This entire who is OK and who is not is 100% subjective in nature. Personally, I would have no problem with sending a horse to Linda Toscano and anyone who would scrutinize an owner for selecting her would is making it "personal" and not justifiable. What are you going to say? That she's obviously cheating? Because she does "too good" so to speak. Pelling, well, he has some history there, but so do many others. Holloway? Is he OK? Alagna? Where does it begin and where does it end?
I think Burke is being very transparent. Self-serving and a lot of fluff. If a trainer has overages for clenbuterol, or some therapeutic use drug, sliding scale, and eventually you have to make it hurt. Couple that with holding owners accountable, sliding scale as well, and now you are talking about real change. But if a trainer has a positive test for some exotic or designer drug, or something that has not right being in a horse -- throw the book at them. Contamination? Yes, it happens. But cut the BS that my groom takes this, or my owner takes that. The beards are another issue, related, but another issue. If you suspend trainer A, do what NYRA did to Dutrow -- audit their books, follow the money, tap their phones, etc. -- and if they get caught paper-training, training from the shadows, etc. -- add a lot more time and money onto the suspension. Again, now you are talking real change. Yes, much harder to do with fewer and fewer "track stable areas" and "backstretches" and more horses being on farms. Hire more investigators! Do your friggin' job! If you don't, eventually I hope HISA will!
