O'Neill suspended?

[wonatthewire1]

Story up on Yahoo Sports

sports.yahoo.com/news/calif-racing-board-suspends-trainer-225942213--rah.html;_ylt=AsMlwJqRPR9wKAQzRRw959c5nYcB

But won't start serving 'til after the Belmont...

:bang: :mad:

[Robert Fischer]

:bang:

Couldn't the CHRB have waited until after the Belmont to do this??

Seems like no one is managing the media in racing.

[Tom]

This isn't about media, it is about rules.
He could have waited until after the Belmont to break them.

It is what it is...he is what he is.
It would have been a scandal to cover it up.:rolleyes:

[Robert Fischer]

This isn't about media, it is about rules.
He could have waited until after the Belmont to break them.

It is what it is...he is what he is.
It would have been a scandal to cover it up.:rolleyes:

Agree with you in principle Tom.

I just see a huge difference in the way other sports handle media.

At least NBC is handling the Belmont Stakes coverage and will want to promote the Triple Crown.

[iceknight]

let us what this about, shall we? I am pasting a relevant portion of the article from Bloodhorse. Please tell what you think of this. First of all, if the CHRB wants to be an honest organization, they can deliberate open doors or at least on CSPAN, only 2-3 watch it anyway. The entire case CHRB made out about milkshaking allegations and instead in the end they decide to "charge" him under some other law without even determining why the TCO2 level was high. Well, duh, maybe the horse's cells produced more CO2 naturally due to the stress in being races etc?..

Excerpt (emphasis mine):
"The CHRB met in a closed session may 24 at Betfair Hollywood Park to consider the recommended decision in the O'Neill case.

The unnamed officer, in his recommendation to stay 135 days of the 180-day suspension, found that O'Neill was not guilty of giving the horse an illegal "milkshake." He found that milkshaking -- an illicit concoction of baking soda bicarbonate and/or other alkaline substances that is fed to a horse shortly before it competes -- was not the cause of the TCO2 overage.

O'Neill was penalized under a CHRB rule than holds the trainer to be the absolute insurer of the condition of the horse.

The horse, Argenta, finished out of the money in a race at Del Mar Aug. 25, 2010. A pre-race blood sample taken from the horse was found to contain a TCO2 level of 39.4 millimoles per liter, well above the 37.0 legal limit.

Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/70036/oneill-suspended-45-days-in-tco2-violation#ixzz1vqL4GoYU"

Further discussion on the topic: (excerpts posted here from this website (http://oddsonracing.com/docs/MilkshakeUpdateJune05_5.cfm) )

Studies have shown that TCO2 levels in a horse’s system will not deviate from their normal range unless the diet of the horse is altered.

"I do believe that there are trainers out there trying to keep their horses high, some for the right reasons, and some that are just plain crooks," Doc said. "For instance, if a trainer has a horse that is prone to tying up, it is natural that the trainer would want to put the horse on a high alkaline diet, such as putting baking soda in the water and using a high concentration of electrolytes on a daily basis. This type of program doesn’t necessarily mean that a trainer is trying to be dishonest. However, there are definitely those trainers out there who use baking soda and other alkalizing agents to gain an advantage. It seems that no matter what, the crooks are always ahead of the scientists, laboratories and researchers."
...jump... (read fully on this site (http://oddsonracing.com/docs/MilkshakeUpdateJune05_5.cfm) )
"And who suffers the most from this margin of error? Without of a doubt of course, the horse, who has no say-so in the administration of any substance. And of course, there’s the often-forgotten wagering public, who is not privy to this information. "

[turninforhome10]

Science and fact regarding TCO2
http://www.arci.com/TCO2.pdf

[iceknight]

Science and fact regarding TCO2
http://www.arci.com/TCO2.pdfGood point! I guess this (from pdf) does indicate responsibility for trainer:

Trainers should be advised that elevated TCO2 values, regardless of causation, are violations of the rules and that the penalties for excessive TCO2 values are severe. Therefore, trainers and their veterinarians should work closely to identify any procedures or practices that may elevate the TCO2 value.

[Leparoux]

This isn't about media, it is about rules.
He could have waited until after the Belmont to break them.

It is what it is...he is what he is.
It would have been a scandal to cover it up.:rolleyes:
Disagree completely. Like it or not, circumstances should change things like this, or at least delay it. With the sport in as much trouble as it is, suspending the trainer who is in the national spotlight is simply foolish. This now becomes one of the main story lines for the Belmont and will surely confirm what most neutral fans think about the sport... "they are all liars and cheaters." Horse racing continues to dig its own grave, rather sad.

[peeptoad]

The ruling Thursday doesn't prevent O'Neill from saddling his Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner in the Belmont Stakes on June 9.

This may sound harsh, but why not hit him where it hurts? How will anything change otherwise??

[Grits]

My local news stations have never aired stories about the Triple Crown over two weeks out from the race. A couple of nights before, yes, the week of, yes. But not over two weeks out.

