i find it interesting that a guy who claims he's for integrity in the sport hired one of those trainers.

all major sports have a national governing body. racing does not. and that's a big part of the problem. we have a crazy quilt of states with their own rules and regs for racing. there should be national standards in place, and rules with real teeth in them for those who don't play by them.

same family as mepivicain and cocaine...

I asked, and I've been told it's a legal drug to have on the vet's truck, it has everyday use and it's cosidered to be therapuetic in nature. I don't know if that's subject to interpretation or not.

I would think that if it wasn't therapeutic, it would have a more severe classification, stronger penalty, fine, etc. and we wouldn't be looking at 15 days or something of the like. Maybe one of the resident vets or trainers can shed light on this.

Eric

I saw Brady Anderson at the HOF this summer. Smoking wife...Chicks dig the long ball...

Who?

Agreed. Without question. However, don't be surprised -- if it happens -- if all lines drawn don't end with the owner. I think a national governing body must, as you said, have the real bite behind the bark.

Standardbred racing doesn't have that either. But years ago, there was no reciprocity. Today there is. The reasons there is no national governing body are many, and complex, but hopefully that will change.

But I think there is also a thought process that must be looked at. I've asked it before -- is MLB going to hold Steinbrenner responsible for one or more of his players taking steroids? Is major league baseball going to look at his role if any, his involvement if any, his knowledge of the situation if any, and so on. Employer/employee relationship, and many more different elements of course.

Eric

more like which one.....

I'm sure many people who have participated on this thread have come into contact with lidocaine at some point. While it could be used as a nerve blocking agent in high doses it is commonly associated with hand lotion and other over the counter pain relieving cremes. Since he got a short suspension I am assuming that the levels found were very low. Steve Penrod, who is about as far away from a 'juice' trainer as there is, served a 30 day suspension in KY a few years ago because his groom bought an over the counter 'aloe' lotion to treat a horses cracked heels. At the time the rules in KY said 30 min for Lidocaine regardless of level even though they knew why it happened.

I'm an owl

ummm from the Hillary school of debating ? :D

You keep bringing this up, so I must assume you still have a gripe with Contessa "getting off easy".....

I hate the let the facts get in the way of a good rant, but again - I am aware of this particular trainer's record since mid 2005, Since then he has saddled over 3500 mounts and has had 1 Bute and 1 Lido overage to since - 2 out of 3500..... (approx 900 in 2005 since I got involved), ALL of last year (approx 1500), and 2 of 1100 this year = 3500....I DARE you to recollect ANYTHING that you do - especially considering work done out of out of your hands, out of your sight that you are responsible for, to that level of perfection.


Hard to imagine that anyone could consider 2 out of 3500 as "Numerous and Serious" and "Directly related to immediate improvement" but as long as someone has an axe to grind....It's a coincidence that's clearly over my head :rolleyes:

benadryl cream...for bug bites...I could name a bunch but that's just one.

not that I think Contessa or any other trainer is getting his postives from those kinds of contamination.

Bactine, Lanacane, Solarcaine and practically every aloe based sunburn remedy, ect. there are many.