Doug O'Neill

[Indian Charlie]

Can someone please explain what is so wrong with 'milkshaking'????????????

Are you freaking kidding me, baking soda, illegal??????

Sodium Bicarbonate has many useful effects in the body, and virtually no harmful ones. How can this stuff possibly be outlawed in horses?

Baking soda??????

But lasix is ok????

Talk about whack!

[Arletta]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

Can someone please explain what is so wrong with 'milkshaking'????????????

Are you freaking kidding me, baking soda, illegal??????

Sodium Bicarbonate has many useful effects in the body, and virtually no harmful ones. How can this stuff possibly be outlawed in horses?

Baking soda??????

But lasix is ok????

Talk about whack!

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/hor...bad-taste.aspx

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by Arletta

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/hor...bad-taste.aspx

The entire article sounds like an endorsement for bicarbonate loading. The benefits are tremendous.

Except for, of course, the drug masking.

Lots of people, as in human beings, use sodium bicarbonate to increase overall wellbeing, exercise performance and more.

Too bad it gets used for masking drugs.

Luckily, lasix has no such benefit!

[tector]

Without the masking effect, I would not give a damn about shakes.

[slotdirt]

Given the ability of milkshakes to mask other, more nefarious substances, anybody who cares about racing should care about milkshakes. There's a reason why human athletes like Manny Ramirez take estrogen.

[jms62]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

Given the ability of milkshakes to mask other, more nefarious substances, anybody who cares about racing should care about milkshakes. There's a reason why human athletes like Manny Ramirez take estrogen.

I just thought it was Manny being Manuela

[OldDog]

Our local newspaper runs perhaps a half a dozen feature stories a year about horse racing (always at Triple Crown time), and about the same amount of little news blurbs in a "quick hits" section. In other words, dismal coverage. But of course this morning's quick hits section included a piece about O'Neill's milkshaking accusations. Just great, only days after the Derby.

I'm going to call the sports desk this morning and suggest that they might consider running this story, too.
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...wish-come-true

In O'Neill's post-Derby interview, as he was thanking individuals and groups, he made mention (paraphrasing) of a girl named Hope, who he had "just met a few days ago." Watching this, I imagined he had met this Hope in a Louisville bar or something, and was rolling my eyes and laughing at the idea of mentioning her on national TV after winning the Derby. Reading this piece this morning was a palm-meets-forehead moment, "Oh, so THAT's who Hope is!" Very nice story.

[Alabama Stakes]

I don't think it is very pleasant for the hoss. there should be a more negative term associated with the practice. It sounds like a treat they gave the hoss before the race. Man if i owned or ran a track and caught you cheating, I would duct tape you to the sixteenth pole, film the tune up, and play a loop in the track kitchen.....just so there was no confusion on how cheaters would be dealt with. Kind of like in what happened to cheaters in the old days in Vegas, though I bet it still happens.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

Can someone please explain what is so wrong with 'milkshaking'????????????

Are you freaking kidding me, baking soda, illegal??????

Sodium Bicarbonate has many useful effects in the body, and virtually no harmful ones. How can this stuff possibly be outlawed in horses?

Baking soda??????

But lasix is ok????

Talk about whack!

when milkshaking prevents hemorraging and lung damage, let me know.

[slotdirt]

I said to a fellow horseplayer in the seconds after the Derby that the NYT just had its next expose written for them. I can only imagine the publicity in the three weeks between the Preakness and the Belmont should I'll Have Another win on the 19th.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by Danzig

when milkshaking prevents hemorraging and lung damage, let me know.

When lasix prevents fatigue, and thus injuries, let me know.

Open your mind.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

When lasix prevents fatigue, and thus injuries, let me know.

Open your mind.

so, illegal milkshaking should be ok because it staves off fatigue (wouldn't proper training do the same?) and can mask drugs, but lasix that prevents hemorraging into the lungs and permanent lung damage, and doesn't mask drugs is not. yeah, i'm the one that needs an open mind...

[slotdirt]

I wish there were more stories about Doug O'Neill, milkshakes, Burna Dette, and the 75 other issues he's had with overages and other violations during his career. I don't care if this is the time where we should be all happy and bubbly about the Derby winner. If the trainer's a cheat, the trainer's a cheat.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by Danzig

so, illegal milkshaking should be ok because it staves off fatigue (wouldn't proper training do the same?) and can mask drugs, but lasix that prevents hemorraging into the lungs and permanent lung damage, and doesn't mask drugs is not. yeah, i'm the one that needs an open mind...

When I posted initially asking about milkshakes, I was not aware of the alleged masking uses. I thought that was pretty clear in my subsequent posts.

There has been considerable evidence that Lasix has been used to mask drugs, despite what our medical experts like to tell us.

Also, I would think reducing muscle fatigue is no small thing, especially since it's likely to have a reduction on injuries that cause fatalities. Sodium Bicarbonate has no harmful side effects either, something that cannot be said for any drug that is currently manufactured.

I'm sure you believe though that Lasix is totally safe, has no side effects, is never used to mask other drugs and is the only option to reduce bleeding.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

When I posted initially asking about milkshakes, I was not aware of the alleged masking uses. I thought that was pretty clear in my subsequent posts.

There has been considerable evidence that Lasix has been used to mask drugs, despite what our medical experts like to tell us.
Also, I would think reducing muscle fatigue is no small thing, especially since it's likely to have a reduction on injuries that cause fatalities. Sodium Bicarbonate has no harmful side effects either, something that cannot be said for any drug that is currently manufactured.

I'm sure you believe though that Lasix is totally safe, has no side effects, is never used to mask other drugs and is the only option to reduce bleeding.

everything i've seen says the contrary, except for what a few contrarians who aren't experts think. not know, think. and from what i've read, milkshaking masks. but then, it's probably the same experts you feel aren't experts who are saying that.

[Danzig]

yeah, poor doug o'neill.....people just trying to tear him down for no reason.


"O'Neill's week, on the other hand, was mostly uneventful until stories of his run-ins with racing officials on the milkshaking charges - his third in California and fourth in a career that has spanned 25 years - began making the rounds. O'Neill isn't the first trainer in the Triple Crown chase to have to answer questions about possible performance-enhancing - both Rick Dutrow, who won the 2008 Derby and Preakness and Jeff Mullins, who trained the 2009 morning-line favorite, got asked plenty of those - and he won't be the last. He understands scrutiny is part of the bargain.

Asked whether winning the Derby was validation for his career, which began taking off in 2005 yet remained confined largely to the West Coast, O'Neill answered evenly: ''I've never thought of it that way.''

''All those guys - the Bafferts, the (Nick) Zitos and (D. Wayne) Lukas - they've all battled their negative press days. You win the big one and people kind of want to go after you,'' he said. ''It has validated, to our team, that if we get a top 2-year-old we can turn him into a Derby winner. Hopefully it's the first of a few.''


shut up meg.