Enough Already - By Jacqueline Duke

re: Enough Already - By Jacqueline Duke

Craig, Silver Spring — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 11:48:33 GMT

Any one remember IEAH saying they would drop any trainer using drugs? Then they gave an exception for Dutrow with Big Brown. Dutrow is their number one trainer, and he and Patrick Biancone are two of the worse drug offenders in the country. Both of them should be banned from the sport and IEAH should be ashamed.

re: Enough Already - By Jacqueline Duke

Red Justinn — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 21:10:13 GMT

Ms. Duke, love to have your and Ed Martin get this mess out into the open or at least off your chests, but don't you still feel unfulfilled? You, I, and others spend time thinking and writing about this and other problems that never seem to change. Can anyone explain what is the motivation for these racing regulators that keeps them from being more serious and severe in their punishment? Dutrow says that "I'm a Horseman," but it seems that he is not a Horseman as we define it. Some people though very competitive otherwise feel they have to take an edge to stay on top. "I am the greatest" syndrome keep urging them on The public and racing officials are not part of their scams but perpetuate them through their inaction.

re: Enough Already - By Jacqueline Duke

needler in Virginia — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 03:25:41 GMT

SophieK, BY ALL MEANS ban Biancone, too! I've got no problem AT ALL with banning repeat offenders. For that matter, a first time offense should be seriously examined as well. It isn't as if these guys haven't ever heard of drugs or sponging or milk shakes or any of the other things people have done over the years. THIS IS NOT NEW, nor will it ever be gone until all these guys roll over and croak, or at the very least be banned for life. If the betting public is going to trust the tracks, then the tracks have to earn that trust. As far as I can tell, those attempts have been superficial and palliative, at best. I think trainers and tracks suppose we will be satisfied with the "appearance" of integrity. I, for one, am not. Either clean it up or quit entirely. There are multiple ways the public can bet money; people go to casinos KNOWING the odds are always with the house, but they still go......mostly because, even with lousy odds, you MIGHT win. It has been known to happen, after all. With a perception, never mind proof, that racing is crooked, even in the lofty halls of a "big time trainer's" barn, all of racing loses whatever integrity it might have had. Believe me, with casinos springing up like weeds, online poker (and any other game of chance known to man), there are hundreds of ways to bet your money with more trust than racing is presenting these days. I can think of five or six trainers (now how tragic is THAT?) that would no more light up a horse than they would eat their children. The rest, I'm not so sure about. Until racing gets it and gets it good, we will have to watch as racing shoots itself in the foot AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN.

I'm with Ms Duke.........ENOUGH ALREADY!! Bet you couldn't have guessed how I feel, could you????????

And, by the way, everyone PLEASE go out and get Jim Squires' book HEADLESS HORSEMEN for a really good, long look at racing and drugs......it is a real eye-opener, more's the pity.

Cheers and safe trips to almost everyone.

re: Enough Already - By Jacqueline Duke

Stas Williams Jamaica W.I. — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 03:13:11 GMT

Suggestion,export Dutrow to England and let him train there for the summer.If he survives,bring him back and allow him to train.(IN ENGLAND THEY LOVE HORSES).

re: Enough Already - By Jacqueline Duke

Lmaris — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 13:42:48 GMT

When the trainer's stable still profits during the "suspension", the sanctions are a joke. In any other real sport, a serial substance policy offender like Dutrow would be long gone.

In rugby, the penalty for a FIRST banned substance positive for performance enhancing drugs carries penalties from 90 days (for an extremely limited number of minor meds) to 2 years (most of the banned are in this range.

Equine Paparazzi apparently misses the blatantly obvious distinction between a drug using jockey and administering meds to a horse. The jockey is a human being deciding to take the drugs himself. He has the choice of whether to take them or not.

The horse has no such choice in the matter. The primary responsibility of the trainer is to protect the horse. Dutrow, Mullens and others show they only care about the wins.

But if you're going to use PVal as an example, lets look at him. How long were his suspensions? Longer than Dutrow's. Why kid gloves with those in charge?

