Thoroughbred Racing News: The Paulick Report

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http://www.paulickreport.com/

Pretty interesting articles on Breeders Cup, Ltd. The fight between Dinny Phipps and chef, Bobby Flay. Paulick was pretty good when he wrote for the Blood Horse. Now that he is his own editor and not beholden to industry interests I expect him to be outstanding. I'm really looking forward to his opinion on the Congressional Hearings this week.

The Breeders Cup, Part I:
http://www.paulickreport.com/blog/breeders-cup-election-game-on/

The Breeders Cup, Part II:
http://www.paulickreport.com/blog/breeders-cup-part-ii-old-vs-new/

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1. Witness list and audio stream for tomorrows hearings

Witness list:
http://energycommerce.house.gov/cmte_mtgs/110-ctcp-hrg.061908.Witness.List.pdf

Link to audio stream of hearings:
http://energycommerce.edgeboss.net/wmedia-live/energycommerce/11991/100_energycommerce-2322_060901.asx

[aaronbees]

2. Paulick says he'll be live blogging from the meeting

Should be an interesting read!

His preview: http://www.paulickreport.com/blog/ntra-marginalized-credibility-in-question/

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3. Dutrow scratches

he will not be attending today's hearings as it seems he's under the weather and has been unwell since just after the Belmont Stakes.

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4. Opening statement by Jan Schakowsky D-IL

Eight Belles was a genetic disaster waiting to happen. The fault of Native Dancer, Raise A Native and Mr. P.

Cocaine, Caffeine and anobolic steroids a problem. No mentions of EPO's or cortisone steroids.

Schakowsky is a former owner.

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5. Dick Shapiro is getting on vets that do examinations for free...

and only charge for the drugs they administer. Talking about Clenbuterol.

Jack Van Berg wants to ban all race day meds. Bute, Lasix, steroids. Good job Mr. Van Berg. Talks about giving drugs to 'unconsenting athletes'. Talking about track maintenance.

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6. Jess Jackson comes down hard on shady vets...

compares them to drug dealers. Awesome.

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7. Marzelli from The Jockey Club is a stupid dick

but he's taking Dinny's and Farish's ass whipping so he's doing his job. Van Berg mentions EPO's and clenbuterol.

All panelists want to ban all drugs in racing.

Marzelli is not very familiar with the Interstate Horse Racing Act. Jesus.

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8. Dutrow's written statement to the committee

When I was contacted by one of your staffers and asked to speak here today I agreed because I wanted to share my insights and points of view on some of these issues and I hope that I can be helpful here.

I also hope that I was not asked to be here because of some of the problems I have had in the past. I hope your staff people were sincere in inviting me because they valued my insight. I want to be part of the solution and not part of the problem.

I also ask for your patience today. I’m not always the best at explaining things. I’ve been taking care of horses all my life. I dropped out of high school more than 30 years ago to take care of horses and sometimes I think I do better with horses than with people.

As you may know, I am the trainer for Big Brown, the very talented horse who won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness this year. Despite my best efforts and those of the team of people around him, he did not win the Belmont Stakes but that’s horseracing. Big Brown is healthy and our plan right now is to keep him racing this summer and fall.

In addition to Big Brown, I am responsible for approximately 150 horses at any one time – 110 in active training and 40-50 at various farms getting ready to race. My operation has about 75 people, including grooms, stable hands, exercise riders, blacksmiths and vets, who care for our horse on a daily basis.

While some people’s focus is on the big days, we care about our horses and keeping them safe 365 days a year. Taking care of horses is a way of life for us. Our horses get the best care we can give them. They are gifted athletes and are trained to give their best performance when they run.

During the Triple Crown, I was asked several questions about my past and I expect those will come up today so let me address them.

My barn has been penalized in the past for medication violations. I was suspended and fined five years ago when traces of a prohibited substance, mepivicaine, turned up in a test for one of my horses. I said then that we don’t use it and I don’t know how it happened.

We have also had violations when legal, permitted, therapeutic medications have shown up in race day tests because they were given to the horse too close to the race. That’s something that many trainers in the country have had to deal with. But I take responsibility for the condition of my horses.

During the Triple Crown I told the media that my horses are given Winstrol on the 15th of each month. This is an FDA approved medication and is within the current rules of racing in most states. It is something we started a few years ago at the recommendation of one of our vets.

