Harness Abuse, Including: “Elbowing a horse in the head, at least two times.”

At Harrah’s on Nov 3, says the PA Racing Commission, harness driver Joe Poliseno “engaged in conduct that was un-sportsmanlike, detrimental, and injurious to the sport by elbowing a trailing horse, in the head, at least two times.” Re-read that. Elbowed a horse in the head, at least twice. Almost as bad, the charge was not animal abuse, but rather “conduct that was un-sportsmanlike, detrimental, and injurious to the sport.” Imagine. For this, Poliseno was fined $250 and given a five-day suspension. That’s it. But Poliseno appealed, and get this: Because he finally agreed to drop that appeal, Thursday his suspension was rescinded.

In New Jersey, trainer Tom Shay has been fined $1000 for a positive in his horse Bad Medicine at Freehold Nov 11 (the delay was apparently due to a split-sample test, which obviously also came back positive). The drug in question: benzoylecgonine. Yes, I had to look it up. Turns out, benzoylecgonine is the primary metabolite of cocaine. Cocaine. No suspension.

In Ohio, Mike Peterson “did excessively whip the horse [Topville Rustler] throughout the stretch” at Miami Valley Apr 16. Fine: $750 – but $500 if not appealed.

Staying in Ohio, Apr 11, Northfield: “While driving Bombay Bobby, Thomas Tharps whipped the [horse] excessively during the final half.” $500 – $300 if not appealed.

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7 Comments

  1. Everything about this so-called “sport” is abuse of horses. The drivers and the racing Commissioners should be made to get on their feet in the dirt and run as fast as they can pulling carts. These people should all be whipped until they get it that this is abuse. It is not sportsmanlike at all to whip and dope horses for money.

    • Fourteen races in one day at Gulfstream Park. It’s all about the money. Watch the replay (?) or bet now. Those are the options. How sickening!

  2. Yeah there is the sporstmanship in full form – the whip should have been used but not on the horse on the god damn harness driver. Elbowing the horse – here is just some more horsemanship. These penalty fines are a joke – then they give them brownie points if they don’t appeal – f*ck SERIOUSLY!! The horses are being drugged, whipped, punched in the head – take all of this abuse and let’s give it a try on the owners, trainers, riders all of the waste of skins involved in just some more animal abuse. It is not possible to even think what a life for a horse would be like to be involved in this harness racing or the horse racing, they are all abused so badly and it is sad beyond belief. You are all a bunch of sickening bastards and I hope you all rot in hell.

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