DM Problems

[Storm Cadet]

Director of racing Tom Robbins said the smaller field size has been caused by several factors, including tougher rules against steroid use enacted on Friday that has forced some trainers to leave race-ready horses in the stable until the medications clear their systems.


Could we really be starting to see trainers keeping their horses stalled and not racing as they try to withdraw them from steroids in preparation of the new regulations? New drug penalties are very tough on trainers in the future.

Cannon...any thoughts? Have you ever inherited a horse that was on steroids either from sales or claim and did you ever try to get him/her clean? How long did/does it take?

We had a 2 YO that we bought at the Mid-Atlantic sales and when Bill Turner got the colt back to the barn at Belmont, we couldn't race him for months as Bill tried to cold turkey the colt off the juice. The colt was very tough in the barn during withdrawal period. We took before and after pix and what a difference in size and girth of the horse

[Danzig]

no doubt they are being careful, wanting the horses to get all the drugs out of their systems. no point in running a horse, and then he's positive. then you lose the purse money, and then face punishment as well.
poor timing i guess. but some track had to be the one that was hit by the timing of the ban.