People have asked me why I do it. My observation is that it helps the horses eat better. Their coats brighten. They’re more alert. It helps them train. Having said that, our barn has won hundreds of races with horses that weren’t on steroids. Earlier this winter, I won two one million dollar races in Dubai, where steroids are prohibited. If steroids are banned in the United States, we’ll stop using them.

I also said that I’m not qualified to speak to the science of it. For that, I would suggest that you talk to the vets and scientific experts.

Thank you.

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9. Van Berg makes a statement about trainers relying on...

racetrack vets: “If you don’t know what’s wrong with the horse yourself, you shouldn’t have a trainer’s license.”

The vets are up next. I hope they'll take some of the responsibility for the increase in the use of drugs over the last 30-40 years. But I doubt it. They'll try to talk over everyone's heads.

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10. Allie Conrad from CANTOR was hard on all of us...

in racing and she was pretty spot on. Alex Waldrop from NTRA is bloviating about how great NTRA is. He doesn't think we need ant centralized body overseeing the industry because NTRA is already doing such a bang-up job. Heckuva job, Wally.

Allie Conrad gets after the cortisone steroids injected into joints to allow a sore or hurt horse to race but, then tries to confuse the issue when asked about Big Brown receiving Winstrol.

Stover is asked whether vets are just doing what trainers and owners ask. She waffles. As do all the panelists.

[Justpat]

12. She better get in the right decade.

Vets stopped doing straight cortisone injections in joints about 15-20 years ago.


They will put HA - hyalauronic acid, a lubricating substance found naturally in joints, in knees, ankles
and sometimes hock.

She needs to stfu and get her facts straight.

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13. We've used HA on a couple of our horses

it's a naturally occurring lubricant and does the horse no harm. We had a big trotter once that we had OCD's removed from both hocks and his hocks used to get dry so we injected him with HA. He's a 5 YO now and racing out at The Meadows for new owners. I don't think it did him any harm. He just finished 2nd the other day in a trot that went in 1:55 flat.

The TB trainers are about 20 years ahead of us in the SB world as far as treatment goes. There is a vet here in MI that will inject joints with cortisone but you have to take your horse to him and stand in line. I'll let you all figure out why he doesn't make calls to the tracks.

[Justpat]

14. I can't speak about what goes on at the lesser tracks.

But where we are cortisone, has been a real no-no for at least twenty years.

HA is a good product and the oral glucosamine is pretty good for maintaining
joint health.

My problem with the statement by the CANTER person is that is a blanket statement,
contending that ALL of racing uses these destructive practices. It is not the case
and she is applying a limited bit if information and a little knowledge to the
entire industry.

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15. Didn't Gary Stevens use oral glucosamine himself?

[Justpat]

16. I use it myself too. n/t

[aaronbees]

18. I didn't get that sense at all from her statement

I think she was referencing cortisone and steroids as just a few drugs of many that some horses have in them when they leave the track. And I believe she was talking about Charles Town, where CANTER Mid-Atlantic gets many of their post-racing horses. Hardly a spot for upper crust racing. In any case, as she admitted herself, she doesn't have access to the vet records, so I don't think the committee is going to take her as the grand expert on specific drugs.

But quite frankly, I'm glad she spoke up and found her discussion compelling and powerful. The Congress Critters seemed impressed. At least someone rose up from the panels to discuss what happens to some horses after their careers finish and they're virtually left for dead.

Did I hear correctly that a second hearing will be scheduled? I hope so. And I'm glad Congress is taking action. (Hopefully it is action, not just yapping. Good idea to use the IHA as the stick.) All I had to do was listen to that drip Waldrop rant on and the Jockey Club's Marzelli play coy to see no one in the industry or no specific body can really take charge. Though Jackson made an interesting point about empowering owners and they'll all follow suit. Not sure I buy it. He, Hancock and Moss all spoke well about the direction to go.

As for Dutrow, what a cosmic joke he is.

I nominate Van Berg and Hancock to be the first commissioners of this national racing body!

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11. Well, that's it

Everyone is to blame for the drug problem in racing but nobody really takes any responsibility. Steroids are bad. Lasix does nothing to control pulminary bleeding but, it does increase some horses level of performance and can mask other drugs. Native Dancer in a horses pedigree causes them to breakdown. And NTRA is the bestest organization in all of racing to "build consensus" in the industry for change. Waldrop takes a swipe at Arthur Hancock III, “This industry is no longer a rudderless ship.”

