From the stewards at Delaware Park…
Jul 18: “Exercise Rider Julio Hernandez failed a random drug test for methamphetamine, suspended 30 days, fined $250.” An exercise rider and meth – a fine combination.
Same day: “Ready and Able bled [pulmonary hemorrhage] pulling up.” The Equibase chart said nothing of this.
One race later that same day: “Heat index is 103. Stewards were monitoring it throughout the day. Air quality had dropped below our protocols of 174 but had remained in the 150s.” For context, according to the EPA, an AQI above 150 is “unhealthy for all.” Then, prior to race 5: “The remainder of live racing canceled when heat index reached 106.” They added they were “concerned for the safety of all involved in today’s program.” Nothing says concern like running (the previous) races in oppressive heat and horrible air.
Jul 21 (which was the next raceday): “Pierce Elevated bled.” Again, the chart said nothing of this. Pierce finished 16 lengths back. He also “threw his head at the start.”
Same day: “Liadan bled.” Again, nothing in the chart. Liadan, too, finished 16 back.
Jul 22: “The claims [sales] for Collection Day and McCrakens Ghost were both voided for unsoundness.” And: “McCrakens Ghost had to be vanned back to his barn.” Nothing, of course, on this in the chart. Same race, “Torpedo Run bled.” It goes without saying this was not noted by the clearly deceitful chartwriter. Torpedo finished 47 lengths back. Could it have been because of the blood in his lungs?
Jul 23: “The winner, Irish Maxima, was fractious in the paddock…broke sharp…gained lead…and was hard ridden to the finish.” From “fractious” – i.e., didn’t want to be whipped to race – to “hard ridden to finish.” Animal abuse, on multiple levels.
And harness rulings…
Ocean, Jul 20: “Commission personnel conducted barn and truck/trailer searches. During these searches, a hypodermic needle and several syringes belonging to trainer Mark Gray were discovered and confiscated.”
Bangor, Jul 19: “While driving [11-year-old] Reys N A Ruckus, Chris Long did…continuously use the whip without giving the horse time to respond [to the signal – pain – to run faster].” Vile.
The legal penalties for possession of methamphetamine is up to 7 years in Idaho. I don’t know all of the state and federal penalties but it seems to me that the horse racing industry is exempt from the state and federal laws. Maybe I am mistaken but why are jockeys or exercise riders or anyone employed at a racetrack allowed to get such a light penalty of 30 days suspension, a $250 fine, and ZERO jail time??? Are people licensed by a state racing commission exempt from state and federal laws???
When we rode horses at the tracks here in Oregon both public & private we were undoubtedly the cleanest rider on them. Never had any RX in our system of any kind including alcohol or caffeine or nicotine. We have seen rider smoking as they riding horses on the track! Dumb & stupid as they could swallow the cigarette while galloping! Meth while galloping?! Crazy. One gets high enough just riding a horse at speed of almost 40mph! The charts 1/2 the time don`t say what really happened. Glad that you break down all the details.All testing was announced ahead of time by a day or so at Portland Meadows backside with the announcement of “Tomorrow test day everybody be clean” The backside was so littered with hypodermic needles on the backside roads at time you had to watch where you rode a horse or walked on foot! These penalties are a joke & not severe enough.
I agree with the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses that it is time for the industry to NOT be allowed to profit from the abuse of horses at taxpayers expense and also be allowed to “regulate” itself.
“… enough is enough when it comes to letting the racing industry regulate itself.”