Quote:
|
Originally Posted by RolloTomasi
In a word, yes. What you neglected to mention when bringing up the fact that other states allow for threshold levels of mepivacaine was that New York, at the time, did not allow for any level of mepivacaine. Thus, its not a valid comparison. Even a minor trace of mepivacaine proved that the horse was administered the drug in an illegal fashion (within 7 days of the race) as far as the State of New York was concerned (regardless of whether it was used for therapeutic or nefarious reasons).
Mepivacaine is a local anesthetic. While it has therapeutic uses as far as lameness diagnosis and minor surgery goes, it has no business being in a racehorse's system on raceday.
The fact that Pletcher has recently been handed a second violation for another local anesthetic (I realize many here are trying to sugar coat it by calling it an "antibiotic" positive--but Wait A While tested positive for procaine) makes things look anything but rosy. At best the repeat offense makes him look careless, and at worse it makes him look like he's trying to toe the line with what he can "get away" with.
|
Actually the NY rule was changed because the rules that were in effect before were for testing procedures that were dated. The state of New York's rules are the problem in this case hence the change. No one would try to use mepivacaine as a block in a racehorse any more than you would down a 6 pack while waiting in line at a police checkpoint. The levels ARE insignifigant at a certain point. Just about anything can be found in a horses system if you test at low enough levels.
Procaine penn was a bad choice of medications and despite the vet and Pletchers assertions they should have known better. But again no one would use procaine in the manner that ypu suggest he may have. it would be like trying to sneak a rifle through airline security especially at the BC where you know that the testing is going to be very thorough.
Pletcher surely is guilty of violations of the rules but these are not smoking guns that people want them to be. Check out what happened to Noel Hickey in Chicago a few years back to really learn how people cheat.