Pennsylvania to Begin Suspending Horses

[ldiatone]

Beginning Oct. 1, horses that test positive for Class 1, 2 or 3 drugs in Pennsylvania will be forced to the sidelines, suspended along with their trainers. Suspending horses has often been brought up as a possible deterrent to trainers using performance-enhancing drugs and from owners employing trainers they suspect may be taking illegal edges to win races. But Pennsylvania is believed to be the first state to ever implement such a rule.

[Tom]

Well now, that is indeed good news.



Now, add the OWNER as well.
ALL of the owner's horses in his name.

0 tolerance.

[Fager Fan]

Originally Posted by Tom

Well now, that is indeed good news.



Now, add the OWNER as well.
ALL of the owner's horses in his name.

0 tolerance.

All the horses? Nah. They may not even all be with that trainer.

I used to be against the idea of suspending the horses because the owner isn't there and is leaving the expertise up to the trainer and vet. You may also believe your trainer is clean, and they're sure not going to tell the owner they're not. But seeing how suspected cheats keep getting horses, maybe this is something that will work.

How would suspension of the horse work though? If the horse can keep training but can't race, then anything less than at least a two month suspension may not see a blip in the horse's racing.

I'm ok with this, but I think they skipped the entity next in line behind the trainer who should be held responsible which is the vet.

[camourous]

Horses with a positive of a Class 1 or 2 drug wont be able to race for 90 days

Class 3 positive will be 30 days

[cj]

Kind of like the Breeders' Cup rule. I hope more tracks do it.

[Afleet]

good start; now if they could get the photo finish camera to work, jockeys to quit using buzzers, jockeys not stealing the whip from another jockey during the race, trainers not juicing their horses while in cahoots w/the vets to cheat, kick preciado out, lower the take, and I'm in.

[reckless]

Personally, as long as Juan Vazquez is allowed to be stabled there and run horses, then this new, 'tough' ruling seems meaningless to me, imo.

By allowing guys such as Vazquez on the grounds and to do what he pleases, Parx has given the green light to every and all dirt bags that anything goes.

Any attempt to clean up the game at Parx must start with ridding the joint of Vazquez, and then totally cleaning out the racing department.

And only then will this new, 'tough' ruling have some meaning and some teeth.

[onefast99]

Bingo! if the trainer tells the vet to do something and he knows it is not legal then the vet must be held responsible as well. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that some of the top trainers at the smaller tracks may all be using the same vet group, just look at Monmouth Park.

[therussmeister]

Originally Posted by camourous

Horses with a positive of a Class 1 or 2 drug wont be able to race for 90 days

Class 3 positive will be 30 days

Will other jurisdictions abide by these rulings?

[jay68802]

First, they decide that a horse should get credit for a win, after a positive drug test, but give up the purse money. Now, they want to suspend the horse, who has no control over the drugs it is given. Sounds like a sound bite to make people think they are doing something. Wake up, it is the trainers and vets that need a attitude adjustment.

[cj]

Originally Posted by jay68802

First, they decide that a horse should get credit for a win, after a positive drug test, but give up the purse money. Now, they want to suspend the horse, who has no control over the drugs it is given. Sounds like a sound bite to make people think they are doing something. Wake up, it is the trainers and vets that need a attitude adjustment.

This stops the trainer from just running the horse again with a beard trainer.

[Jeff P]

Obviously, I think this is a first step in the right direction.

That said, how long before the National HBPA announces a legal defense fund to fight this?


-jp

.

[Fager Fan]

Originally Posted by Jeff P

Obviously, I think this is a first step in the right direction.

That said, how long before the National HBPA announces a legal defense fund to fight this?


-jp

.

They won't because it's the owner being punished, not the trainer.

[Tom]

If a trainers gets a positive, then suspend all horses in his barn.
That way, he can't just have a figurehead take over and still call the shots. That would hurt a lot of owners. This is good. Make the trainer bust his butt to ensure no drugs, knowing he could lose his whole operation.

But racing really has no interest in stopping drugs. As long as we keep betting, why should they bother?

Now, you show up on Derby day with a knockoff HAT, you better kiss your A goodby!

[AstrosFan]

It is a day late and a dollar short for PA racing to pretend to care about the sport in that state.