Which Tracks Are Steroid Free?

[stu]

Y'all,

I am curious to know which tracks are steroid-free and when they became steroid free. I am curious to the steroid-free trends as my current track, Arapahoe Park, is subject to the new state non-steroid regulations starting with opening day. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

[phatbastard]

as far as i can tell...delaware...indiana....pennsylvania...not saying they are only ones....thats all i can find with google

[Nacumi]

Indiana and Virginia tracks have also banned steroids. I have a sinking feeling, though. that the juicers will still come up with some other magic concoction (EPO, epogen) for which these same tracks don't test yet as a substitute for the 'roids stacking. And of course, wash it all out with Lasix. :bang:

[Spectacular Sid]

Prairie Meadows has been steroid free for several years....except for the horses who come in to win the rich stakes races over the fourth of July. Those trainers get fined $100 or so for running a horse on roids and there is no purse redistribution.

[bane]

Steroids aren't really that bad, some do missuse but it really helps.

[northerndancer]

Intersting 'steroid free'....... for example PA is giving a warning for first violation..... VA is faced with the problem of where are they going to be able to draw horses from in order to fill their races since MD allows roids...... Presque Isle is having the same issue right now as Ohio, Kentucky, West Virgina, New York and Ontario (the main areas that they drew from last year) all allow roids.

[phatbastard]

micheal dickenson...one of my favorite all-time trainers speaks out...

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080509/SPORTS13/805090372

i guess i shouldn't be surprised....

[PaceAdvantage]

That Dickinson article is odd. The way they start the thing, it makes you think (especially if you don't know much about racing) that giving steroids to horses is ILLEGAL! It's NOT illegal (although it is now in certain states....but that wasn't until recently).

I mean, if you read this quote by Sir Michael:

"I did it, as do 95 percent of trainers in America," Dickinson said. "I had to do it to compete."it really comes off as if he's doing something dirty, underhanded, ILLEGAL....when in fact, it was perfectly legal....and still is in most places....

[46zilzal]

Steroids aren't really that bad, some do missuse but it really helps.

What planet are you from? Unless they are used to specifically replenish, at NORMAL body levels, the feedback on the axis hormones (pituitary) will often take a full year to come back to normal.

[samyn on the green]

Jamaica, Aksraben, Hialeah, Garden State and Sheepshead Bay.

[broadreach]

I have a sinking feeling, though. that the juicers will still come up with some other magic concoction (EPO, epogen) for which these same tracks don't test yet as a substitute for the 'roids stacking.
That must be close to the money.

[Nacumi]

Jamaica, Aksraben, Hialeah, Garden State and Sheepshead Bay. :lol:

You forget Narrangansett, Lincoln Downs, Rockingham and Green Mountain!

Broadreach,
I forgot to add that the Lasix permissiveness also helps flush out whatever mystery secret sauce will replace the other junk in the cocktail du jurisdiction.

[Fingal]

Jamaica, Aksraben, Hialeah, Garden State and Sheepshead Bay.

Add in Bay Meadows too. And Longacres.:(

[The Hawk]

as far as i can tell...delaware...indiana....pennsylvania...not saying they are only ones....thats all i can find with google

Kind of explains the short fields at Delaware and Philly Park, huh?

[cj's dad]

Kind of explains the short fields at Delaware and Philly Park, huh?

Also kinda explains the short racing careers, lengthy time off between starts, shrinking fan base, etc... fill in the blank___

[The Hawk]

Also kinda explains the short racing careers, lengthy time off between starts, shrinking fan base, etc... fill in the blank___

You misapplied what I meant, probably intentionally, to try to make yourself look like a wiseguy (apple and tree theory may apply here, 2 real wits)...

The people complaining about the short fields at the aforementioned tracks are the same people complaining about short racing careers, etc. You can't have it both ways. Delaware took a stand and look what happens: they're vilified for having short fields.

[cj's dad]

You misapplied what I meant, probably intentionally, to try to make yourself look like a wiseguy (apple and tree theory may apply here, 2 real wits)...

The people complaining about the short fields at the aforementioned tracks are the same people complaining about short racing careers, etc. You can't have it both ways. Delaware took a stand and look what happens: they're vilified for having short fields.

for you to misinterpret what I was referring to is ludicrous. I am simply not enjoying the short fields at tracks regardless of their stand on meds. You're way out of line here. And just for clarification, my opinions and those of my son are seperate. And, by the way, just in case you are so fortunate as to have children may any one of them be as successful, and intelligent as my son and his brothers. Please refrain from making wise ass remarks in the future.

[bane]

What planet are you from? Unless they are used to specifically replenish, at NORMAL body levels, the feedback on the axis hormones (pituitary) will often take a full year to come back to normal.

bullseye! They help a lot with that and they help so much that they shouldn't be out lawed! Even if you do they are going to move to another state anyway. IT shouldn't be made illegal but some kind of regulation I agree with, I mean look at Pletcher, Baffert, D. Wayne and so many others.

I will agree with this, we need to find a way to keep steroids out of sales.

