National Focus Needed - by Eric Mitchell

re: National Focus Needed - by Eric Mitchell

Old Old Cat — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 20:07:40 GMT

Your column brings up a lot of topics: raceday medication, illegal drugs, Dutrow getting away with murder, the overseas view of our situation. While they may all be (drug)related, their impacts and solutions are not. To whit: getting rid of Lasix has nothing to do with Dutrow's problems, except for the purse he lost when heavy traffic from New York to Maryland precluded him from properly administering Lasix at the prescribed 4 hour time limit. The only way to address these issues is independently, one at a time. Each issue must stand on its own merit.

For Lasix the first question is: Is it a medication, or is it a drug? When we say drugs, people envision heroin,cocaine, steroids, etc. All illegal or harmful. When we say medicine we are all warm and fuzzy. I think that any discussion on Lasix should only reference "medication" and not "drugs". It is dishonest for people to switch to words with unsavory connotations to denigrate the topic being discussed. I think that Lasix is a legitimate medication, (I had to take it for my congestive heart failure), and an agreement should be that it can only be administered by an approved track veternarian at the proper time, and that any discussion of its merit should proceed from there. I think that horse racing in America is the most strenuous discipline for horses, and that opinions from overseas with less strenuous racing should not be entertained. The Asussies and the Euros can race their horses for 2.5 miles over undulating terrain in thirty horse fields, but that matters not to American racing on the hard dirt/yeilding all-weather/sun-baked firm to mushy turf, at distances from 5 to 10 furlongs. American racing stands on its own. Our rules stand on their own. If we ban Lasix, not one solitary foreigner is going to ship to America to run in a six furlong race on the dirt.

One other point that people seem to ignore. American racing has evolved to the shorter distances long before Lasix was invented. Lasix has not caused the "speed" oriented breeding frenzy that some are complaining about. The American Thoroughbred has been genetically crafted for a long period of time.

re: National Focus Needed - by Eric Mitchell

mhm — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 05:02:09 GMT

While a national commision undoubtedly could have very positive effects upon racing, the urgency to reform our image requires more immediate action. Placing more pressure upon state authorities to implement zero tolerance drug policies is an action which may yield a more immediate response. This pressure may be applied through letters, phone calls, and attendance at commission meetings and hearings. Most stewards are open to discussions regarding policies as well. The public at large views racing as a jaded and probably dirty sport. Inside the industry, this aspect is not given the credence it deserves. Action is necessary, and a national body is too far off to forestall the negative consequences of that general perception.

re: National Focus Needed - by Eric Mitchell

judgebork — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 11:25:16 GMT

Eric, The solution stated succinctly is "Too many liberal boards of stewards and racing commissions!

re: National Focus Needed - by Eric Mitchell

Deltalady — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:13:56 GMT

Thanks Eric for continuing to focus on the prickly subject of uniform rules for medication and conduct in the American racing industry. Rick Dutrow is the poster child for what's wrong with our sport here. Yes, he's the extreme, but in a way, his story in the end may help rather than hinder some kind of revision nationally of the raceday meds. From the railbird to the casual fan, no one thinks he should continue to get away with thumbing his nose at the rules (except maybe for the unscrupulous owners who continue to place their horses with him!). Let's hope that is the case and the momentum to get the raceday meds out of our sport continues to fruition, along with a revision of the vet business model that bills for how many shots vets administer on raceday rather than professional services they deliver (Jockey Club Roundtable recommendation).

Question: Is it possible that the regulatory body that handed down the 10-year suspension could revise their ruling so that it might be more in line with what the appeals bodies might accept? What if they gave him a 3-year suspension, or a 4-year one (as happened to a trainer in the UK who was forced to retire)? While they may chafe at having to do this, surely everyone would see it as a sincere effort on the part of the industry to get this (expletive deleted!) out of the sport?

re: National Focus Needed - by Eric Mitchell

footy231 — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 08:27:34 GMT

its an absolute disgrace that dutrow is still allowed near horses even worse is he got the verdict but while waiting on an appeal he is allowed to train this is the aspect that has u.s racing a laughing stock all around the world the same as biancone been allowed,no wonder the sport is in decline because people like these are still allowed in the sport,i wouldnt let them near any animal

re: National Focus Needed - by Eric Mitchell

fb0252 — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 05:34:29 GMT

because of Dutrow we have to have a national commission. perfect sense.

re: National Focus Needed - by Eric Mitchell

Convene — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 02:10:39 GMT

I have to wonder about things ... like how John Veitch, whose career until Life at Ten is essentially flawless, could be summarily shipped down the road in a situation filled with shades of grey while a trainer with years of repeated violations is reinstated time and time again. How come Mr. Veitch's livelihood is so much less valuable than Mr. Dutrow's?

As for the horses returning next year, it's about time we got back to letting horses be RACE-horses (which is what they were bred to do, I always thought) before they go on to perpetuate their gene-pools. Soundness and durability count as much as ability. If more horses follow the lead of these sporting individuals, maybe we can begin to reclaim the iron horse. Huge factors contributing to soundness are genetic. Horses racing beyond their 3- and 4-year old seasons are proving that they really have what it takes. Hats off to these owners and trainers - and to the game performers they send out for us to cheer for!

re: National Focus Needed - by Eric Mitchell

Barry Irwin — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 01:26:47 GMT

Eric, there is a fellow living in a parallel universe that runs the Breeders' Cup that says foreign horsemen and breeders are in no way put off by American horses that race on drugs. I don't know who he is talking to, but I go abroad on a regular basis and I have never met a horseman over there with this same point of view. Mostly Europeans have lost respect for our horses because they trainer and race on drugs. Also, a horse named Animal Kingdom is returning next year, although he will be pointed for Dubai.