graded stakes winning filly is scratched.
The fact that Brian Lynch was even tested indicates to me that somebody was out to get him.
But the ones who end up being punished are the owners whose horse was the favorite in this G2.
“It’s not Brian Lynch who is going to run, it’s the horse. The horse is ready to run. We waited five months to run him.”
Even if someone was ‘out to get him’, he tested positive. If he wasn’t doing drugs, then even if he was tested, no harm, no foul.
I do feel bad for the connections of Private Zone. Too bad that wouldn’t be allowed to have a different training saddle the horse if one could find a trainer that would be willing to.
Think this is a hideous finding. Believe I read the rule for backstretch issues both under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If so, there certainly would be many more rightfully taken down. But with pot now being legalized in, I believe 25 states last count - and NY considering it, this is nit-picking at its worst, and just to flex muscle.
And now John Hendrickson has resigned as Cuomo’s racing advisor.
http://www.saratogian.com/general-news/20160607/john-hendrickson-resigns-as-cuomos-racing-advisor
Once and for all, Cuomo, let the tracks in NY privatize, and let racing people handle racing. And perhaps even begin to work with others to get some standards written in the US - without the governor and legislature muscling in for greed to collect $$.
PS I once chatted briefly with someone on the Racing and Wagering Board about his interest in racing. Didn’t know. Didn’t care. Was just a political appointee…
Wait, you don’t mean that John Hendrickson doesn’t care about racing, right? Or are you talking about the Governor? Hendrickson is Mary Lou Whitney’s husband and my understand has a deep commitment to racing.
The Rule;
“(a) No person while on the grounds of a licensed or franchised track, who is licensed as trainer, assistant trainer, jockey, apprentice jockey, exercise rider, assistant starter, outrider, groom, valet, pony-horse rider, or anyone who is riding a horse in a race, a warm-up for a race or riding on a horse anywhere on the grounds, or anyone who aids or participates in the preparation of a race or a horse for a race, or is licensed by the commission, shall have present within the body of such person any controlled substance listed in schedules I through V of section 3306 of the Public Health Law, unless advance permission to ride a horse or participate in any manner in a race, while using such substance, pursuant to prescription by a licensed physician, has been granted in writing by the commission.”
http://law.justia.com/codes/new-york/2013/pbh/article-33/title-1/3306
Section 3306 - I don’t see cannabis
No - I was upset John Hendrickson resigned - Cuomo wouldn’t listen to his suggestions.
The comment later referred back to the Racing & Wagering Board member himself. The board oversees racing, wagering, even the lottery now. And is a political appointment. Am just sick of non-racing people running/overseeing everything.
In this day and age, the NY Gaming commission need to wake up and live.
But as CVPEG said, they know nothing about racing, either on the flat or trotters, and are a bunch of overpaid political hacks.
Scratching the filly seemed idiotic. She had done nothing wrong. It wasn’t like she had tested positive for something…
I am not familiar with the rules in the NYRA, but with the number of alcohol abusers and people doing far worse drugs than marijuana — Someone was definitely out to get him.
I hope that the back story will eventually come out, because it must be a doozy.
[QUOTE=Lord Helpus;8699053]
Scratching the filly seemed idiotic. She had done nothing wrong. It wasn’t like she had tested positive for something…
I am not familiar with the rules in the NYRA, but with the number of alcohol abusers and people doing far worse drugs than marijuana — Someone was definitely out to get him.
I hope that the back story will eventually come out, because it must be a doozy.[/QUOTE]
Because the filly had already been entered in his name as trainer, she had to be scratched, according to the NYRA rules.
Someone posted this on the Paulick Report and I love it;
Smoke a vape pen: "Get the heck outta here and don’t come back until you go to rehab! Maybe, just maybe if you’re lucky we’ll let you back in.
Get caught drugging several horses: Well, let’s see where this goes. You can still run horses and we’ll meet again around this time next year to see if we’re going to do anything about it."
(And I’m being a nitpicky jerk but Private Zone is a gelding, not a filly.) 
[QUOTE=mintano;8699071]
Someone posted this on the Paulick Report and I love it;
Smoke a vape pen: "Get the heck outta here and don’t come back until you go to rehab! Maybe, just maybe if you’re lucky we’ll let you back in.
Get caught drugging several horses: Well, let’s see where this goes. You can still run horses and we’ll meet again around this time next year to see if we’re going to do anything about it."
(And I’m being a nitpicky jerk but Private Zone is a gelding, not a filly.) :D[/QUOTE]
KY clears Steve Asmussen of PETA allegations in 2015, then NY fines him $10K. Rick Dutrow hung on in NY for decades showing his bad colors daily. Horse identification nationally is in trouble. In the past 12 months, there has been three or four issues. Is it a filly or gelding? Hope they check SBN again. I can hear the finish call now. A ridgling, no a gelding, oh my god, another filly just won the Belmont!
It’s nice to see that Rene Douglas et.al. are not abandoning him over this.
I live in a state where pot is legal and lived here before the legislation making it legal was passed, so I’ve seen the “before and after”.
There has been none of the horrible fallout that some people predicted. Life continues as it always has. The people who smoked pot, still smoke pot and the people that don’t, still don’t.
It is not allowed to be used in public, or while driving and many workplaces prohibit its use including any federally affiliated jobs.
The problems we have since legalization are mostly with tourists not understanding the law. I have stayed in hotels that have had difficulties with tourists thinking that it’s OK to smoke pot in hotel rooms (it’s not). The law provides for those of us who would rather not be exposed, including people and children that are with them in a hotel.
Then there are some who grow pot without a license to export to other states. That was recently put paid in Denver after 2 years of police work.
…Anyway, I can’t imagine why a racehorse trainer would be tested for pot (or alcohol for that matter). He’s not riding and apparently pot can be detected long after the fact, so he may not have been impaired in any manner.
I’m not familiar with the rules . Is he banned from having a pre-race cocktail or beer with an owner?
[QUOTE=skydy;8700418]
…Anyway, I can’t imagine why a racehorse trainer would be tested for pot (or alcohol for that matter). He’s not riding and apparently pot can be detected long after the fact, so he may not have been impaired in any manner.
I’m not familiar with the rules . Is he banned from having a pre-race cocktail or beer with an owner?[/QUOTE]
Each state is governed by an independent racing authority which sets the rules. Similar to a private employer, the racing association has the authority to set a “no drugs” policy for anyone to whom it issues a license. You apply for a license, you agree to follow their rules.
As an owner, and speaking generally and not about Lynch, you have to be careful about lying down with dogs because you might get up with fleas. Anyone who trains for me is told that I better never have a positive test. IMHO, there is nothing out there (other than Lasix) that will give the horse any kind of edge. Any prerace medication needs to be cleared by me personally or I don’t pay the bill.
Bumping this to add:
Brian Lynch’s New York license was reinstated over this past weekend, and he has two horses entered to run at Belmont this weekend under his own name.
Best wishes to Brian and all connections.
