States Should Follow CA Crackdown On ‘Program Trainers'
Feb 23, 2015 18:46:17 GMT -5
Post by Evelyn on Feb 23, 2015 18:46:17 GMT -5
I think owners should be responsible for the Asst Trainers in thoros because there are too many taking over when trainers are suspended and everyone knows they're doing exactly what the trainer tells them to do! If owners had more accountabilty, maybe they'd really look at trainers other than their win %'s.
States Should Follow California’s Crackdown On ‘Program Trainers’
By Ray Paulick
The California Horse Racing Board took an important step last week to try and clean up the scourge of the “program” or “paper” trainer. By definition, a program trainer is the person whose name is listed on the official track program in connection with a horse who has been in the care of someone else, often at a private training center or farm, and sometimes conditioned by an individual whose license has been suspended or revoked.
The problem is most prevalent in Quarter Horse racing, but it happens often with Thoroughbreds.
Owners will use a program trainer until their horse comes up with a positive drug test and the trainer is suspended. Then they find someone else who either has or can get a trainer’s license and is willing to have his name put on the program for a stipend – until one of the horses he saddles gets a positive test. Depending on how much the owners or the actual trainers at the training center are willing to push the envelope on the use of performance enhancing substances, the turnover of program trainers can be frequent.
The CHRB recognized the problem and last week approved for public notice a proposed regulatory amendment that would hold owners equally responsible for the condition of any horse that ships in to a licensed track less than one week before it races.
States like New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana would do well to take a similar stand.
States Should Follow California’s Crackdown On ‘Program Trainers’
By Ray Paulick
The California Horse Racing Board took an important step last week to try and clean up the scourge of the “program” or “paper” trainer. By definition, a program trainer is the person whose name is listed on the official track program in connection with a horse who has been in the care of someone else, often at a private training center or farm, and sometimes conditioned by an individual whose license has been suspended or revoked.
The problem is most prevalent in Quarter Horse racing, but it happens often with Thoroughbreds.
Owners will use a program trainer until their horse comes up with a positive drug test and the trainer is suspended. Then they find someone else who either has or can get a trainer’s license and is willing to have his name put on the program for a stipend – until one of the horses he saddles gets a positive test. Depending on how much the owners or the actual trainers at the training center are willing to push the envelope on the use of performance enhancing substances, the turnover of program trainers can be frequent.
The CHRB recognized the problem and last week approved for public notice a proposed regulatory amendment that would hold owners equally responsible for the condition of any horse that ships in to a licensed track less than one week before it races.
States like New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana would do well to take a similar stand.