[aaronbees]

19. I totally enjoyed watching it

Watched the whole thing. Maybe it's just me, but I thought much of the testimony was a good start.

But wow, Waldrop really seemed off in Neverland.

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20. I have not been in favor of Congress trying to clean up...

the sport. After yesterday's testimony I've come to the conclusion that they can do something and it would be simple. Ban raceday medications. If the state bodies can't or won't comply with that simple rule? Block their signal.

There will be repercussions to a total ban on meds. But it needs to be done.

Jess Jackson said that owners are the backbone of racing. I disagree. The horses themselves are the backbone of racing. The good horsemen have always known that and have tried to do right by their horses. You'll notice that they seldom lead the trainers standings.

In this day of being able to walk into a casino, no matter where you live, and pull the handle of a slot machine, the only thing we really have going that makes us different is our horses.

[jakefrep]

22. If the state racing commissions had their act together....

Congress wouldn't need to intervene. I've often wondered if commission posts were filled by people who actually know and understand racing, or if the racing commission was just a convenient place to stash every big political patron's lazy brother-in-law.

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17. Something I heard today in the hearings is bothering me

One of the vets was talking about a blood test that can detect biomarkers that will tell you if your horse has any microfractures of the bone or any bone remodeling going on. He said the test is 70% accurate. Is that really a big breakthrough? I mean my trainer knows when my horse is off somewhere. Maybe he can't figure out exactly what's bothering the horse but he starts getting pictures made of spots he think might be causing the problem. Bone remodeling is constantly going on in young racehorses.

I personally place a lot of blame on the vets for the drug problems in this sport. They are constantly recommending new treatments that are mostly lucrative for themselves. Is this test just another?

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21. Horse Tests Positive, and Dutrow Faces Ban

From The New York Times:
A horse trained by Rick Dutrow that finished second in a $100,000 stakes race at Churchill Downs the day before Big Brown won the Kentucky Derby has tested positive for twice the allowable level of clenbuterol that helps burn fat and promote muscle growth, according to Kentucky racing officials.

Rick Dutrow acknowledged steroids were administered to Salute the Count

The Kentucky Horse Racing Authority will issue the ruling on Wednesday, suspend Dutrow for 15 days and demand the horse’s owner to return the $20,000 in purse earnings.

“He waived his right to a formal hearing, and more or less accepted responsibility,” John Veitch, the chief state steward for the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority, said of Dutrow. “He told us that he uses clenbuterol on a regular basis with his horses.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/25/sports/othersports/25racing.html?_r=1&ref=sports&oref=slogin

[Justpat]

23. Probably why he didn't want to go to Congress to testify.

He knew about the positive two weeks after the Derby.

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24. UPDATE at DRF

Dutrow notified Veitch this morning that he's gonna appeal the suspension.

http://drf.com/news/article/95769.html

Two questions for you OB, if you don't mind. What's your take on the Jeremy Rose incident and what does it mean that Seth resigned from the CDI board?

[Justpat]

25. Seth Hancock has been in that position for 35 years.

Maybe he is just tired of it. I have no insight on this because we are really removed from the
KY crowd and all that goes on there.

I think Jeremy Rose really screwed up. The claim that the filly was lugging in was bullshit.
She was not scraping the rail and there was space between the filly and the rail. I would have
ripped his face off if he did that to a horse of mine. I think it is great that the stewards are making
him pay the vet bill. Believe me, it will be thousands of dollars - especially if she has to stay for
a few days.

I watched the video several times and cannot see why he hit her in the head. When I was riding
at a dumpy little track in Vt in the early seventies, even there, with the cheapest horses on the
planet, it one of us ever did something like that we would have had our ass handed to us by the
stewards right away.

If you want to see what kind of rider JR is, watch the video of him riding Big Brown in his
first race on the grass as a two year old at Saratoga. When BB comes off the turn and starts
to open up, he is whipping him several times - then as the horse starts to widen on the field,
he continues flailing away at the horse until just before the wire. If he had put the stick down
before the sixteenth pole he still would have won by at least six.

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26. aaronbees pointed out that JR was known to be stick happy

I wasn't aware of that. I watched the head on view of the race in question and I didn't see the actual incident but I did see the horse try to duck out. Shit, they were lucky that a couple of horses and riders didn't go down.

