Four trainers in New York face penalties

[Alan07]

Four trainers could face penalties from the New York State Racing and Wagering Board after they were found to have given their horses herbal medications on the day they were to race, in violation of state rules.

Trainers Stanley Hough, Chris Englehart, Faustino Ramos, and Michelle Sharp all could face penalties after they or their employees were observed to have given their horse either Air Power or Wind-Aid. The four horses from those barns were scratched out of their respective races at Belmont Park last week by the stewards after they were alerted to the administration of the medications by New York Racing Association security.

http://drf.com/news/four-trainers-ne...bal-medication

[randallscott35]

Just a litte raceday pick me up. Some hickory root and rubarb tea.

[Cannon Shell]

Carmine Donofrio, the state steward, said the administration of those medications violates a state law that does not permit the administration of any medication that is a “drug or by their nature, exhibit drug-like actions or properties.” The rule states that antibiotics, vitamins, electrolytes, and other food supplements are permissible to be administered orally on race day as long as they don’t exhibit drug-like properties.

“It’s a cough medicine, it’s not anything pertaining to what’s in that rule,” Donofrio said.

So you can give antibiotics (actual drugs) but you can't give a "cough medicine" which doesn't actually have any drugs but is 'druglike'???

What drug exactly is wind-aid like?

This is just a huge waste of time and resources to "police" wind-aid. I'm all for oversight especially on raceday but this is another example of making an issue out of what should be a non-issue and casting the sport in a negative light for no particular reason and more importantly with no effect on the actual performance of races.