Quote:
Originally Posted by dilanesp
I think there are always savvy handicappers who can take advantage of suspected and actual doping.
That doesn't mean it isn't unfair to the other handicappers, though, just like if you can figure out how a poker player cheats and exploit it, it doesn't make it not unfair to the other poker players.
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Of course, as long as I have been betting horses and that is about 45 years now, I have always suspected certain trainers of being drug trainers. Are my suspicions accurate, who knows? it is irrelevant anyhow. But when a trainer claims a horse and it improves about 6 lengths in it's next start, from a handicapping perspective, you take note. When it happens with regularity, you really take note. Barn changes are part of the capping process whether it is illegal drugs or tender loving care.
I would love for there to be no drugs in horse racing and for horsemen to do the right thing (eg laying a horse off or retiring him rather than trying to squeeze one more race out of him and watching him break down in front of everyone), but detecting drugs, proving the trainer is responsible and laying down a reasonable punishment (like a lifetime ban from the sport) doesn't seem like anything that will happen in my lifetime. BTW,I would love to be proven wrong in this area. Let me know when it happens.