I was telling aaronbees about some drivers in the harness world that have been fined for kicking their horses. Our regular driver is a pretty level headed guy and that's why we use him. He's not one to go to the whip a lot but he will bang his whip on the shaft of the bike. Seems to work just as well.

Seth quitting kinda shocked me.

[aaronbees]

27. You can see it in the Arkansas Derby won by Afleet Alex

Here's the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qf7JX4j6bLk. Alex is ahead by plenty and yet Rose is quite pleased to push him more with the whip, much like what OB describes in Big Brown's maiden score.

And so now Rose says this incident Monday with Appeal to the City was an accident? Bullshit ... once she veered from the first slap he hit her twice more. What a monumental jackass. He got off light, as far as I'm concerned.

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29. The video I watched was pretty murky on my screen...

I believe you though. I just didn't know JR was know for being that kind of rider. What a dick he is.

Asmussen just got popped for a hot test in Texas. Lidocaine.

[aaronbees]

30. When it rains it storms

What does Lidocaine do?

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31. masks pain. Local anesthetic. Reduces inflammation.

[aaronbees]

32. Thank you

I suppose Asmussen will say he wasn't at the barn when this happened and will blame it on the assistant trainer or vet?

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33. Might have been an assistant....

Asmussen usually uses mepivacaine. When you got a stable as big as he does it's hard to keep track of all those 'caines.

[aaronbees]

34. It's been a year of Racing 'Caine...

so to speak.

[Justpat]

35. He should use Dr. Cain more

and stop relying on the other 'caines.

Those bastards will get you in trouble every time.

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37. LOL. What a shame...

the guy knows how to train horses. I think he's better than Dutrow. But he's just as dirty. He's stealing food off of the honest trainers tables.

[aaronbees]

28. Baltimore Sun printed up his rap sheet (on the track, that is)

It's long.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/media/acrobat/2008-05/38903142.pdf

[Justpat]

39. The majority of these infractions are not for drug use.

I am not a fan of Dutrow - I think he's a jerk.
But most of these rulings are for things like not
having the foal papers in the office at time of
entry, or being late to the paddock or for bute
and clenbuterol positives.

Most of his rulings are the result of being totally
disorganized and/or lazy about having papers in the
office and making sure that the horses were treated
on the proper timetable before the race.

Asmussen on the other hand has a list of violations
that makes Dutrow look like an amateur. He has had
positives for DMSO, polyethylene glycol (isn't that
anti freeze?), several of the 'caines, tranquilizers,
and unlabeled medication in his office. This guy,
in my opinion, is way worse.

[aaronbees]

40. Yeah, Christ had an article examining it

Saying pretty much the same thing: http://cristblog.drf.com/crist/2008/06/bad-rap-sheet.html. Didn't get to read it 'til last night.

That said, he's still a super shady trainer in my eyes and not one I'd trust. You're exactly right on Asmussen. You'd think the owners would stop employing these jackasses. In that sense, I'll say I like Jess Jackson but he's a bit of a hypocrite in this respect.

[Justpat]

42. Jess Jackson is a major hypocrite in my eyes.

He was down in DC proclaiming to everyone there that we need to get rid of the kind of trainers
he employs. Sometimes I hate this business.


I didn't read the Steven Crist article, but I read both rap sheets of Dutrow and Asmussen
last night and came to my own conclusion that Dutrow is a crook, but is not in the same
league as Asmussen.

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44. Jess Jackson said Curlin will run drug free from now on...

yet he ran on Lasix in the Foster after it was proved he didn't need it in Dubai. IEAH says their horses will run drug free by Oct. 1. Why Oct. 1? Because that will be when their horses should be clear of the drugs they've been giving them.

I've got to admit that when I read Dutrow's IRC report I was a little shocked that he didn't have more drug suspensions. Still, his report did show to me that he has a total disregard for the sport. The rules just don't apply to him. Asmussen's just as bad and maybe worse and after reading his IRC report I think he has some anger issues that need to worked out along with his propensity of going out to his garage and shooting his horses up with what ever is handy. Radiator coolant, that's cruelty isn't it?

