I think you can factor the drug stuff into your handicapping as just another variable that everyone else has to deal with as well. In fact, sheets probably give you an edge in spotting the "super trainers" and quantifying the affect on their horses to some degree. I think most of the guys using drugs do it pretty consistently to get an edge on their competition rather than to cash a bet.

The real losers are the non-cheating owners and trainers (and, of course, the horses) and I think they are the ones that Finley is referring to. Just look at all the top trainers/owners from 5-10 years ago that are just also-rans for the most part today. Did these guys suddenly forget how to breed and train horses or did their competition suddenly find a "short cut" to success? Finley is asking the obvious question that I have raised in the past on this board, "Why aren't these guys raising hell?" Charlie Whittingham and Woody Stephens stayed near the top of the game until their deaths. I have a feeling both of them would struggle to win any races at all if they were training today.

By the way, I think drugs are just as common in graded stakes as any other races, they are just more expensive drugs.

It will be interesting to see what happens when/if they finally institute the new drug testing policy for graded stakes.

Chris