Jockey Club to push for fed regulation if...

[Grits]

http://www.drf.com/news/jockey-club-push-federal-regulation-racing-if-uniform-drug-rules-arent-adopted

[thespaah]

http://www.drf.com/news/jockey-club-push-federal-regulation-racing-if-uniform-drug-rules-arent-adopted
While I loathe the thought of federal involvement, in my opinion, the idea of uniformity in the area of drug rules is essential to the survival of horse racing.
I have always supported the idea of cooperation and standardization of racing rules across all 38 or so jurisdictions.
I also support national licenses for backstretch employees, trainers and owners.
I would also support any measure which eliminates the existing hodgepodge of existing rules and regulations.

[JustRalph]

Bullshit! They'll never do it

[chadk66]

While I loathe the thought of federal involvement, in my opinion, the idea of uniformity in the area of drug rules is essential to the survival of horse racing.
I have always supported the idea of cooperation and standardization of racing rules across all 38 or so jurisdictions.
I also support national licenses for backstretch employees, trainers and owners.
I would also support any measure which eliminates the existing hodgepodge of existing rules and regulations.I agree with all your statements. And I'll take it one step further. The feds need to also force states like MN to accept a national policy of workmans comp for backside help. When I trained in MN I paid 38% workmans comp premiums. It's insane. If they would have recognized one of the national providers I could have had it for 20% or less.

[thespaah]

I agree with all your statements. And I'll take it one step further. The feds need to also force states like MN to accept a national policy of workmans comp for backside help. When I trained in MN I paid 38% workmans comp premiums. It's insane. If they would have recognized one of the national providers I could have had it for 20% or less.
Don't get me started on Worker's Comp...It is perhaps the most abused and fraud ridden system of insurance known to mankind. And THAT is why the premiums are so bloody expensive.

[Robert Goren]

Don't get me started on Worker's Comp...It is perhaps the most abused and fraud ridden system of insurance known to mankind. And THAT is why the premiums are so bloody expensive.That was not my experience when I was in low level management. I saw several legit cases turn down by the insurance company. I think WC is high because companies ask their employees to do too many dangerous tasks rather than spend the money on make the task safer. It is risk vrs reward in dollar and cents terms. I know that was the case with 3 of the 5 companies I worked for and they didn't pretend otherwise. The upper management didn't know any low level employees, so the decisions were easy. Plus SSD and Medicare will cover a lot the cost if someone is permanently disabled. WC policies have upper limits on payouts.

[chadk66]

Don't get me started on Worker's Comp...It is perhaps the most abused and fraud ridden system of insurance known to mankind. And THAT is why the premiums are so bloody expensive.that is certainly a major contributor to the problem.

[chadk66]

That was not my experience when I was in low level management. I saw several legit cases turn down by the insurance company. I think WC is high because companies ask their employees to do too many dangerous tasks rather than spend the money on make the task safer. It is risk vrs reward in dollar and cents terms. I know that was the case with 3 of the 5 companies I worked for and they didn't pretend otherwise. The upper management didn't know any low level employees, so the decisions were easy. Plus SSD and Medicare will cover a lot the cost if someone is permanently disabled. WC policies have upper limits on payouts.here's what killed MN and why it should have been spread out nationally. The first year CBY opened (85) 75% of the barn help was green and had never been on a track. They ended up having one person become paralyzed and had a million dollar plus claim. This threw the claims to loss ration on it's head. Seven years later the rates were still 33%. Had that been spread nationally there would have been probably no change.

[Hoofless_Wonder]

Only took three posts to get well off-topic.

Excellent article. I'm dubious of the Feds helping much here for "uniform" drug rules - it would turn into another circus of a bureaucracy with costs being passed on to....the bettor.

Assuming the end result would be the most accurate possible drug testing, ALL race day medications need to be phased out from racing. Then maybe we can get away from the image of the "Bleeder's Cup".

If the major circuits lead the change (KY, NY, FL and CA), the remaining states would eventually follow, if true market forces would be allowed to run their course....

[cj]

This is one of the speakers, well worth the read:

http://www.jockeyclub.com/roundtable_13.asp?section=9

[Cannon shell]

Uniform drug rules are hardly essential to the survival of horse racing. Basically it makes my life a lot easier in one regard but it doesn't in anyway combat the real drug issue nor will the results of uniformity be seen on the track.

Making medication treatment programs uniform throughout the country makes sense however in no way does it prevent upstart, genius trainers to emerge nor will it make the racing any more competitive or attractive. Perhaps we will have fewer positive tests considering a few are now caused by different withdrawal times and allowable levels. However don't be fooled into thinking this is going to benefit the sport too much in any tangible manner other than positive PR.