Give suspensions bite: 90 days for 1st, 180 days for 2nd, a year for 3rd. Stable closed, no purses allowed. That would encourage staff to keep it clean too.

re: Enough Already - By Jacqueline Duke

Convene — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 01:35:05 GMT

Definitely enough! As was stated, his cavalier attitude to penalties shows he sees nothing wrong with what he has been doing. Contamination might occur in a few cases - but in 64? Come on! The FEI takes the issue very seriously and that's appropriate. If contamination is so common, maybe we need changes in where horses can be while being treated for illnesses or injuries and perhaps change how (or who) actually handles the medications used. Drugs aren't like viruses/bacteria. They are harder to transmit from horse to horse. Maybe more use of clothing and gloves, disposed of before returning to the main barn area, would help eliminate the problem. I know it takes time and time is money, but even perception of illegal drug use gives a message of our sport we don't need to be giving. I'm not sure a lifetime ban is appropriate in this case - not yet, at least - but a good long one (like the one Patrick Biancone received) might help change Mr. Dutrow's attitude.

re: Enough Already - By Jacqueline Duke

June O'Neill — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 19:10:30 GMT

While I agree to a certain extent, I think it is important to understand that the trainer is accountable for all problems. If the vet gives the horse the wrong thing...it is the trainer that is held accountable. If the horse injests something not allowed or if someone gives the horse a restricted substance, again it all falls on the trainer. I knew a horse that loved chocolate donuts. Too much chocolate will test. Many of the natural additives have unmeasured amounts of restricted substances. If we are holding the trainer accountable for ALL problems then we must allow some leeway in most cases. However, the unrepentent nature of Mr Dutrow makes him appear guilty.

re: Enough Already - By Jacqueline Duke

Deb — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 15:55:14 GMT

This guy does not love horses, he loves the show light that comes from owning a winning horse no matter what he has to do to get the horse there.

re: Enough Already - By Jacqueline Duke

LouAnn Cingel of Union, Missouri — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 14:41:21 GMT

punishment should be given to those who have repeatedly violated rules and regulations-no ands if or buts about it-it is as simple as that!!

re: Enough Already - By Jacqueline Duke

SophieK — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 13:07:45 GMT

Enough is enough but lets not forget the Life at Ten story that is still ongoing and nobody wants to point their finger at the trainer in that scenario now do they? Hes squeaky clean right? There are so many crooked trainers out there that banning Dutrow would be singling out a scapegoat. Not good for racing at all. If they are going to ban Dutrow they need to do ban Biancone as well. Seriously!!

re: Enough Already - By Jacqueline Duke

mike pearson — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 09:27:11 GMT

As I have been saying for years ,The race tracks themselves are going to have to start banning from their grounds people that keep breaking rules and causeing the public to distrust the sport if they want to stay in business.

re: Enough Already - By Jacqueline Duke

JohnGalt1 — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 21:41:19 GMT

Doesn't he have a cell phone? And won't all the horses he trains run under the name of his assistant trainer?

So when is a suspension--for all trainers found guilty--going to have real teeth?

re: Enough Already - By Jacqueline Duke

needler in Virginia — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 20:44:00 GMT

Well said, Ms Duke. WELL SAID. The old adage of "where there's smoke, there's fire" rings loud and clear over Dutrow's head. Loads of enquiries and suspensions? Why so many for him, and so very few for others? Could we be seeing a pattern here? Is it possible that some trainers can win Derbies, etc WITHOUT drugs?? Clearly Dutrow couldn't, and WE ALL cringed when he popped off about the "monthly steroid shots" that "all" his horses got.... AARRGGHH! Talk about a rotten face for racing. Nah, enough already.....fine him, suspend him, shut him up, drum him out and CLEAN UP RACING, or someone else will either clean it up or close it down entirely.........

