March 5, 2007
This edition of Reader Feedback comes from our online poll that asks whether you agree with the decision by racetracks to exclude participants with positive tests while racing commission investigations are ongoing.
Click here to send us your thoughts on any of the comments below.
All of these questionable positives (Dr. Goodrow's statement) put the careers and business rights of individuals such as Rick Zeron in a negative public image from this day forward if the ORC is wrong. I suggest we give these trainers their split samples, we broaden the testing procedures to see if the results are being read wrong and we hold WEG accountable for their cold and callous ejection. Mr.Zeron was the only positive voice WEG ever had and with a swipe of the pen they turn on him without conducting their due diligence.
Dave Bryans
It would probably be wise to define integrity for everyone. I would also say that integrity should be held equally on both sides of this matter. Hunter and hunted, Cops and Robbers, Good Guy and Bad Guy etc, etc. This could become quite interesting.
Franklin L. Pellegrini D.V.M.
I've never liked the "guilty until your proven Innocent" mentality that racing has had over the years. This quasi judicial system that the racing commissions have and private property game that the racetrack owners usually play are in some ways more detrimental to the sport than what may be happening here. Get the tests done, get the facts and then hammer the offenders. If the commissions and racetracks are wrong here, and being in a lawsuit-crazed society, I suspect that defamation of character and/or denial of making a living lawsuits in the millions of dollars, by each one accused, will be flying after this. The optics are just plain bad!
Myles Mintzler
I don't think that the ORC and Woodbine Entertainment Group are being fair to the trainers involved in the matter because they have their own rules. In Canada, this wonderful country, criminal law and civil law state that you are presumed innocent until proven guilty in an ordinary Canadian court. The trainers involved are not being given a fair opportunity. Their lives have been taken away from them and that is against the Canadian Human Rights Act.
Daniel Houle
I strongly agree with this decision and it is long overdue. I am also glad that [Woodbine] has taken the position to not allow the horses involved with these trainers race for at least 30 days. I also feel that they should go after the owners of these horse as they all well aware of what is going on. These horses should not be allowed to go to other trainers.
Jim Crowley
I have voted yes on the poll question about suspending all horses trained by those trainers who have experienced the recent positive tests, but would like to qualify that with a couple of comments. First, I support the suspensions so long as the ORC's ongoing investigation doesn't take forever. These people have been left in in limbo. As it stands, they have not yet been convicted of anything, but they are already paying a penalty, which is opposite to the basic principle of our justice system, "innocent until proven guilty." That's why the situation cannot be allowed to drag on indefinitely. Second, some of these people also drive horses, and I think it's wrong for WEG and other tracks to play God and exclude them from the races entirely. I don't see anything wrong with them driving horses trained and owned by other people, even if the ORC ultimately convicts them of training offences. The total exclusions seem like overkill and are ruining people's lives.
Brian Bolt
Any opinions and views expressed are those of the writers, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Trot Magazine or Standardbred Canada.