Trainer’s Meth Defense: The Groom’s a Druggie

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From the Iowa Racing Commission, regarding goings-on at Prairie Meadows:

“A report from Industrial Laboratories states methamphetamine confirmed in blood and urine in sample taken from the horse ‘Drag Malibu’ after finishing first in the third race on May 29.” Owner/trainer Kenny Smith’s defense? His groom was on meth; he was responsible for installing the tongue tie, hence… The stewards bought it, and only suspended Smith 15 days.

In other news, on June 15, veterinarian and owner/trainer James Hume was found to be in possession of multiple injectables, hypodermic needles, and syringes on the backside. Dr. Hume admitted this but told the stewards that he has a private practice and “had gone to a client’s farm on his way to the racetrack and that was the reason his medical bag was in his vehicle.” Ha, huh? Anyway, Hume has been suspended – but only because he’s not licensed as a vet by the Commission.

This is horseracing.

8 Comments

  2. The groom is a druggie and the owner & trainer is a pusher, a drug dealer, and the Iowa Racing Commissioners are fine with that. In this egregiously CRUEL industry, where abusing horses is a daily routine practice, where part of the abuse involves routine doping/drugging of the horses, placing bets on horses is an addiction for some people, why not add addiction to ILLEGAL drugs for the humans committing these atrocities against horses!?!?!?
    Hello, Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority??? Hello???? Hello???? Can you hear me???? Are you there????

    • Sure, they’re there, Wanda! But they don’t (won’t) hear you. Right now they’re all sitting on almost two weeks’ worth of dead thoroughbreds — I figure, numbering AT LEAST in the thirties since July 1 — and wondering how they’re gonna handle their rapidly-growing Horse Fatalities information:

      “Hmmm, let’s see. If we reveal the Death Files only to industry insiders, they’ll just shrug and continue to profit from their usual daily killing show. On the other hand, if we allow the general public to find out how many young racehorses are REALLY killed by racing every day — well, then it’s lights out for OUR cushy government jobs. So, howsabout we just split the difference and continue to avoid any and all questions about dead TBs? That way, we all win! Well, all of us except the horses, that is…”

      • Speaking of keeping things hidden, secret, under the table or whatever, I still want to know — what are the names of the people who make up the blue ribbon nominating committee? How many people are in the blue ribbon nominating committee? What are their real names, or even fake names? There is no indication of this information on the HISA website. This deliberate act of refusing to identify themselves other than “the blue ribbon nominating committee” is a joke from hell…

        • Horse racing is such a sketchy lowlife industry all-around, filled with shady characters committing daily crimes against animals — and against each other. So I can’t say I blame ’em for wanting to keep their identities a mystery to those they’re trying to “regulate.”;)

  4. What I meant was Alan said they always try to blame it on crazy ass extraneous bogus excuses.

    • Bonnie, I knew that. These lame, ridiculous, outrageous excuses have been discussed here so many times in the past.
      With Bob Baffert, the drug overages were legal drugs. With this Kenny Smith, methamphetamines are never legal under any circumstances. There is no acceptable threshold for methamphetamines. These people should be arrested and charged for possession of methamphetamines. They must have a good hiding place for their stash????

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