Just caught up with this one and I am not nearly as impressed as others. Another story about stopping the level of drug use by trainers on their horses by an outstanding publication such as the Bloodhorse is fine with me. Another waste of print space at the fingers of Barry Irwin is not.

Irwin has typed more words and said less than anybody I can think of over the last several years. Why he continues to get space is beyond me. His proposal of having the Tracks themselves begin operating as dispensing Pharmacy's for vetinary purposes is total insanity if not downright plagaristic. It was proposed by me on this site several months ago that one solution would be to publish daily to the track database all drugs administered to all horse by Vets on track property. Similar to what Doctors are required to do when administering care in a hospital. Irwins idea would require the Tracks to begin to carry Inventory, a sophisticated Inventory Management system, a licensed Pharmacist or two on the payroll, a distribution facility, compliance issues with several FDA regulations and on and on.

Most tracks struggle to operate race tracks successfully, now asking them to run an eqine version of Wallgreens is comical. Perhaps they can also process winners circle pictures in one hour or less, dispense alarm clocks, shaving cream, deodorant and anything else an early riser might need.

If a Vet decides he is going to bring a little extra of his own stuff what is going to stop him.

Superior Testing dummy.

Racing has recently seen the biggest names or winners in the game be set down with suspensions.

Todd Pletcher, Steve Assmussen, Rick Dutrow, Cole Norman, Marty Wolfson, Jeff Mullins with numerous others confined to quarantine. There have been no big names in baseball or football (unless you count Shawn Merriman, who by the way may win Defensive Player of the Year) set down in the last ten years, if ever. People still bet on those don't they.

Irwin and his partner Jeff Siegel have been very successful at running a public horse racing syndicate that has won at high levels all over the world. As far as writing about shaping policy, Irwin has yet to print anything that didn't serve as a sleep aid.

Perhaps they can also sell that at the Track Pharmacy........



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/17/2006 10:24PM by Silver Charm.