I agree that the issue of fines is to some extent a reflection of the severity of the crime. However, what the industry is faced with is not only the matter of what effect these drugs really have on performance, but the public's perception of wrong-doing...Simply put, it's a credibilty issue.

I personally believe that either ALL drugs should be banned...or made legal. End of problem...

If they are banned, violaters are dealt with harshly, regardless of who they are. If they are made legal, then full disclosure is required before the horse can start so that the wagering public at least is aware of which trainers are using drugs and which aren't...Remember the days when blinkers on/off was a big deal? Guys like Beyer were ranting and raving public disclosure of that...

It's clear that many of these substances probably don't have any huge performance enhancing effect on a horse, but the fact is that the public perceives it as nefarious and deceptive and many players are fed up with it.

I have never met a player who doesn't think that there is cheating going on at some level of the game. I have myself witnessed conversation among trainers who were discussing which drugs they thought could not be detected under the current testing procedures, so I am convinced of it personally and whether it actually affects performance or not something needs to be done to address the issue aggressively.



Post Edited (03-30-03 15:18)