The Lexington Herald-Leader has today run a story updating four harness trainers' lawsuits against the Red Mile. A spokeswoman for the Indianapolis lab
that processed the initial tests has offered some interesting quotes in the piece.
According to the article, AIT, the lab that performed the original testing, said it told the track the test results were "presumptive" positives only.
"We and Neogen (the maker of the testing kits) recommend that you do not base any decision on these positives," the report quotes Raquel Bahamonde, AIT spokeswoman, as saying in an interview in December, 2008.
"The Red Mile chose to take action based on these presumptive positives ... We do not recommend it, and they knew it. ... Had they waited they would have found these were negative. We did not mess up these tests. The Red Mile chose to not follow the process."
To read the Lexington Herald-Leader article in its entirety, click here.
For more background information on the situation, click here.
(With files from Lexington Herald-Leader)
What does the Red Mile staff
What does the Red Mile staff know about this test! All they knew it was a positive.
Why even use the test if there is a chance of False positive. You are setting yourself up for a Crash! Honesty is the best policy for all involved. Lets try that!
Dan, The tone of your
Dan,
The tone of your response is shocking. Don't you believe in due process? You sound like the wild west characters whose mantra was "Give them a trial and then hang them".
Just another situation that
Just another situation that someone is presumed guilty without all the facts being heard or reviewed. This merely casts a further cloud over racing. Let's use the definitive test results and possibly a quicker response time from a recognized test service would have prevented this assumption. The comment of 99% accurate still leaves room for error. When playing with peoples livelyhood one should be l00% accurate.
Hopefully the owners, trainers and affected parties will be treated fairly in the compensation decision.
Another sorry black eye for
Another sorry black eye for the sport. I'm inclined to believe the original test was accurate rather than the later test paid for by the trainers. Perception is reality, the lawsuit is a money grab plain and simple. Bar them from the Red Mile if they want to go that route.
In reply to Another sorry black eye for by Dan (not verified)
The only black eye is coming
The only black eye is coming from people who choose to believe the worst. The only money they are asking for is the money they lost by having their horses scratched and on further testing. If it was just a money grab as has been suggested, they could get a lot more than they are asking for! If you read the article in its entirety it is clear. I commend The Red Mile for trying to clean up the sport but they acted hastily and apparently made a serious mistake!
In reply to Another sorry black eye for by Dan (not verified)
DAN If you had been paying
DAN
If you had been paying ATTENTION!!!!!!! These trainers sent the tests to the BEST lab in NORTH AMERICA THE ONLY lab that has PROVEN its self in it's testing so for you to sit there and say that the trainers are trying to pull the wool over anyones eyes is a JOKE!!! and makes you look silly, and if the trainers were guilty, the LAST place they would have wanted to send the tests would have been THE BEST LAB in North America DUH!!!!!
In reply to Another sorry black eye for by Dan (not verified)
I do believe in due
I do believe in due process....I also believe when those trainers signed the stall lease agreement they agreed to the testing and it's results. As I understand it their names were not made public by any media source. The Red Mile like WEG should possess the right to bar any individual they wish from their property. Anyone who clings to the notion that a second test done long after the drugs were gone from the system is in any way a vindication of wrong doing are just kidding themselves. Harness racing is losing ground in many states and provinces. Is it all a result of competition for the gambling dollar? Or, is it because harness racing has an image problem and a perception among the betting patrons that doping and cheating is stealing their hard earned dollars. This group, by suing, will discredit the effort to clean up the image of a sport in need of a serious clean up.
In reply to I do believe in due by Dann (not verified)
Dan, the second test was
Dan, the second test was done was on the same sample taken from the first test. They split the sample to send to another lab. They didn't retest the horses at a later date.
In reply to I do believe in due by Dann (not verified)
Make sure you have it right
Make sure you have it right Dann. Was a second test done on a new drawn sample or was the original sample tested a second time? There is a big difference.