Horse Trainer Raises Suspicions with Injections

A year after the fiasco with horse trainer Rick Dutrow and roiding Big Brown, a new trainer is causing concern with similar questionable practices. His timing is perfect with the Kentucky Derby.less than a month away.

Trainer Jeff Mullins was busted Saturday giving Gato Go Win a cough remedy substance in the detention barn before the $200,000 Bay Shore. Per state racing rules, New York racing officials removed the horse from the race. The syringe and substance were confiscated and an investigation is underway. Joseph Mahoney, the spokesman for the New York State Racing and Wagering Board, said giving any medication to a horse while waiting in the detention barn is against the New York racing rules.

“If a horse needs a product of this order to get to the finish line, then we have a problem with that,” Mahoney said.

According to The New York Times, the substance was labeled as Air Power, an over-the-counter cough formula manufactured by a company called Finish Line. On its Web site, the company claims that one dose will usually stop a horse’s cough all day and that “nothing manufactured and sold by Finish Line will test positive in any race or show jurisdiction in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, South America, England or Saudi Arabia.”

Unfortunately, for the sport of horse racing, the Mullins-trained I Want Revenge won the Wood Memorial later in the day and is a favorite to win the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby in May.

This is not the first time Mullins has run afoul of the rules of the sport, similar to Dutrow. Turns out, Mullins has a history of medication violations in his base of California. Last spring, he was suspended for 20 days by the California Horse Racing Board for use of the Class 2 drug mepivacaine. Per the NYT, “in 2005, one of his horses tested positive for exceeding the limit of total carbon dioxide, which indicates the horse had a ‘milkshake’ — a concoction of baking soda, sugar and electrolytes that helps a horse ward off fatigue. His horses were put under 24-hour surveillance for 30 days.”

A California Horse Racing Board complaint said another horse of Mullins’s had exceeded the regulatory threshold for total carbon dioxide in a blood sample taken before a race at Del Mar in August.

Michael Iavarone, who heads the International Equine Acquisition Holdings (IEAH), which bought 50 percent of I Want Revenge last week, understood that Air Power was not a PED, and that his Derby contender was not part of Mullins’s violations. IEAH, you’ll recall, was the owner of Big Brown last year trained by controversial Rick Dutrow.

IEAH needs to get a clue. Even though they claimed to be roid free last October and "unnecessary medications," are we supposed to believe that IEAH will police themselves? Two years in a row that they have a major stake or outright owned the Derby favorite / winner, but it has come with a considerable price. The scrutiny and the "win at all costs" mentality with a complete disregard for what trainers and others involved with the horses could be doing to get those wins. Why is it that every trainer who is busted with one horse gets a pass with all the other horses he trains? Ignorance really is bliss.

Big Brown is Back...Will be Clean before Breeders’ Cup

Big Brown came from behind to win at the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park Sunday beating 20-1 long shot Coal Play by one-and-three-quarter-lengths.

A victory is a victory, even though it was unlike any of Big Brown's previous wins where he"destroyed" the field according to trainer Rick Dutrow. Like any good salesman, Dutrow spun the unimpressive victory by playing up the competition. "The other horse (Coal Play) ran a huge, huge race. That’s why maybe it looked like Brown didn't look like himself. But, man, in the last eighth of a mile, he really got himself together. He showed us that he’s back in town."

A week earlier, Representative Bobby L. Rush, chairman of the congressional subcommittee that investigated horse racing and performance-enhancing drugs during hearings in June, sent a letter to the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority (KHRA) asking why Dutrow only received a 15-day suspension for a positive test when the rules appeared to dictate a harsher penalty. The KHRA could have suspended Dutrow up to 60 days for a first offense and one to six months for a second offense. Dutrow has been fined or suspended at least once for the past 9 years. Apparently, the KHRA did not feel that Dutrow's previous missteps did not take place under their jurisdiction or simply were not relevant when netting out their current punishment for this transgression.

Look for more Congressional involvement in the sport after inconsistent enforcement of doping violations and look for a bit more skepticism from the public when it comes to Big Brown's earlier Winstrol-aided feats. The next confirmed race on Big Brown's schedule is the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Oct. 25. Big Brown's owners (IEAH) have said all their horses will be PED-free by October 1st. If Big Brown wins at Santa Anita, don't expect him to "destroy" the competition.

Curlin Off Roids...Looking for 4th Win Roid Free

Today Curlin will look to win it's 4th race in a row, roid free.

After being named the 2007 Horse of the Year, it turns out, Curlin might have been aided during his impressive run by Big Brown's roid of choice, Winstrol. His owner Jess Jackson, has acknowledged Curlin's past roid usage and now wants to prove that Curlin is a roid-free champion.