[The Hawk]

for you to misinterpret what I was referring to is ludicrous. I am simply not enjoying the short fields at tracks regardless of their stand on meds. You're way out of line here. And just for clarification, my opinions and those of my son are seperate.* And, by the way, just in case you are so fortunate as to have children may any one of them be as successful, and intelligent as my son and his brothers. Please refrain from making wise ass remarks in the future.
Hit a nerve, did we?

YOU telling ME to refrain from wiseass remarks is the height of hypocrisy.
Let's recap:
I posted "Kind of explains the short fields at Delaware and Philly Park, huh?", obviously referring to steroids, as a response to those people complaining about the short fields. In other words, I'm pro-Delaware and Philly, because they took a stand against steroids despite obvious repercussions.

Your reply ("also kind of explains the short racing careers, etc.") doesn't make any sense. The steroid ban explains short racing careers? No, because you twisted what I wrote to make your smarmy retort. But your response was typical.

Yes, my chief hope is that my son grows up and spends most of his free time making pace figures.

Or is it that only you can twist what people write and make wiseass remarks?

[cj's dad]

You truly don't get it !?! do you?? No, the roids explain short racing careers, which lead to short fields. strange that we read only what we want to read isn't it. Hit a nerve, did we?

YOU telling ME to refrain from wiseass remarks is the height of hypocrisy.
Let's recap:
I posted "Kind of explains the short fields at Delaware and Philly Park, huh?", obviously referring to steroids, as a response to those people complaining about the short fields. In other words, I'm pro-Delaware and Philly, because they took a stand against steroids despite obvious repercussions.

Your reply ("also kind of explains the short racing careers, etc.") doesn't make any sense. The steroid ban explains short racing careers? No, because you twisted what I wrote to make your smarmy retort. But your response was typical.

Yes, my chief hope is that my son grows up and spends most of his free time making pace figures.

Or is it that only you can twist what people write and make wiseass remarks?

[highnote]

I mean, if you read this quote by Sir Michael:

it really comes off as if he's doing something dirty, underhanded, ILLEGAL....when in fact, it was perfectly legal....and still is in most places....

It is an interesting dichotomy -- an action that is legal is not necessarily moral.

[northerndancer]

This is just so appropriate for how screwed up the current state of this industry.

Indiana is one of the states who led the charge to make steroids illegal. Now with the exteneded grace period of 90 days instead of 45 days there will be no penalty for racing on steriods at Indiana Downs as the grace period extends beyond the last day of the meet. Jolting Joe then hides behind the RCI meeting in March as the reason why he extended the grace period........ hmmmmm if the meetings concluded in March with that recommendation why did it take 6 weeks to announce the change in policy.

Jolting Joe continues to show how big of a joke Indiana racing is in this comical industry.

I guess we can take Indiana off the list of states that does not allow steroids.

http://news.bloodhorse.com/article/45205.htm

[Rackon]

There are a lot worse guys among state racing commissioners than Joe Goracek. Indiana's meds rules may not go far enough but they are among the strictest in the nation. The announcement was tied to meetings of the Indiana Racing Commission where the recommendation was discussed and ultimately approved and adopted by the Racing Commision. That's how these things work.

Moreover, the steroid ban WILL be in effect for Hoosier Park's meet, which begins the end of August.

As someone who worked for over 25 years to get pari-mutual racing in Indiana I can say that I'm not under any illusions about the quality of Indiana racing compared to racing in Saratoga, Churchill, Arlington, Fair Grounds et al. However, it has had a great impact on people trying to make a living in the racing in the Hoosier state for the better. Drug regs are lacking all over the country, and will continue to be until we have a uniform, national drug law for horse racing. Meanwhile, there are far looser meds regds, just look to the south of Indiana's borders.

Meanwhile, there have been no positives for steroids so far in ID's race day test results. (And yes I understand the IRC couldn't do anything even if there were.)

It's easy to knock Joe, but he's taken a lot of grief from Indiana horsemen over the steroids ban, especially the implementation. I don't see this as a capitulation to the juicers, just a small compromise that everyone can live with.

[northerndancer]

Rackon we can agree to disagree about Jolting Joe...... my dealings with him and the commission he runs have been less than inspiring..... I would rate the Indiana Commission in the bottom tier of commissions I have dealt with over the last 10 years.

Jolting Joe loves the headlines.....

[Rackon]

Understood.

I remember the pre-Joe days. Not pretty. And he's made a buncha mistakes, but he's had help doing it. Yes he takes the lead but we have other members on that Commish, all of them political appointees.I've disagreed with some moves in the past but I'm not inclined to hang him for this one. Believe it or not, the guy really does care about racing.


Most of my interactions with horsemen are from the sulky side, as we've had trotters since the 1970s. But I hear plenty from my TB friends. And my dad was a legislative consultant for Hoosier, Centaur and Churchill for many years.

Things ain't perfect in Hoosierland but I'd rather be racing in Indiana than in Ohio, Michigan, West Virginia, NY and a whole bunch of other places I've been licensed.