The Pletcher fine is pure nonsense.
Here is what I wrote in my blog to my clients:
The Blood-Horse reports that trainer Todd Pletcher has been fined and suspended for 10 days for administering Champion filly Wait a While an antibiotic. Pletcher’s vet told him that it would be safe to give the medication, because he was doing so 18 days from the Breeders’ Cup and the protocol said 14 days would be plenty of time.
Unfortunately, each horse metabolizes medication differently and the trace elements of the drug were still in the mare’s system on Breeders’ Cup day.
Barry Irwin, who has written as much as anybody about horsemen and vets that cheat by using performance enhancing drugs, said “This is a classic case of failing to understand what constitutes somebody that is trying to cheat versus a responsible party that has his horse’s best interests at heart.
“Pletcher was not trying to cheat and he relied upon expert medical advice,” he said. “Compare this with Kiaran McLaughlin’s recent case, in which he was caught administering a respiratory medication closer to some races than was recommended by his vet. Kiaran took a shot and he got caught. This is closer to taking an edge than what Todd did. But compare both of these acts to what guys like Jeff Mullins and Rick Dutrow have done and one can see the difference between those that blatantly take an edge by trying to cheat, versus those that do nothing wrong or take somewhat of a risk.
“For me, it is all about intent. Todd is, in my opinion, 100 percent innocent. Kiaran, on the other hand, is slightly pregnant. Mullins and Dutrow are totally intent on taking an edge. The penalties and fines should be metted out accordingly. Todd now will be looked up as a cheater, which is a bigger criminal offense on the part of the racing officials, than on the supposed perpetrator of the fine.”
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
Topic Author