In January, Jackson "discovered" that Curlin was roiding up from trainer Steve Asmussen and advised him to stop its use. Since cycling off the juice Curlin is undefeated, and crushed the field in a seven-and-three-quarter-length victory over an impressive field at the $6 million Dubai World Cup in March. Dubai has the some of the world's toughest testing standards in horse racing.

In today's Grade I $500,000 Man o’ War Stakes at Belmont Park, Curlin will try to keep the roid free winning streak alive. This race is important for Curlin and Jackson because their sights are set on the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 5 at Longchamp Race Course in Paris. If Curlin can win today and in October, Jackson hopes that he can bring back some much needed credibility to the sport of horse horsing.

“I’m trying to prove that Curlin is a real champion, and that we can race horses into their 4-year-old years and beyond,” said Jackson, 78, the founder and owner of Kendall-Jackson Winery. “I want to show the industry that we can breed horses with stamina and durability, and race them clean.”

Last month, Jackson put all his trainers on notice (he has more than 60 racehorses) that he would take the step to independently drug test his horses after each race. The owners of Big Brown, IEAH, have also said they will do this starting in October. Unlike most professional sports, Jackson has instituted a one strike and you're out policy: the trainer would be fired for any positive test.

Ironically enough, Texas racing officials said that a horse trained by Asmussen tested positive for the anesthetic lidocaine, the same drug that Roger Clemens said Brian McNamee injected him with and not the PED's that McNamme alleges.

What is it with baseball players and horses taking the same drugs? Isn't there something inherently wrong if the same drugs that Barry Bonds allegedly used to fuel his assault on the home run record is being used to fuel Big Brown's assault on the Triple Crown? If anything, this disturbing development leads credence to the claim that pets should be able to take psychotic drugs that humans take - apparently animals and humans are reaping the same benefits.

In this specific instance, Asmussen took a page from the "tested positive athlete" playbook and has denied wrongdoing, claiming that the test was "faulty" and that he was not allowed to send the samples to a lab of his choosing. Isn't the purpose of having independent testing so that the possible cheat doesn't have the option to send it to a "friendly" lab? Lucky for Asmussen, Jackson is buying his story! Jackson will take a wait and see approach before any discipline. I'm sure today's race had nothing to do with altering his stance on the one and done strict discipline policy.

Owner Advises Dutrow He's on Short Leash

Michael Iavarone, co-owner of IEAH which owns Big Brown is tiring of trainer Rick Dutrow's act, but is still is impressed with his results.

He told a reporter for ESPN that Dutrow is on "a short leash" in the aftermath of his handling of his latest drug offense. Salute the Count, Dutrow's horse he was training, tested positive for having more than two times the amount of clenbuterol after finishing second in the Aegon Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs on May 2nd. Dutrow faces a 15 day suspension.

Dutrow took the high road stating that the media has overblown the situation and that he had not intentionally broken any rules saying, "It's my responsibility, but it's not my fault."

Iavarone did go on to praise his trainer for an impressive win at the Belmont when 40-1 long shot Frost Giant won the Grade I Suburban Handicap this past Saturday.

At some point IEAH will have to make up their mind regarding Dutrow: either they are a results driven organization no matter what tactics are employed or they take a stand and break a trainer off who has been suspended at least once per year for the past nine years. Mr. Iavarone, ball is in your court.

Dutrow Long Shot Wins Over the Weekend

Controversial trainer Rick Dutrow has done it once again. I'm not referring to another suspension, but leading an improbable horse to victory.

Frost Giant, a 40-1 long shot from the IEAH stable, won at the 122nd running of the Grade 1, $400,000 Suburban Handicap on Saturday at Belmont Park. Michael Iavarone, co-owner of IEAH, has stated that all horses in the IEAH stable will be drug free by October 1st.

It's unfortunate that a great underdog story is clouded by these facts: trainer facing drug suspension and ownership who says stable will be drug free in three months. If a 40-1 horse can win in an 8 horse field, this leads to some unsettling issues:

Either the odds makers are failing at doing their jobs and/or we are seeing the effects of "chemical horses" on the field of competition. Both are bothersome if the sport wants to be taken as a legitimate clean enterprise rather than "just a bet".

Dutrow Busted for PED's; Suspended for 15 Days

PED's once again caught up to controversial trainer, Rick Dutrow Jr.

Salute the Count, one of his horses he trained earlier this year, tested positive for twice the allowable level of clenbuterol, a banned substance. Two drug tests were performed after finishing second in the Aegon Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs on May 2. Clenbuterol helps burn fat while promoting muscle growth. In humans, the drug is used to treat asthma. As a result of the positive test, Dutrow faces a 15 day suspension; he does have the option of filing an appeal within the next 10 days, but has already taken responsibility for his actions.

“I was there all week and am responsible,” Dutrow said. “I use that medication on many of my horses and only once can ever remember having a problem with it.”