I am a supporter of uniformity though the number of allowable drugs is way too small. There are at least 4 legal, useful medications to treat ulcers in horses and yet the new rules only allow one which happens to be by far the most expensive one at about $30 a day or more depending on the source. This of course will lead to fewer horses being treated for ulcers as the vast majority of horses simply arent worth enough to spend $900+ per month just for ulcers.

I also found the Jockey Club's new annual donation of $250k a year to further out of competition testing to be laughably weak. If the Jockey Club's board (all extremely wealthy individuals) really wanted to make an impact they would have personally committed to 250k each to the cause.

But hey at least they decided to release the results of their study that found that US medication policies have no effect on the "gene pool". I'm sure that wasn't the result they were looking for when commissioning the study despite the theory that the "gene pool" was being "weakened" was fairly preposterous to begin with.

[thespaah]

That was not my experience when I was in low level management. I saw several legit cases turn down by the insurance company. I think WC is high because companies ask their employees to do too many dangerous tasks rather than spend the money on make the task safer. It is risk vrs reward in dollar and cents terms. I know that was the case with 3 of the 5 companies I worked for and they didn't pretend otherwise. The upper management didn't know any low level employees, so the decisions were easy. Plus SSD and Medicare will cover a lot the cost if someone is permanently disabled. WC policies have upper limits on payouts.
Come on....Please do not tell me you believe there is no fraud in Worker's Comp...
Meanwhile, going back to the topic of the thread.

[thespaah]

Uniform drug rules are hardly essential to the survival of horse racing. Basically it makes my life a lot easier in one regard but it doesn't in anyway combat the real drug issue nor will the results of uniformity be seen on the track.

Making medication treatment programs uniform throughout the country makes sense however in no way does it prevent upstart, genius trainers to emerge nor will it make the racing any more competitive or attractive. Perhaps we will have fewer positive tests considering a few are now caused by different withdrawal times and allowable levels. However don't be fooled into thinking this is going to benefit the sport too much in any tangible manner other than positive PR.

I am a supporter of uniformity though the number of allowable drugs is way too small. There are at least 4 legal, useful medications to treat ulcers in horses and yet the new rules only allow one which happens to be by far the most expensive one at about $30 a day or more depending on the source. This of course will lead to fewer horses being treated for ulcers as the vast majority of horses simply arent worth enough to spend $900+ per month just for ulcers.

I also found the Jockey Club's new annual donation of $250k a year to further out of competition testing to be laughably weak. If the Jockey Club's board (all extremely wealthy individuals) really wanted to make an impact they would have personally committed to 250k each to the cause.

But hey at least they decided to release the results of their study that found that US medication policies have no effect on the "gene pool". I'm sure that wasn't the result they were looking for when commissioning the study despite the theory that the "gene pool" was being "weakened" was fairly preposterous to begin with.
What type of ulcers? Gastro-intestinal?

[Cannon shell]

What type of ulcers? Gastro-intestinal?
Yes

[Robert Goren]

Come on....Please do not tell me you believe there is no fraud in Worker's Comp...
Meanwhile, going back to the topic of the thread.There is fraud in everything. Don't tell me you are naïve enough to believe that WC insurance companies and the employers don't commit it too.

[Robert Goren]

I agree with all your statements. And I'll take it one step further. The feds need to also force states like MN to accept a national policy of workmans comp for backside help. When I trained in MN I paid 38% workmans comp premiums. It's insane. If they would have recognized one of the national providers I could have had it for 20% or less.How do they get any trainer to bring their horses up there?

[PaceAdvantage]

This is one of the speakers, well worth the read:

http://www.jockeyclub.com/roundtable_13.asp?section=9Yes, well worth the read...thanks for the link...

[JustRalph]

Yes, well worth the read...thanks for the link...

I found nothing new in it. Eloquently stated, yet nothing new.

Same ole crap. I think the jockey club is all talk. They are too closely connected to the tracks and trainers to ever truly get some type of Federal involvement

It would not be in their best interest.

[Robert Goren]

I found nothing new in it. Eloquently stated, yet nothing new.

Same ole crap. I think the jockey club is all talk. They are too closely connected to the tracks and trainers to ever truly get some type of Federal involvement

It would not be in their best interest.You are right. The last thing anybody connect with running racing is to the feds involved despite what they say in public. And the last thing that anybody connect with federal government is to have anything to with horse racing. I have come to realize that nobody in the running of horse racing wants to do anything about the drugs in the sport. They will talk a lot about it and take small actions to make it look like they care and that is about it.