Recent harness rulings…
“Matthew Medeiros is fined $250 for failure to report that the horse [9-year-old Cranbourne N] was nerved prior to it being declared to race.”
“Larry Stalbaum is fined $250 for failure to report that the horse [9-year-old Fond Memories A] was nerved prior to it being declared to race.” (Stalbaum was suspended in May for “kicking a horse.”)
Scioto, Aug 6: “Tyler Rush registered a reading of .116 percent of alcohol in the blood when asked to blow into the breath analyzer prior to driving #2 Bourbonontherocks in race 2. Mr. Rush is fined $500 and given a 10-day driving suspension.” But: “The penalty will be reduced to a $250 fine and a 5-day suspension if not appealed.”
Northfield: “On Jul 20, a search was conducted of the truck/trailer of Justin Hite. During this search, the investigator located a small tan bag in the bed of the truck. When the investigator removed the bag from the truck, she observed several needles, two used syringes, and one injectable bottle. Mr. Hite had a hearing on Jul 23. After considering all testimony and evidence, he is fined $1,000 and suspended 365 days.” But, the judges added, “If ruling is not appealed, fine will be reduced to $500.” And, as if to remind themselves: “These are prohibited items and…against the best interest of racing.”
And among the many drugging busts, these:
Miami County Fair (Indiana): “Industrial Labs reported that a sample provided by the horse Vel Who Said, trained by Larry King, following its 1st-place finish in the 17th race Jun 5 contained Dexamethasone at a level which exceeds the level prescribed by the Indiana Commission rules. King chose to waive his right to send a split sample and is hereby ordered a fine in the amount of $1,000.
“Industrial Labs reported that a sample provided by the horse Vel I’m On It, trained by Larry King, following its 1st-place finish in the 18th race Jun 12 contained Dexamethasone at a level which exceeds the level prescribed by the Indiana Commission rules.
“Additionally, Industrial Labs reported that a sample provided by the horse Vel Drinks On Tina, trained by Larry King, following its 1st-place finish in the 16th race Jun 12 contained Dexamethasone at a level which exceeds the level prescribed by the Indiana Commission rules. Fine is mitigated due to results for samples identified in this ruling being received at the same time as results from Jun 5.”
So, if I’m reading this right, this guy over-drugged three horses in one week and walked away paying just $1,000 – with no suspension.
And:
“Trainer Kevin McDermott had four positive tests for Peimine at Saratoga Raceway – Reign Of Honor, May 5, finished 2nd; Pit Boss Hanover, May 13, finished 1st; Cold Beer Calling, May 18, finished 1st; Pit Boss Hanover [again], May 20, finished 1st.” Then try to make sense of this: “The initial positive test and subsequent tests occurred before the results of the previous tests were available to be reported to the trainer and therefore shall be treated as four individual first offenses.”
And in another ruling: “Trainer Kevin McDermott had two positive tests for Peimine at Vernon Downs – Reign Of Honor [again], May 9, finished 1st; Reign Of Honor [again], May 17, finished 1st.” And again, “The second positive test occurred before the result of the first positive was available to be reported to the trainer and therefore they shall be treated as two individual first offenses.”
McDermott – with six drug overages just in the month of May – originally got 30 days and $1,000 for each offense, but because all six were treated as a first offense, those were subsequently reduced to 15 days and $500 per. Imagine that.
And these, further illustrating the quality of people we’re talking about here:
Northfield, Apr 6: “Keith Kash was unprofessional and rude towards the track veterinarian in the paddock after race 1. His use of profanity and hostile behavior was against the best interest of racing. He is hereby fined $1,000.” (The fine would have been reduced to $500 with no appeal; Kash appealed, and lost.)
Harrington, Jul 17: “Ivan Smith failed to pass the breath analyzer test. Mr. Smith must appear before the judges to resolve this.”
Vernon, Jul 17: “Following the ‘no contest,’ trainer Stanley Zombick did use improper language and public profanity in a loud manner in the presence of racing officials, horsemen and women, including family members in attendance in the area near the paddock and racetrack.” $250 fine.
Meadowlands, Jul 19: “After his horse, He’s Half Naked, was scratched, owner Neil Glasser approached the state veterinarian in an aggressive manner. He used improper, profane and indecent language to a racing official…and is hereby fined $500.”
And finally, among the always-plentiful whipping violations, these:
Effingham Fair (Illinois), Aug 1: “While driving Dandy’s Storm, Jordan Patton used his whip excessively during the whole race.” The whole race. $100 fine.
Topsham Fair (Maine), Aug 3: “While driving the horse Aintnobettor A [11 years old, by the way], McGwire Sowers did use his whip in an excessive manner and did leave welt marks on his horse.” Welts. $500 fine, 5-day suspension.
This, every day, is horseracing.
What a fine group of upstanding citizens we have here, ranging from drunks to drug abusers, with a bunch of just plain a-holes in between. Anybody else see the irony in the drunk harness drivers’ horse’s name, Bourbonontherocks? You can’t make this stuff up…
Pauline, the people who participate in this inhumane so-called sport have made it corrupt. I don’t think that ORGANIZED CRIME ever stopped being a part of the gambling in horseracing. It’s all about the money and the ego trips for so many people who participate in this inhumane so-called sport where horses are regarded as expendable gambling chips.
There are so many people in the horse racing industry who pride themselves on lying and cheating and getting away with it.
There are too many people, both inside the equine industry and outside of the equine industry, who are proud of how they can lie and cheat and steal and think they are outsmarting everyone.
The racing industry is made up of people (morally depraved people) who pride themselves on thinking they are outsmarting the other guy while they are not only ABUSING HORSES WITHIN THE RULES OF HORSESRACING, but also BREAKING the DOPING RULES and the WHIPPING RULES and also using ILLEGAL hand-held electric shock devices on Thoroughbred racehorses as well as other egregious cruelties to the horses.
Horse racing itself is not fit for the horses or people to participate in because of so much corruption. Saying it’s endemic to the industry is sending a strong message that this is the place where corruption is acceptable, unless you’re caught. Even then it continues.
I don’t believe any of the horse-abusing offenders listed above care one iota about what is in the “best interest of racing” when they are in a so-called sport that inherently brutalizes horses for purse money and possibly bragging ‘rights’ in a relatively small world of the equine industry.
As Marie points out, the chances of winning any money on gambling on harness horses would be slim to none unless you “know somebody” who is willing to give you an inside tip. How is all of this ABUSE of horses and CORRUPTION within the harness racing community itself “in the best interest of racing” at all???!
I did not know that nerving horses was still a common practice. How disgusting.
And, why would anyone bother to bet on horses?? Unless you’re in on who’s drugging their horses (which IS usually well-known to insiders, though nothing is done about it), as a general betting public- why bother?? You’re already behind the 8 ball on the chemical trainers and owners.