According to the New York Times, "clenbuterol is an approved medication in horses, and is used as a bronchial dilator — which increases lung capacity — though it has steroidal properties. It is illegal to administer it on race day, but states vary on the length of time beforehand that it can be administered. In New York, for example, it cannot be administered within 96 hours of race day. In Kentucky, 72 hours".

With the recent Congressional subcommittee hearing on the sport, this state discrepancy as to when clenbuterol can be administered illustrates the need for a national governing body. Simplify the process: create a national oversight body, implement universal rules and provide a stringent transparent drug testing program so that the public will be more comfortable that they are seeing less of these "chemical horses" that recent breeders have been testifying to.

This is not Dutrow's first suspension. He has been fined or suspended at least once for the past 9 years for various medication violations — including positive tests for mepivacaine, phenylbutazone and oxyphenbutazone and clenbuterol. He also served a 60-day suspension in 2005 after two of his horses tested positive for banned substances and claiming there was a violation.

Given Dutrow's track record, would any owner want all the additional baggage and speculation that comes with employing this trainer? Apparently, the folks at IEAH do not have a problem with it.

Big Brown's Stable to Go Roid Free...by Oct. 1st

Big Brown's owners are leading the charge in cleaning up horse racing when they announced Sunday that they would immediately begin withdrawing all steroids and any unnecessary medications from their horses. "Immediately" is a bit of a misnomer since the ban will be in place October 1st, conveniently after Big Brown's next race, August 3rd in the Haskell Invitational. This action is on the heels of Congress raising serious doubts that the sport can govern itself as currently constructed and considering adopting a national authority to oversee the sport.

Michael Iavarone, a co-president of International Equine Acquisitions Holdings (IEAH) which owns Big Brown among other horses, said that the more than 50 horses owned by his stable would be drug free by Oct. 1, and to quell speculation of roided up horses, that they would pay for tests to be administered by state or track veterinarians before and after each of their races to prove it.

He's confident that his stable does not need the juice to be successful out on the track. “I know Big Brown or any of our horses do not need this stuff to win,” he said. “I’m not worried about an uneven playing field, either. The cost of the drug tests are a small price to pay for the integrity of the sport. I’m urging other owners to join us, and let’s turn the game around.”

Controversial trainer, Rick Dutrow, is on board with the self-imposed ban on all medications perceived to be performance-enhancing. However, not all PED's and medications are off the table. The stable’s horses will continue to run on the legal anti bleeding medication Lasix when necessary.

IEAH might not have won the Triple Crown, but they struck gold when they brokered a deal to sell Big Brown’s breeding rights for about $60 million. For a relatively new outfit, IEAH has had quite a bit of success. So far in 2008, their stable has won more than $5.7 million in purses and won at a 23 percent clip. Bolstering their claim that their horses do not need the juice, they have won in Dubai, where the rules against drug use are the most stringent in the world. Dutrow, in written testimony submitted to the Congressional subcommittee last week, cited his horses’ victories in two $1 million races in Dubai as evidence that his horses could thrive in a drug-free environment.

Losing the Triple Crown was costly to IEAH. Besides the controversy of whether or not Big Brown is a "chemical horse", Iavarone said that performance cost at least $50 million in the breeding shed and in future marketing deals.

Just how costly was the Belmont? Try $60,000 - $125,000 per breeding session. According to the New York Times, "if Big Brown, a bay colt, never raced again, he might attract $40,000 to $75,000 for a breeding session versus the $100,000 to $200,000 he would have earned as a nobly defeated Triple Crown challenger or the 12th horse to sweep the series".

A novel twist to just going drug free for your stable was Iavarone's suggestion that racetracks and Daily Racing Form print in their programs that horses owned by IEAH, and any owner who adopts the policy, be listed as drug free. From a punishment standpoint, Iavarone also said that if any of his horses failed a drug test that IEAH pays for, the company would return the purse money. No word on what the punishment would be if a horse failed a drug test that IEAH did not pay for.

Whenever Congress gets involved in any one's business, that's when participants start circling the wagons. A few good ideas in this proposal and the glaringly obvious conflict of interest issues need to be addressed. Nice p.r. stunt to be an "early adopter" and "on the cutting edge" of drug testing and PED's in the sport. There is some history to back up IEAH and Dutrow's claims that they both won under the most stringent drug testing circumstances. Why not institute this policy before your most famous horse, Big Brown's, next race? The speculation will just continue to rise if Big Brown wins at the Haskell.

Given the conflict of interest, the general public will not buy that this process is being handled independently. This is exactly why Congress got involved and felt that the sport cannot police itself and is leaning to create a national, independent governing body. Nice try IEAH, a step in the right direction, but too little, too late and I'm not buying it.