Ontario Enacts Horse Suspension for Drug Violations.

westover · Postby **westover** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:29 pm

I am lov'in that!!! Its about time. I wonder how the rule breakers will try to get around this one.

www.thoroughbredtimes.com

look under national news January 29th

Ya gotta love it.

AscotStud · Postby **AscotStud** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:07 pm

I'm 100% all for getting rid of all the crap that's out there. But to put the blame on the owners is a little harsh. Like an owner is going to ask a trainer if he uses illegal drugs before he sends horses to him and if he does ask like the trainer will say "yes I do, still want to send me your horses". I'm sure there are owners out there that do know if there is something going on, but the majority show up for the race if that. All this will do is drive more owners away if the are going to be made responsible for their trainers illegal actions or mistakes.

I do like the passport idea though, makes good sense.

westover · Postby **westover** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:17 pm

I hear you but if you are a trainer doing that crap, and you are risking putting your owner in hot water & quite frankly pubically humiliating the person (the owner that is). You may think twice if you don't want to risk losing your owner & all of his or her horses.

I like the passport idea too. So glad you followed me over. It was lonely over here!!!lol

imnumberjuan · Postby **imnumberjuan** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:27 pm

west,

I just read it and it will definately set a higher standard and accountability, be interesting if it opens up a legal avenue for an owner to sue a trainer over a bad test. (apparently we can't sue over a bad ride... stupid jockeys... :shock:

).

westover · Postby **westover** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 5:10 am

LOL Juan your hilarious. Imagine if you could sue a jockey over a bad ride.. there would probably a shortage of lawyers.

I think the accountabilitly is terrific. Its about time they got a lot tougher about it. Giving suspension of days or weeks.. the trainer just calls in to the assistant the instructions and has a holiday lol

Good on 'em for finally doing something that just may work!!

MidwestTrainer · Postby **MidwestTrainer** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 6:51 am

The owners will think twice about who they put their horses with. Whether it's purposely or through carelessness, trainers that get consistent suspensions won't have to worry about having too many horses to keep up with. Not that the good ole U.S. will follow any of these new ideas.

Jane · Postby **Jane** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 7:24 am

I don't understand what information this passport is to contain. Are we talking about recording every shot we give the horse or do I need to document surgery only? Who would be updating these passports and how will we verify that the information they contain is correct. My vet bills are already high enough, I don't want to have to pay for additional documentation to be added to a passport that I have to turn over to someone who claims a horse from me.

We needed to do something to level the playing field, I am sick of playing by the rules and then seeing the guy in the stalls next to me do a pile of vet work to a horse that has been limping around the shed all week and then drag the poor horse over to run. I think the owners are partly to blame and have no problem if they have to sit on the sidelines and reflect on their positive test for 90 days. You can't tell me that if your vet bill is equal or greater to your training bill that the owner is unaware there might be problems with his horse or trainer.

winds · Postby **winds** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 8:22 am

Wow, I like it. I'm not sure if I like all that time off for the horse, maybe a 30 or 45 day ban. For one thing the owner has already lost the purse, but I think that it's the only way to start making people accountable. I mean Biancone has a 1 yr ban and is still making money by the bushel. I think he should be banned from anything equine, but then that's me.

winds

Daisy Jal Dastur · Postby **Daisy Jal Dastur** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 8:39 am

Well, it about time the ORC took on this stance - I am 100% all for this!

TJ · Postby TJ » Thu Jan 31, 2008 10:58 am

This is geat news, hopefully it will flow south quickly:>) There is, in my opinion, a major part of this problem left untouched. The Vets who administer these drugs are the ones that should be held just as accountable as the trainers (who order the drug) and the owner who is most likely unaware of the pre race drugs being administered to his horse. Vets should be suspended and share in all the fines administered to the trainer and now the owner who will be hit hardest of all and may not have a clue about what is going on. TJ

AscotStud · Postby **AscotStud** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:10 am

I agree with TJ, the vets should be more accountable than the owners. I think and hope it will start leveling the playing field. As Westover said it will make a lot of trainers think twice before taking the risk of loosing clients over a bad test. But you guys can't say there are trainers out there who couldn't care less and will still be pushing the boundaries, even more so with a poor 1 or 2 horse owner.

As for the passport, vac dates and any medications that the horse NEEDS and any allergies should be included. I don't think the fact the horse had 2 days of bute after popping an abcess needs to be reported. IMO (not sure what the actual thing will look like though).

BenB · Postby **BenB** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 12:25 pm

This is a very nice start, but on the other hand look at the maryland news
also on the site.
These are afraid from the vet,s
The use of bute should be signed on the passport as well Iam sure about that.

30west · Postby **30west** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 12:57 pm

From an owner's point of view, personally I don't like it. The owner puts up the money for the horse.The owner takes all the risk of losing their investment. The owner pays the day rate. The owner pays 10% for win, The Owners pays the vet bills.Trainer gets paid no matter what, vet gets paid no matter what.

Without owners, there is no racing period. Why would the sport want to drive the owners out when its becoming so hard to get new owners in this sport?

fletch621 · Postby **fletch621** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 3:31 pm

I think this would be a major blow against owners. As I stated in a different thread, most owners have no idea what, if any, drugs there horse is getting. I think automatic loss of purse should be the only punishment handed out to the owners. If the owners are stupid enough to stay with a trainer after losing a few rounds of purse money, then that's their problem.

winds · Postby **winds** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 5:25 pm

I think what they are trying to do is to stop owners from staying with these trainers. If a trainer feels that their owners will stay with them no matter what they do, then they will keep doing what they are, like Biancone, but if the owner feels more of a sting, or knows that they will also be punished financially ( other than the loss of purse ) than maybe they will tell their trainer if you have a positive with one of my horses, all of them will be pulled and I'll sue you.

Like most of the changes that are starting to happen, it's the owners that have to take a stand to get it done. Do you know that a lowly $7.50 an hour employer has more interviews and investigation into their past than trainers do by owners? Now is that business like?

I know owning horses is supposed to be fun, but like with any "fun" you need to do some homework. Putting a major investment into someone's hands you should check them out, and if they are repeat offenders with overages or positives, I'd stay away from them.

winds