[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by ELA

Chuck, while I agree with you, as I've said -- this is not just an "owner" problem. You cannot expect one aspect of the industry -- a billion dollar industry -- to self police and govern itself to certain standards, when the remainder of the industry does not and will not have to. This is no different than merely cutting off one of Hydra's heads.

If you want owners to act with moral conscience, than you must have integrity in the other aspects of the game.

In addition, I use trainers who win races and they range from not one positive test in a 25-30 year career (in one case), to trainers who have had a clenbuterol positive (10 years ago I think), and others. And you know what? Those guys take the heat too. That doesn't give you immunity.

I have a trainer who IMO is a top trainer, an excellent horseman. Almost 30 years on the backstretch and he's never had a positive test. Not one. A friend of mine claims a horse for 20k and the horse goes nowhere after a couple of starts. The trainer won't drop him to where he can win, the excuses start. Third start off the claim he finishes 5th to a horse from my trainer's barn (not my horse). My friend's trainer looks at the form and says "oh yeah, it's a _(trainer's name)_ horse, well you can't beat him, we know what he's doing" -- on and on about my trainer. Not one positive and people "just know" he's doing something.

Why is it not about questions like -- How about picking a trainer who wins races? How about cut the BS, check your ego at the door, and drop your horse to where he can be competitive? Yes, I know it cuts both ways, but who are we blaming here and who are we looking at to solve the problem? It's not just "the owners".

People who are in this business, who spend time on the backstretch, in the race office, etc. -- they know that everyone is doing something. Don't ask owners to do something that other participants in the industry are not willing to do themselves.

Eric

I understand what you are saying. But when a guy like Jackson is calling for medication reform while at the same time his main trainer is a guy who is coming off of a 6 month suspension (there is a reason that this was a 6 month suspension) it is hard for me to take anything he says as anything but lip service. And I understand what the hell is going on. How do you explain that to Congress who seemingly "forgot" to ask Mr Jackson about his association with SA. I have nothing against either party but it hard to explain his "do as I say, not as i do " attitude. There is a reason that Barry Bonds is not playing this year and it has a whole lot less to do with his ability than it does with the black cloud that he lives under. And he never failed one test. Imagine if while he was playing there the owner of the Giants makes a big public proclamation about how we need to rid the sport of cheaters and drug users? The guy would be roasted across the country as a grade 1 hypocrite. Maybe I am naive as Freddy said but I would like to see a big owner (other than IEAH) make a statement with their actions. Not the lip service that we currently get. It is America, you can choose your trainers however you please. But for us to get right, owners have to take more responsibility for the actions of their trainer. You want to talk about the rest of the industry but I dont see how anyone else can make a statement without reprecussions. Hell you will be lauded as internet champions forever.