Dutrow stepped onto the national stage this year and was the face of horse racing during the TC. He then proceeded to put racing in such a bad light that we will be feeling the effects of his big fucking mouth for years. He just had to be the big shot and now that he's under fire he doesn't like it. Now he wants to talk about how he's not the only one breaking the rules. That little fucker just can't stop shitting all over the sport and the people who make an honest living from the sport. No, it's all about him and fuck everybody else.

You know what I was the most pissed off about? When he said that he didn't know what Winstrol did for a horse other than a shiny coat. "Ask a vet" is what he suggested. Well, why the fuck didn't he ask a vet before he started giving the stuff? He lies and everyone knows it. He lies because he has no respect for anyone or the sport. His dad was a trainer and it's his god given right to make a living from horses too. What a complete asshole.

If Bobby Frankel's your best friend you maybe ought to do some serious soul searching about what kind of person you really are.

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36. IEAH not happy with little Dickie

" never told us," Iavarone said, "and yeah, that bothers me. I'm not happy. It wasn't one of our horses, but I'm still not happy about it. It puts a bad light on Rick, not on us. Our stable hasn't had any positives since Greg Martin ."

Iavarone said Monday that IEAH would shy away from trainers caught operating outside the rules. He was asked if the latest in a long series of drug violations might jeopardize Dutrow's status with IEAH.

"I just found out, so we haven't had any discussions," Iavarone said. "I don't want to rush to judgment, because I don't know all the facts yet. But if there was pre-race testing, this never would have happened, and by doing that, we can control it.

"I guarantee we're not going to make mistakes with our horses. I want to assure that our horses are clean, but without you could give your horses to any trainer and this still could happen."

http://www.newsday.com/sports/horseracing/ny-spdutrow0626,0,65779.story?track=rss

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41. Dutrow perplexed by furor over drug positive

From Thoroughbred Times:
Trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. said on Friday that he accepts responsibility for the recent clenbuterol overage on one of his horses but attributed it to a barn mistake and said he does not understand what all the fuss is about.

“It’s just a mistake that happened, but it’s not as big a deal as everyone is trying to make it out to be,” said Dutrow, addressing members of the media in a wide-ranging, informal session outside Barn 10 at Aqueduct. “The last time I had a clenbuterol on some filly <2004>, no one cared.

“I guess it’s because we won a big race with Big Brown. I just don’t understand it. It’s not a big deal for a horse to come up with an overage of clenbuterol.”

...“I got Big Brown I’ve got to deal with, Benny the Bull is going to Calder, Kip Deville is going to be running next week, I got a filly in a Grade 1 coming up in ten days, tomorrow we have this horse running in a Grade 1 … I just have too many things that are important for me to be here at the barn,” he said. “Since everyone is giving me the opportunity to appeal it and to postpone it, that’s what I’m going to be doing until I can’t postpone it any more.

http://thoroughbredtimes.com/national-news/2008/June/27/Dutrow-perplexed-by-furor-over-drug-positive.aspx

One of his owners needs to stick a rag in his fucking mouth. Or take their horses to a reputable barn. Or run the bastard out of the business.

[aaronbees]

43. Dutrow's pretty good at playing dumb ... eom

[Justpat]

45. He is officially the laughing stock of the racing world.

His comments about Contessa were completely off the mark. Contessa uses the same vet we do
and this vet is big into acupuncture and natural ways of dealing with problems. He isn't into
the needle method of vet work.

For Dutrow to suggest that Contessa is cheating is laughable.

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38. N.J. officials test more than 40 Levine horses

From DRF:
Officials of the New Jersey Racing Commission on Tuesday drew blood samples from all of the horses trained by Bruce Levine at Monmouth Park as part of the state's random out-of-competition testing program, commission officials and Levine said on Thursday.

Frank Zanzuccki, the executive director of the commission, said that the commission did not have specific information regarding Levine's horses or evidence of blood-doping use prior to taking the blood samples.

"It was a action that we deploy as part of our out-of-competition testing program," Zanzuccki said. "Sometimes it is random, sometimes it is based on prior information. In this case, it was random."

Levine, a leading trainer in New York and New Jersey, currently leads the Monmouth trainer standings by a wide margin. Through Wednesday, Levine had won with 27 of his 56 starters at the meet, a win rate of 48 percent.

http://drf.com/news/article/95809.html

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46. UPDATE: Levine's horses all test negative for EPO

article at The Blood Horse.

DRF is reporting that Heatseeker is being retired because of a suspensory injury.