Laurierace was referring to Kiaran McLaughlin and Gary Contessa (though I disagree with her assertion.)
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What really annoys me is that the state racing authorities have been very busy busting trainers for picogram overages of things like bute and then congratulating themselves on a job well done–while at the same time overlooking trainers who suddenly achieve near miraculous win percentages by doping their horses to the gills.
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I’d have a hard time believing that of Kieran McLaughlin, though I don’t put anything past Shadwell and its connections. I think the Dubai folks would be on board with PEDs in a heartbeat if they were assured they wouldn’t be caught.
I hope I’m not proven wrong.
Does the Jockey Club have something akin to what the UK calls “ruled off”? Meaning someone can’t be on the grounds of any track, training center, or any private racing stable’s facilities?
Curious if something like this is ever done here. I’d certainly think US racing is on the cusp with regards to the individuals implicated.
And Baffert is getting Maximum Security…color me SHOCKED!!
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BB has trained for the Wests before and believe he has advised them on sales evaluations as he often does for his clients, might be why a lot, but not all, of his horses tend to be of similar type. Anyway, it’s a logical choice for them. Might not be my choice but couldn’t afford him anyway.
You are talking about Palm Meadows, and the characterization of the facility as private and without oversight of any kind is not exactly accurate. It is owned and operated by the Stronach Group, and the stall applications go through Gulfstream Park. It is a full service training facility with clockers and formal training hours for timed works. So, horses do not have to ship to the track to work. Our trainer has a barn there and we currently have a few horses in training there. It is more spacious and quiet than the track, which I understand is one reason why many trainers choose to stable there. Trainers have access to paddocks for small paddock turnout, and the atmosphere is very nice for the horses. More info can be found here:
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Totally agree with this LaurieB.
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Just thinking about the ramifications of all this. Do those of you in the racing world think that more names are going to come out? Or would all of the names they have be announced at the same time?
Will the horses be disqualified from races they ran in during the time they were being drugged and will any purse money have to be returned?
The owners? No. I do not feel bad for them at all. Especially with Navarro - where there has been smoke for years… there is always fire.
The Wests have been loud and arrogant and grate on me to the max - and now it will be interesting to watch them flail around with egg on their faces. Poor Max deserved far better than his current connections (or now, not so current) … good for NYRA for stepping in for the affected horses. I feel badly for those on the backside who truly care about the horses.
Agreed. The old Look The Other Way With Feigned Innocence nonsense… as in…
Gary and Mary West were surprised by Monday’s news that trainer Jason Servis was among 27 individuals federally indicted on charges related to performance-enhancing drugs in racing, the couple’s racing manager Ben Glass told Horse Racing Nation.
… and how could the racing manager not have a clue?
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I changed my mind again. Years ago, I rode w a BNT wannabe in the hunters. I caught this individual in a variety of dishonest indiscretions, and left. People asked me why and I told them. No one cared until it happened to them, and then they left like rats on a sinking ship saying “why me???”. I am back in LaurieB’s camp, although I do see Snaffles perspective in this.
And to echo Findeight, I wonder if this is in other disciplines.
Good questions…if they do not disqualify all of these horses- and what a freaking mess that will be (money, etc)- I would think that the people who owned/trained/rode the horses that they beat would have some standing to come after everyone from the track, to, obviously these trainers/vets/etc.
I disagree. Jorge was sneaking people into the barns on race day, masking them as owners early in the morning, and allowing them to inconspicuously administer the drugs. when no one was watching. If anyone has the ability to speak up who witnesses this garbage, its the grooms who are holding the horses for these procedures. They are seeing it happen everyday.
You act as if these ownership groups are part of the everyday care of the horse. for the vast majority; racehorse ownership is pretty far removed from anything to do with the daily care of the horse. they hire a trainer and expect the daily care and training to be covered and for many, not all, they expect that animal to be treated the best with the utmost care. You of all people should know this. Servis and Navarro used the drugs to build their clientele base because they were winners. Perhaps some owner did know about it but I think the assumption that they were all turning a blind eye is horribly mis-spoken.
Many of these ownerships are 50+ people deep and have no parent decision making on the animal.
If you were located 5 states away and had a horse training at Belmont; how would you keep a watchful 24/7 eye on your horse to ensure no one was sticking it with a needle behind closed doors? That’s precisely what was happening here.
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The jockey club is a breed registry so no they have no authority over anything except incluson or exclusion from their registry. There is no National Governing Body in the US which is something that has desparately needed to change for decades but now more than ever. That said, each jurisdiction generally upholds suspensions from elsewhere.
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Snaffle, you don’t need to lecture me on what racehorse owners do. I am a racehorse owner. I know hundreds of other racehorse owners (including some who have agreed with my assertion on this thread.) I know how racehorse owners behave.
Maybe if you’re in a partnership and bought your “share” for fifty bucks and you’ve never seen the horse in person, then maybe you don’t have a clue. But those aren’t the kind of owners that are involved with these trainers. They are also a relative rarity in the sport.
The notion that racehorse owners simply throw money toward the racetrack and show up on race days is ridiculous. Nobody, really nobody, spends hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to never see their horses and never talk to their trainers. Racehorses are a BIG investment. Owners–at all levels–educate themselves to protect that investment.
Feel free to defend the owners who use these trainers by calling them clueless. But you are wrong.
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More details in this TDN article: https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/despite-fears-of-getting-caught-alleged-doping-conspirators-chatted-and-texted-anyway/#.Xme6c_VR7UQ.twitter
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There need to be very, very, very large fines and even jail time for animal abuse along with lifetime racing bans and loss of veterinarian licenses - across the industry, not just a single track or state or country. Owners need to be held accountable, not just let to move horses to another trainer. If you didn’t know, you should.
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snaffle always lectures us on what owners, trainers, grooms, vets, hot walkers and a plethora of others do…
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Again you are pontificating when you don’t know what you are talking about. Since you have no experience in horse racing you might at least read the relevant articles before you post your opinion about what is “likely”.
Apparently you missed the fact that The FBI has “at least one owner” discussing the doping of their horse with Navarro.
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Cox refuses to take Rockingham Ranch horses. Interesting article; https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.co…-ranch-horses/
