Wiretaps expose doping scandal in North America

Harness racing trainer Jeff Gillis has received a 10-year suspension and a $40,000 fine from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) after wiretap evidence confirmed he purchased performance-enhancing drugs from convicted veterinarian Seth Fishman.

Although Meadowlands owner Jeff Gural banned Gillis 18 months earlier based on this same evidence, no other regulators acted until the wiretaps were made public. In the time since, Gillis-trained horses earned nearly $2 million.

This case exposes racing’s troubling delay in punishing known cheaters, raising serious questions about horse welfare, regulatory enforcement, and industry accountability.

An example of one of the wire taps which was printed in Harness Racing Update follows:

In the wiretap transcripts released into evidence, Gillis said to Fishman, “I ordered some of the BB3 from you last fall” and then placed an order for 10 more doses/bottles.

A discussion of the price per bottle then led to this exchange:

Fishman: “Unfortunately building blood is not cheap friend.”

Gillis: “No, I hear you.”

Fishman: “It’s the Holy Grail of all sports.”

Gillis: “Yeah, and try and compete without it, you know, at a high level.”

Fishman: “I know in the thoroughbreds what these guys are pushing but you know it’s insane and… I don’t mention names, I don’t talk about other people, but I’ve seen some bloods on horses being claimed by certain trainers, and I don’t know, I don’t think they are getting out of competition tested let’s leave it at that.”

Gillis: “Right, right.”

Fishman: “That’s just my theory, you know?”

Gillis: “And with either of these you are confident that there’s — if they pull blood six hours later you would be safe?”

Fishman: “Well, on mine I am very confident because it [was] tested… literally it was like 12 hours later. They gave it the night before and [Meadowlands investigator] Brice Cote showed up to their farm like early in the morning.”

Gillis: “And then you said that [sample was sent] to Hong Kong [to be tested], I think you told me.”

Fishman: “Yeah, it did go to Hong Kong. Well, that’s what they told the person.”

Read the full story from Harness Racing Update for a detailed breakdown of the wiretaps, regulatory inaction, and why the sport must do better to protect horses and honest competitors.

by Harnesslink Media