Can Drug Testing alone catch or stop DRUG cheats? - Richard Freedman on TripleM Radio

Quote:

Originally Posted by HISGEN65

hi all
jeezzz where do you start when talking about cheats in the industry??..one thing that I will say is that in my humble opinion
the penaltys are way too lenient.It seems before you know it your again racing against the same proven & convicted cheats
that have just been sent on holidays..so I am guessing that some of these dirt bags feel its "worth the risk"
This leads me to the next thing thats shits me off..it doesnt take rocket science to see where alot of these horses get transferred to
once someone goes for a holiday.This again adds the notion that its "worth the risk" as they will still be pulling the strings anyways.
Its like anything in life...if the penalties & consequences for ones actions far outweigh the risk & the ensueing rewards most will think twice
So to answer the original posters question "Can Drug Testing alone catch or stop DRUG cheats"
no they wont....but the heavier penalties & or consequences may

G'day James,
I have to say mate your post read a bit like my own thoughts, HRNSW finally introduced, IMO realistic penalties, together with an improved, but thus far not hole proof policy on how the the transfer of disqualified trainers' horses ( since the Gleeson's lets say team) might be handled to satisfactorily deal with "pretend tranfers" and people start bitching about the new penalties are too severe.... there are some who are even claiming steroid "overages" should be treated as a mere miscalculation of therapeutics...that shits me something horrible to be honest, I'm sure some will argue that just about everything is used as a "therapeutic" in order to make it all sound a bit more innocent, these same people will carry on a bit every now and then to make it sound like they do not tolerate drugs in the game but it appears to me they really only care about who gets caught and who doesn't and they design they're arguments accordingly.

James, one thing is for absolute certain, cause maths don't lie....the longer the grubs that stretch the rules spend on the sidelines, the less grubs we all have to contend with each week and I am ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that the honest people will all agree with that statement at least.

thanks for your post, good to hear from someone who doesn't fall for the bullshit.

Cheers,
Dan

Absolutely spot on Dan . Every single drug can be linked to a therapeutic use and its amazing how sick their horses must be to need these drugs yet still manage to run like jet engines on race day and don't you love the old war cry "I don't know how that got there" . Even when their caught red handed they havn't got the guts to stand up and apologize . Weak , skum sucking pigs .

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark diegutis

Absolutely spot on Dan . Every single drug can be linked to a therapeutic use and its amazing how sick their horses must be to need these drugs yet still manage to run like jet engines on race day and don't you love the old war cry "I don't know how that got there" . Even when their caught red handed they havn't got the guts to stand up and apologize . Weak , skum sucking pigs .

[VVV] G'day Mark,
Every single drug can be linked to a therapeutic use can it? Interesting.
Perhaps you could enlighten me as to the equine therapeutic uses/functions of drugs such as EPO, Methamphetamine & so on.

VVV Epo is used to treat anemia assosciated with chronic renal disease as damaged kidneys may not produce enough naturally, horses have kidneys and on occasions kidney diseases, and can be treated with epo to address anemia problems. Doesn't happen often because of the costs involved and generally poor prognosis for the horse hence they are more frequently euthanised as thats legal for equine patients. Methamphetanine is used in the treatment of ADHD, chronic obesity, narcolepsy and treatment resitant depression. Not likely a horse will be diagnosed with ADHD, though I'm pretty sure I 've had a couple that behave like it, or treatment resistent depression but they do suffer from chronic obesity and narcolepsy so could be treated for these conditions with methamphetimine at the behest of a veterinarian. I don't know what "so on" is used to treat.

It may surprise you VVV but most drugs are initially created with legitimate therapeutic uses in mind, then the other uses come to light.

I find it quite interesting you are asking. Mark's anti drug stance has been consistent across all threads ands posts on this forum but yours has not. Are you planning on laying something else on the line with another "everyone is using Boldonone on geldings and getting away with it" claim?

Bill I'm am well aware that anabolic steroids are not covered in out of competition testing but I don't think the rules are so clear cut if they are detected in an out of competition test and the trainer cannot produce evidence to comply with the requirements for the recording of medications. After all possesion of anabolic steroids are only legal, in society not just harness racing, if they have been prescribed by an appropriately qualified person, in the case of for treatment for a horse that would be a vet.

?????????? Geeze Dot. Renal failure and ADHD??????? Making a case for the presence of EPO and Meth in a horse? You're making my head spin. That is just insane. Are EPO and Methamphetamine recognised equine therapeutic substances ala Bute, Boldenone etc?

Thanks for answering that one Dot . Been on night shift . Hi Jaimie . All drugs were originallly developed with therapeutic uses in mind . Drug dealers and dope heads don't have the brains or technology to develope these drugs , only reproduce them . Heroin , LSD and even pot all can be used therapeutically . The racing industry is the only sporting group that accepts drug cheating as "part of the industry" . The gallops can cope with it but its killing off harness racing and , by the way , steroid use is every bit as performance enhancing as Epo as they do the same thing and even more . Their use is just as disgusting . Why can't they just train on their merrits and then we would really see the good horsemen rise to the top , not the filthy , low life , theiving , scum sucking leaches that will reap all the silver ware on presentation night . The worst thing is that they are called "the greatest trainer" or "the best driver " . Its easy to drive like these guys . Just come out of the gate and don't stop going forward until the finish line and its SOOOO obvious !!!! .

VVV in certain circumstances under the direction of a veterinary surgeon who was treating a horse for kidney disease or narcolepsy then there would be a case for the presence of EPO or Meth. It is not likely that any horse being treated for these conditions is going to be racing or tested for the use of these drugs in a racing environment at the same time but yes there would be a case for these drugs to be found, though with the cost of EPO its not likely to be used often and I don't know if a vet would use meth for narcalepsy only that it is produced under FDA approval and can be used to treat narcalepsy and other things.

Whilst deliberate administration of Meth to a race horse is abhorent the abundant use of it illegaly in the human population does make it a substance that can result in a positive swab as the result of human equine contamination, rather then any deliberate administration. After Gai's positive for cocaine it is a requirement at her stables that all stable hands and owners on entering the premises wash their hands. I doubt any harness stable is as diligent, particularly with owners.

VVV you seem to think that Bute is harmless but you do know that it can kill a horse don't you?

Bill I'm am well aware that anabolic steroids are not covered in out of competition testing but I don't think the rules are so clear cut if they are detected in an out of competition test and the trainer cannot produce evidence to comply with the requirements for the recording of medications. After all possesion of anabolic steroids are only legal, in society not just harness racing, if they have been prescribed by an appropriately qualified person, in the case of for treatment for a horse that would be a vet.[/QUOTE]

Hi Dot, I rang the stewards & asked if a horse was out of comp tested & steroids were detected would they do anything....they said NO.
I then said if that same horse presented at the races 3 weeks later & was clean would they do anything.....they said NO.

Trish

And that Trish is why drug testing and harness racing won't stop cheats. The stewards will of course never find evidence of wrong doing unless they are prepared to look.

Boldenone detected in any racehorse gelding or mare can only be for one reason as blatantly explained in the link.

http://www.ibuysteroids.com/blog/med...ht-choice.html

The rules urgently need changing so that a horse in pre-training must be drug free for a period of time before it is cleared to race.