now getting sidetracked and lost in foal surgeries and sales practices.

Arthur Hancock just sounds cheap.

Which the industry as well as many states have already passed rules and laws dealing with

How you think Arthur's testimony would sit with Bull?

I doubt Bull would have shown up

You have to remember that many of the views presented here could be considered extreme.

Jackson may be suffering from dementia.

Jackson now with a complete misrepresentation of the simulcast business... Totally incorrect. Jackson is becoming a danger here. This is becoming increasingly outrageous.

Jess jackson just said there is plenty of money available to fund all of this. That would be a another on this illustrious panel who has called for an increase in takeout. They never actually use those words but where do you think these funds will comefrom especially when the word simulcasting is used as a preface?

No not usually.
It is not a court of law, just a committee hearing.
Therefore people are able to express their opinions, frequently without having any data or facts to back it up. I have personally watched as people have outright lied in committee hearings to push forth their agenda. The only recourse is to contact legislators and tell them a person has no facts to back up their testimony, sometimes they listen sometimes they don't.
Unfortunately I missed the hearing will have to wait for the archives, but this thread doesn't make it sound very good.

And as to the question of why this is so bad, there are many reasons.
First and foremost this hearing was brought about by Ed Whitfield who is on this committee, actually I personally suspect by his wife's urging, who is serving as the Vice Chairman of the KHRA and is also a senior VP and lead fundraiser for the HSUS. These 2 positions are diometrically opposed. Whether or not anyone wishes to believe it the HSUS and all other Animal RIGHTS, not welfare groups, true agenda would be to abolish horse racing, then they would move on to jumps, dressage etc. They want all horses just wandering around with nothing to do, to them that is caring for the horses. I would also bet Ed Whitfield couldn't get any other committee to hear it, so he brought it to his own committee. This IS how our political system works.

Additionally part of the problem is you have fat cat politicians hearing testimony on something most of them have no knowledge of anything about horse racing, or for that matter probably have never touched a race horse or seen the backside.
On top of that they have handpicked the witnesses who obviously have an agenda. I did not hear the testimony but by just looking at the witness list you have people that are totally anti-meds, Randy Moss as we know is anti-whip. It would be one thing if they truly had non-biased witnesses that were there to give factual, scientific information.

I could live with a ruling that the Fed mandates all state horse racing associations must join together and come up with a formula that is applicable in all states, therefore leaving it in the hands of the horsemen and track personel that deal with these issues on a day to day basis and actually understand the problems.

BUT that is not what is about to happen. Believe me I know how this works, I have sat and testified in many, albiet State, committes and task forces then watched as they voted on the bills many really didn't understand what they were voting for or the reprucussions.

On top of this what the heck is the ENERGY AND COMMERCE committee hearing about so called horse abuse when the dollar is out of control and gas prices are sky high. Just more political rehotric to appease the people with little to do but go help the poor horsies because the owners, trainers and handlers don't know how to treat them right.

It is a sham and just the usual politics in order to get our minds off the true causes that affect our country.

Here comes the call to get rid of the small tracks...

hes trippin.. who gives a phuck about what a vet drives.. what are your bills well sugery is about 1k then anouther 2-300 for MEDICINAL PERP.. THATS DRUGS..DUHHH..and then we stand behind our product..yeh try to get a refund..

I wish the white Randy Moss would get Javon Walker'd.

id love to see the vet guy call out jackson..that would be great tv

Just realized it's still on they were on break, missed the beginning, doesn't sound good though.

The NFL and MLB have offices that work for the owners. Horse racing is a little different where a central office would police the trainers.

Baseball ignored the steriods because they were coming off a strike and attendance/ratings were way down. The club owners and the player's union never wanted to stop it because HR's were up. Bud Selig was an owner and never had any eggs to do anything until Congress forced him. The NFL has a policy against steroids and they suspend players all the time. Whether or not their 3 strikes and you're out stop it is another story, players seem to be 1 step ahead of testing.

Regarding 8 Belles:

"While tests have shown that the filly was not racing with steroids in her system, Schakowsky traced the filly’s genetic background, citing examples of fragility within the family that may have contributed to the tragedy."

http://news.bloodhorse.com/article/45791.htm


I can see this now. Congress - "We now declare Unbridled's Song uneligible to reproduce........as well as all sires that throw fragile offspring"

Exactly. A central authority does not guarantee anything especially when much of it depends on who leads it. Look at the NHL and its "central leadership". It took a hot sport that was on the uprise and marginalized it to the point where it's coverage gets bumped by horseracing!!!

I would love to know her expertise in these matters beside reading Bill Nack's article.
My mom is a bad driver, does that mean I am genetically predisposed to be a bad driver?

Actually i am an excellent driver.

So in other words, 'league office efficacy' is subject to social, economic and political pressures and circumstances. Hmmm. This differs tremendously from the way racing is run how?

Steve,

Do you know where the written testimony they asked to be included in the record cn be found?

Spyder

All over! Well.. That was pleasant.. A lot like Dean Wormer visiting the Delta House...

In the always scintillating "Congressional Record"...!!!!

Why doesnt the Conrad lady just come out and ask for federal funding? In my opinion, in my opinion, in my opinion...why dont they get people who have facts? Who can say what IS happening instead of what they believe to be happening or what they heard is happening. All these vet types yet not one person who actually works in the position that they are asking about. Not one racetrack vet among the whole group? It is like calling a hearing about baseball and inviting football players because they are all athletes.

"BLUTARSKY... ZERO POINT ZERO. FAT, DRUNK, AND STUPID IS NO WAY TO GO THROUGH LIFE, SON"

You should have put a suit on and pulled some strings to go talk to these bozos.......

Phil, Dean Wormer was talking to Flounder when uttered the timeless "Fat drunk and stupid is no way to go through life."

But Steve, this segmented, fractious industry does nothing but encourage outside pressures because of a percieved (and I think, real) disconnect with any solid, central orgizational structure.
Many people on this board beat up politicians and political groups for their self-interested points of view, and at the same time only wonder what this industry can do for them.
The time is long passed for a national regulating authority to oversee all things thoroughbred, and maybe the threat to put an end to interstate wagering would be the best motivator to make groups work together.

Then again, I may win the lottery tonight...

If you could a bried synopsis of what he said, I missed it.
Actually I thought he might be a good representative, guess not.

Don't get me wrong. I'm FOR a governing body. But as in the discussion on ATR last night, no one seems to want to acknowledge that there are no quick fixes and the 'hot button' issue of "steroids and drugs" are a giant red herring. A governing body will still encounter mounds of headaches implementing change.

And I'll warn you of another thing, which I'll discuss with Gov. Jones tonight, and that's states rights. If you think the state treasuries are goingto simply start sharing their takes with the Feds, you're wrong.