Well, I know very little about performance enhancing drugs for horses, and especially race horses, but I would have thought for racehorses that they might be given something to rev them up. This is just the casual observation of a racing fan who knows there is drug use but has no clue what drugs are given. This was not a typical Derby - I would think it would have actually been quieter surroundings than the typical Derby, and the horses are a little bit more mature, so I was surprised by the behavior that I have not seen at previous Derbies. It just seemed coincidental that both horses were trained by Baffert, who is under investigation for drug use (and I have no idea what scopolamine is or does), but Laurierace’s and LaurieB’s explanations makes sense. I’m sure I’m not the only fan who wondered about this.
While I’m all in favor of trainers being held to a very strict standard, the 2 scopolamine positive tests that Baffert was found guilty of last spring were apparently due to contaminated feed, and the CHRB agreed with that assessment.
The reason the issue is back in the news now is because the the owner whose horse ran 2nd to Justify in the Santa Anita Derby has sued to have Justify DQ’ed from the win under the absolute insurer rule–which states that the trainer is responsible for everything in the horse when it races whether he gave it to him or not.
So, here is my big-ass question (Big Ass fans being my inspiration) If they DQ Justify from the Santa Anita Derby, he technically did not have the points to compete in the Derby.
Where does this leave us?
The same place we are now–except that Mick Ruis would have more money and another G1 on his horse’s resume.
Yes, Justify wouldn’t have had enough points to get into the Derby–but it’s too late to rewrite that history now. He did run, and he won.
Thanks for replying, I appreciate reading the thought process.
Though this was a “quiet” derby, this year has been anything but typical. I’d be more inclined to chock it up to fresh horses after an unusual spring/summer.
Sometimes “quiet” gets them more wound up than noise. My old OTTB I had as a kid lost his mind as the fairgrounds during the spring clinic, when it was dead quiet, no one around but horses and kids and riders in various clinic groups. He repeated it the first warm-up hour (morning work hour we had each day) at fair week. In the afternoon when the midway rides were going and there were massive crowds and music and noise? He looked around and settled right down and was fine the rest oft he week. If they’re in a place they’re used to having noise and bustle and crowds and now it’s much "bigger’ and emptier, sometimes they get MORE wound up, not less.
Horses are just…horses.
You have to be old to remember this:
Chateaugay, 1963 Kentucky Derby winner, in the winner’s circle:
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I posted this also in the Gamine thread (although the first two posts were unapproved :rolleyes: Seemed a better place than with Justify :winkgrin:
I searched for that thread before posting, but didn’t find it. Hence posting it here :lol:
I usually do an Advanced search on the horse name and pick just Racing forum - but, no worries
Thought that this was interesting. Will Justify remain a Triple Crown winner when the smoke clears from this mess?
Judge: Stewards’ Action in Justify Case Lacks Clarity - BloodHorse
Here we go again!!
