House Subcommittee Hearings

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by justindew

1) So you do not buy the argument that the administration of legal and illegal drugs allows horses with genetic infirmities to prosper on the track, and then go on to careers at stud where they pass on those genetic infirmities to their offspring, who pass them on to their offspring, and so on?

2) Whether or not people are at a disadvantage because of drugs is 100% irrelevant. The fact of the matter is that the sport has such an awful image because of the cheating that goes on that people are hesitant to gamble on it. I know this for a fact, and I have numerous complusively gambling friends who wouldn't set foot in a racetrack because they believe they can't win. Maybe it is a variable that can't be quantified, but that doesn't make it a non-problem.

1. No because I have never seen a "genetic" infimity. There is no unsoundness gene. Soundness or lack of it is caused usually by confirmation, sometimes due to other outside factors. There are so many facets to breeding horses that I am sometimes embarrased when supposedly knowledgeable people bring this up. There is no reason to believe that supposed "dependance" on a certain medication has anything to do with the ability of a sire to pass on such dependance. They will often pass on confirmation and physical flaws that have nothing to do with drugs.
2. The game has an image problem simply because it does a terrible job in the PR department. The truth is that any good Federal oversight will do in this area will be undone the first time a horse improves 20 beyer points and pays $22.00. The naysayers will be howling. It is just part of the deal