Bob,

I am sure you're a good guy. In response to your most eloquent post, I wrote quite a few responses to you, only to delete them over and over. I don't want another BOB"PHILO" war with you as even I can tell, I am clearly out of your intellectual league, (IE you are the Yankees or Secretariat and I am the Kanapolis Intimidators or anything trained by John Candlin).

You clearly don't want to understand my point.

I sincerely do not want to have horses hurt or worse, nor do I want to see jockey's hurt or worse. I know that drugs and Shaking, and fixing are all still part of the culture. It's been there for decades, no more now then before, and I use the inuendo information, when I wager, to asses the propects of a horse of a "suspected Drug Trainer" period!!! When it comes to racing I am a realist not an idealist. So if that is shameful, I can sleep at night.

The policing part belong to the authorities, the racing commisions, the NTRA, and the Breeders. It seems those in power have no interest of increasing or better yet improving testing, or providing meaningful information such as Co2 levels or Vet information. The only Power that a schlock bettor has is to not bet or bet elshwere. Protest the "BAD JURISDICTIONS" by Moving the Dollars. Not sure bettors have much more influence than that. I think the offshore rebate shops got some attention of the commisions. In there defense, the powers that be, do seem to want to improve running conditions for horses by modifying the racing surfaces around North America. (perhaps an overreaction only time will tell).

It is also my opinion that many on here who villify trainers about drug use are really no more than whining about bad handicapping, bad training or trainers and really what amounts to nothing more. They use the excuse drugs as a poor excuse for their bad capping. It may make them feel good or sound good. Howver, PLEASE if you really feel that strongly about the issue, DO SOMETHING. If you "REALLY" have the "inside dope" rather than whine on this or any board, report it. I'm sure there are more effective places to do it than this microculture of the racing community. Bob, you sound more like an animal lover than many of these other whiners, just to make it clear.

Good Luck with your social cause. What is your plan of action? Any luck with Spitzers office?

I don't really ever like to shy from a good public debate, but in this case I am dropping it from this public forum. I thought this was a handicapping forum and not a social issues forum. If you want to discuss this further, my email address is public.


NC Tony