JC / Railbird

Misdeeds & Wrongdoing Archive

Trouble in Texas

Texas racing has a problem with milkshakes. Out of 266 blood samples taken from horses in randomly selected races at Lone Star Park during two weeks in May and the third weekend in June, five were positive for excess carbon dioxide. The random, blind survey was conducted by the state racing commission, which has directed its chief veterinarian to develop a plan to squelch the problem. (Star-Telegram)
Gary West: “The commission must move quickly and decisively to shut down the soda fountain.”

Posted in Misdeeds & Wrongdoing on June 23, 2005

Canani, Mullins Complaints Dropped

CHRB complaints against trainers Julio Canani and Jeff Mullins were dropped on Wednesday after the board was advised there was not enough evidence to support the cases against either. Both were charged with “conduct detrimental to horseracing” — Canani for his pre- and post-Santa Anita Derby comments on Sweet Catomine’s condition, and Mullins for telling LA Times sports columnist T.J. Simers that bettors were “idiots.” Van driver Dean Kerkhoff remains “on the hook” for his part in the Sweet Catomine affair. (Blood-Horse)

Posted in Misdeeds & Wrongdoing on April 27, 2005

More on CHRB, Wygod

Bill Finley sees the case against Sweet Catomine’s connections as unusual in only one respect — the CHRB took action. That nothing was known about her condition before the race is an everyday occurence. A system for disclosure needs to be put into place: “Should a trainer have to report to the public every time a horse has a sniffle? No. But there has to be a better system in place than the one we have now, which is, basically, the public can be damned. At the very least, when a horse undergoes any kind of surgical procedure or is shipped to a veterinary clinic for treatment, which is where Sweet Catomine spent about 40 hours the week of the Santa Anita Derby, that information should be disclosed.” Hear, hear! (ESPN)
The CHRB’s case against Marty Wygod was beyond weak, writes Jay Hovdey, and the board “owes the sport an apology for turning Wygod’s public hearing into a desperate fishing expedition for facts their investigators were unable to provide.” (Daily Racing Form — sub. req.)
The CHRB announced on Monday that it plans to review its investigation procedures in the wake of the Sweet Catomine affair. “I intend to evaluate our investigative procedures from start to finish,” said board director Ingrid Fermin. “In that way, licensees and the public will be reassured that cases have been fully investigated and evaluated before any accusations are filed.” (Daily Racing Form)

Posted in Misdeeds & Wrongdoing on April 26, 2005