So sorry! You are right, it was NOT Wimbledon (who won), but Kafwain who finished 2nd in 2003. The clenbutoral violation resulted in a loss of purse money as it was discovered after the fact.

My only point in responding to you about Dr. Barker was to legitimize his comments as a vet involved in horseracing, rather than merely a hand-picked advocate of the animal rights group that carried his statement on milkshakes as I thought you implied by dismissal.

As for holding feet to the fire, there are no financial consequences (purse money or bets via dq) currently in place in California's "testing", and the date at which state sanctions of any type can be applied keeps moving further away. Seems to me that after the 30 day detention barn duty and 2 weeks without entering, all you have to do is return to your Hollywood Park stall and continue to use whatever you were using without any consequences.

I don't want to be this flip or cynical - I live in California and loathe the fact that we are so inadequate in setting standards and following through in the state's horse industry overall. And I have a hard time convincing myself - let alone new blood in the form of would be handicappers - that it will improve.

But I do think that whatever is in place should apply equally to all - regardless of their "status" or "connections"...and that includes informing the public...something that is at best an afterthought.



Delmar Deb