When the story was aired last night, the lead in was -- the trainer of I'll Have Another, winner of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes may be suspended for a drug positive. It did give a little more detail about IHA and the fact that the TC has not been achieved in 34 years. But, the trainer's problems were focused on as much as the feat the colt is facing.

This was disappointing.

[Charli125]

Disagree completely. Like it or not, circumstances should change things like this, or at least delay it. With the sport in as much trouble as it is, suspending the trainer who is in the national spotlight is simply foolish. This now becomes one of the main story lines for the Belmont and will surely confirm what most neutral fans think about the sport... "they are all liars and cheaters." Horse racing continues to dig its own grave, rather sad.

So because horse racing is struggling and needs some positive press, we should allow people to cheat and get away with it. For the "good of the game". That's a ridiculous argument in my opinion.

[rastajenk]

The horse in question finished eighth, nearly two years ago. So much for the performance enhancing qualities of a high TCO2 result. You call that cheating?

As I have stated before, I'd rather trust Doug O'Neill than the vengeful politicos of the CHRB.

[Leparoux]

So because horse racing is struggling and needs some positive press, we should allow people to cheat and get away with it. For the "good of the game". That's a ridiculous argument in my opinion.
:D Yes my post read, "We should allow people to cheat and get away with it." :rolleyes:


As stated... The horse in question finished eighth, nearly two years ago. So much for the performance enhancing qualities of a high TCO2 result. You call that cheating?


It is as if they are intentionally doing this now when he is in the spotlight. It happened two years ago and NOW is the time to make it news? Pathetic.

[Charli125]

Disagree completely. Like it or not, circumstances should change things like this, or at least delay it. With the sport in as much trouble as it is, suspending the trainer who is in the national spotlight is simply foolish. This now becomes one of the main story lines for the Belmont and will surely confirm what most neutral fans think about the sport... "they are all liars and cheaters." Horse racing continues to dig its own grave, rather sad.

The bolded portion is very clear. You think the rules should change because he's high profile right now. That's ridiculous. Your way of thinking is why horse racing continues to dig its own grave. Short term bs in favor of long term health.

[Tom]

Disagree completely. Like it or not, circumstances should change things like this, or at least delay it. With the sport in as much trouble as it is, suspending the trainer who is in the national spotlight is simply foolish. This now becomes one of the main story lines for the Belmont and will surely confirm what most neutral fans think about the sport... "they are all liars and cheaters." Horse racing continues to dig its own grave, rather sad.

No, the time to have done something was earlier on.
H e broke the rules - he pays the price.
Nothing else matters.

It becomes the main story because it IS the main story.

Delaying a penalty for a drug violation would only confirm they are not only all cheaters and liars, but that they cover it up as well.

That would be a real scandal.
This, as it plays out, is the security of the game working as it should.

[highnote]

Story up on Yahoo Sports

sports.yahoo.com/news/calif-racing-board-suspends-trainer-225942213--rah.html;_ylt=AsMlwJqRPR9wKAQzRRw959c5nYcB

But won't start serving 'til after the Belmont...

:bang: :mad:


If he is guilty why isn't he suspended immediately?

...and like OTM AL had written about Pena -- There must be someway to blame NYRA for this. :D

[rastajenk]

Because he is entitled to an appeals process.

[JustRalph]

Because he is entitled to an appeals process.

yeah, two years isn't enough..........why not five?

See Dutrow............

[Leparoux]

The bolded portion is very clear. You think the rules should change because he's high profile right now. That's ridiculous. Your way of thinking is why horse racing continues to dig its own grave. Short term bs in favor of long term health.
I probably should have worded that better. It should change the timing of things for the betterment of the game. That's just how I feel. Like I said before, it is almost as if they purposely did it now when he's in the spotlight.

[Charli125]

I probably should have worded that better. It should change the timing of things for the betterment of the game. That's just how I feel. Like I said before, it is almost as if they purposely did it now when he's in the spotlight.

I wouldn't argue with that. There was no point in doing it now when the suspension kicks in after Belmont anyway. They should've done it a long time ago in my opinion, but doing it this week just reeks of headline grabbing.

[OTM Al]

If he is guilty why isn't he suspended immediately?

...and like OTM AL had written about Pena -- There must be someway to blame NYRA for this. :D

It will be their fault they allowed him to run, soiling the pristine beauty of the TC.

[FenceBored]

O'Neill is now going to contest the suspension, and there's this:
Imhoff found there was evidence that O'Neill was manipulating TCO2 levels in his horses, whether or not it was intentional in the case of Argenta. He noted that all the horses racing at Del Mar that day were tested for TCO2 levels and that O'Neill-trained horses had the three highest readings.

The odds of this trifecta "being a random event are 41,664 to one," Imhoff wrote.
Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/70562/oneill-determined-to-fight-45-day-suspension#ixzz1xziM4Wno

[KingChas]

Guess this will help pay his fines............... ;)

http://www.drf.com/news/tuley-oneill-cashes-his-200-1-kentucky-derby-future-ticket