Have we learned nothing in the last century?

My colleague at Harnesslink, Steve Wolf, has been writing eye-opening volumes recently about the explosion of positive drug tests in our sport with the use of, to put it simply, synthetic pot.

I have never tried—or enjoyed—pot but some friends have and said, “it makes you feel real good…and makes you hungry!”

In agreement, one other user concurred, pointed at his friend, and said, “on one occasion, “he smoked half a joint…and got so hungry that he ATE the other half!”

He laughed and thought it was funny and just “blowing smoke” and, while we treat it lightly nowadays with here-and-there with recreational use, it’s NOT funny and becoming a very serious situation that has developed in harness racing…actually, all of racing.

Drugs in all types of equine events has been going on for, literally, centuries—some accounts saying it goes back to Roman times and had a profound effect on chariot races with the penalty, in some cases, death to the perpetrator.

Back in 1903, England passed a law out-lawing “horse doping” and, nine years later, saliva testing was introduced in search of enhancement drugs like caffeine and cocaine, among others, with the penalty being disqualification from the race.

Since the saying, “Money is the root of all evil” had been around—many centuries—illegal medication became much more prevalent when the modern-day system of wagering was legalized back in 1933.

According to sources, as many as half the horses were given illicit medications in the form of the aforementioned caffeine and cocaine with heroin and strychnine thrown into the mix with the results of enhanced performance causing an influx of injuries and, sometimes, even worse.

It is said that, today, there are over 1,000 “medications” that are considered performer enhancing in the form of stimulants, tranquilizers and bronchial assists, to name aa few.

Yes, today, the testing is so sophisticated that two grains of salt can be detected in an Olympic sized swimming pool and this technology should be used to rid the sport of illegal “medications” and rid the sport of those who administer said medications—and those who allow it.

It’s expensive, yes, but isn’t our industry worth it to sustain our future?

It’s been about 60 years when the influence of Lasix—then not “affirmed” to be legal—seemed to have an influence in a major event when Northern Dancer won the famed Kentucky Derby after Lasix was administered and it took 10 years for Maryland to legalize it for use on race days.

Florida, Kentucky, MIchigan, New Jersey followed, as did other States,

Notice New York’s name was not mentioned as they didn’t allow Lasix until 1995.

In fact, going back to 1987, the grand thoroughbred Alysheba had a chance to win the triple crown but had to “forego” Lasix in New York, when he raced in the Belmont and finished fourth.

After the School of Veterinary Medicine did a comprehensive study of Lasix and found it to be a performance enhancing medication, racing forms and programs began informing the public that Lasix (L) had been given to any programmed starter.

Of course, our sport is not alone in controversy as PEDs (Performance Enhance Drugs) are used in countless competition sports—remember MLB’s steroid use controversy?

In this age of sports betting and prop wagering, this could play a huge role in the future because there are no (L) signs shown on a guy running the 100-yard dash in competition or even a hot-dog eating contest where betting is not sanctioned (yeah sure!) And, on your baseball line-up programs, there is no (S) on the third baseman on steroids!

The somewhat recent scandals of a couple of years ago should have scared off some of those persons that used use—or still use—illicit drugs with fines, suspensions and stiff incarceration penalties but the continual look for an edge in competition and that one word—MONEY—still looks to be the king of the court.

So, this new phenomenon entitled ADB Fubinaca—in layman’s terms, synthetic cannabis—is the new “hot stuff” in the sport.

Synthetic Cannabis now joins the groups of drugs including stimulants, anabolic steroids, and blood doping, among others benefitting the few at the expense of the many.

Yes, stimulants might be in the same category as our own “Red Bull” and increase energy…and anabolic steroids might increase the muscle mass and strength in a horse…and blood doping agents might increase oxygen flow and stamina…and anti-inflammatory drugs might help manage pain from injuries…and joint supplements, which might help the stress put on their skeletons…and respiratory meds to prevent hemorrhage…

Instead of an (L) next to a horse’s name, with all that’s floating around, I am fearful that the program could have the horse’s name with the medications (LSMFTBREPHOP) and almost endanger the 18 letters allowed for a horse’s name!!!

It’s all understandable when the hammer on a $1,000,000 yearling hits the block…or a $5,000 claimer changes hands. It’s all about the “Benjamins!”

Should these horses even be racing?

And what’s next? Are more undetectable forms of mushrooms, ecstasy, butane, methadone, ketamine, crack cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and 100 other things on the horizon?

It’s great when our major drug companies develop new medications to fight new diseases as they emerge—like they did for COVID recently and polio back in 1954.

That’s the GREAT in medicine.

But, when the chemists go too far and knowingly put our equine family members in danger…well, you know…

Every time something is administered to our grand equine athletes, it’s an attempt to gain an unfair advantage over the competition.

There has to be strong oversight, an unbiased COMMISSIONER to take charge and implement a ONE-AND-DONE program for positive testing results.

A $2,500 fine and one-year suspension are nowhere near enough.

Want to clean up the sport? Want to even the playing field?

We can only suggest the correct answer!

SOMEBODY HAS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

May The Horse Be With You!

by John Berry, for Harnesslink