Cheers and safe trips to almost everyone.

re: Enough Already - By Jacqueline Duke

fb0252 — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 19:19:54 GMT

disagree. the OP is an extension of mandatory sentencing shown to work so questionably in another world. let's fry the Life At Ten crowd, even though everyone involved in the backstretch knows that everyone there did all they could. what's needed is rule changes that differentiate minor inadvertent violations from criminal behavior. Horse racing is stabbing itself in the foot by making a BFD over every trainer inadvertence. It also seems fairly easy that when suspensions are appropriate that the penalty should have some bite.

re: Enough Already - By Jacqueline Duke

MikeM — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 19:14:26 GMT

The infamous Dick Dutrow is no celebrity. It makes no sense for racing jurisditions to continue to allow this repeat offender to train. Its time to clean up the sport and ban trainers like Dick Dutrow. Maybe a stiff penalty for owners who patronize these crooks will help.

re: Enough Already - By Jacqueline Duke

Cyd — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:33:37 GMT

Too many times...but I really blame the industry for allowing any drugs. They contribute greatly to the catastrophic break downs. If the horse is on drugs you will not know if it is hurting. If the horse cannot run without lasix it should not be running. If you look at the entries on any given day you will see 90% of the horses running on lasix. I guess every horse foaled is a bleeder!? Stop the drugging!!! Throw out the trainers, vets, owners that get caught!

re: Enough Already - By Jacqueline Duke

Mokey — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:26:14 GMT

Enough is Enough. Just because they have "big" pocketbooks, the horse should be first!Trainer of the year is a joke - two of that trainer's top horses finshed dead last! Want fans and less problems - keep the rules the same for all and don't let these "big" name trainers kill the horses and the sport.

re: Enough Already - By Jacqueline Duke

EQUINE PAPARAZZI — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:13:41 GMT

It is just nuts to even suggest banning Dutrow for life. Racing is one of the most forgiving sports ever. A great example would be Pat Valenzuela.

Banish Dutrow for a year, maybe two, but suggesting a lifetime ban seems hysterical. Comparing horse racing drug limits to dressage no-tolerance rules also seemed odd to me. Two totally different sports, requiring the athletes to have totally different skill sets, with each sport having its unique injuries. Maybe i'm dense but i just didn't see the point of bringing up a sport that allows the possibility of contaminated samples to be an un-appealable issue. That is just not due process and that would never fly in horse racing.

This is a tempest in a teapot.

re: Enough Already - By Jacqueline Duke

gotigers1948 — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 16:52:25 GMT

It seems to me that racing is not willing to expose what I see as rampant use of performance enhancing medications, especially among some of the more prominent trainers. Apparently, the need to protect what little integrity is left in racing is primarily based on dollars rather than integrity. I don't think the industry believes it can survive the revelation of some of its premier celebrity trainers being exposed. This point is easily supported by the absence of such articles in the mainstream racing press, as well as television racing programing that avoids these issues almost totally.

While Mr. Dutrow has been the poster boy for "rules violations," I do believe that if he gets "squeezed" to much by the powers that be, he could bring down some

very glorified colleagues with him. They don't want that. Thus, the leniency question is probably answered.

How about the Life at Ten inquiry? The horse wasn't tested post race because the number of horses waiting to be tested was to great? In Kentucky of all places! Still no report from KHRC.

In closing, all of this effects everyone involved in racing, especially the bettor.

I bet my first horse in 1962 (Decidedly in the Kentucky Derby, in the mud) and reluctantly remain a true fan.

re: Enough Already - By Jacqueline Duke

Mike Relva — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 16:49:18 GMT

I couldn't agree more with you,they need to stop playing and send a message that this has got to stop,period!

re: Enough Already - By Jacqueline Duke

goodwin — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 16:10:53 GMT

Amen! I could not agree more, and if racing wants to attract new fans, they need to clean up their act. Why on Earth does the sport need a trainer using cobra venom on his horses - let the man go sell insurance! Unfortunately, horses such as Big Brown and Curlin, who both were not quite as impressive race horses after they were taken off steroids, then go on to breed many mares. Does this build a better breed?

There are many repercussions for letting the cheaters continue. Racing has many fine trainers with integrity. Don't make them have to compete with the scumbags.