Trainers and drugs

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

I am against "juicing" as much as the next guy, but this is kind of crazy. Lifetime suspension? Stuff happens, and it's not always the trainers fault that horses get whatever they get. I'm not defending anyone, or making excuses, but a lifetime ban seems kind of harsh.

Why do you think it is a little harsh? I know stuff happens as well. But, someone has to take the responsibility. To me, the trainer is the one that needs to be held accountable. You could also have something in place for big operations where the assistant trainer is running the barn while the main trainer is at the main stable. For example, Pletcher could have a string in Cali but he would be in New York. The trainer over seeing the operation in Cali would be responsible for any positive tests. The training outfit has to say that they horses are running under the assistants name on behalf of Pletcher. There is always policy that can be well written to address all situations.

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

Do you honestly want me to answer why that is harsh? Let me ask you, and I am really not trying to start an arguement here, but you said you own horses. Do they run with any drugs?
Like I said, I am totally against illegal drugs, and I am not really knowledgable on all of the different legal and illegal. But I know that there are drugs out there that truly do help horses, so to ban all would be kind of nuts. It'd be like banning all medicine because people are abusing codeine. Mistakes happen, and a lifetime ban seems harsh. Now if you are a multiple offender fine, but what if someone who has a squeeky clean record makes a mistake. Seems harsh to ban someone for life. No one is perfect.

There is a huge difference between an overage of a legal drug that was withdrawn in time according to the vet's instructions and lingered, and a guy stepping into a stall and "mainlining" a horse with a hopper on race day.
EPO also doesnt "accidentally" make its way into a horses system. Its not like EPO is like Clen or BUte which can be given quite legally and sometimes lingers.
People who talk about lifetime bans on stuff like this usually have no idea what they are talking about.

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

Do you honestly want me to answer why that is harsh? Let me ask you, and I am really not trying to start an arguement here, but you said you own horses. Do they run with any drugs?
Like I said, I am totally against illegal drugs, and I am not really knowledgable on all of the different legal and illegal. But I know that there are drugs out there that truly do help horses, so to ban all would be kind of nuts. It'd be like banning all medicine because people are abusing codeine. Mistakes happen, and a lifetime ban seems harsh. Now if you are a multiple offender fine, but what if someone who has a squeeky clean record makes a mistake. Seems harsh to ban someone for life. No one is perfect.

The horses that only a percentage in do not run on drugs. The trainer doesnt even give the horse any type of pain medication--maybe that is why they arent winning. The ownership group got together (and the trainer is also in the group) and we decided that no drugs should be administered. Now, if the trainer needs to give the horse something then it is written that the horse must wait 32 days after the medicine was administered before the horse can be entered into a race. One of our horses got loose and slif across the pavement at the track. She cut herself up pretty good. The vet gave her some meds for the pain and to fight off any type of infection. The horse wasnt entered in a race until 48 days passed since the last dose was given. I feel that mistakes can be prevented by taking the necessary pre-cautions. Pre-race testing is a precaution that can be used.

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

So no Lasix, bute, etc? SOunds good in theory, and again I am not as knowlegdable as a lot of people on here about this stuff, but what if the horse needs something like Lasix? I recently read an article about Belgravia, Patrick Biancone's very nice 2 year old. He doesn't run on Lasix, like a lot of Biancone's, and when asked about it biancone said he doesn't need it, so why give it to him?

http://www.drf.com/news/article/81198.html

I think in Europe horses do not run on lasix or bute. I could be wrong. If someone knows for sure, please let me know.