Page 19 - The Game April 2006

Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
The Game, April 2006 19
Please be advised that the HBPA now requires that everyone in CLASS A of the Benefit Plan (Groom, Hotwalker, Assistant Trainer) provide a completed Proof of Employment Form.
The form can be picked up at either the HBPA racetrack office or by calling the administration office at 416-747-5252 ext. 31 to have a form mailed to you.
Incomplete forms will be returned and benefits could be compromised. Failure to submit the Proof of Employment Form will result in cessation of your benefits.
HBPA Update
HBPAAdministrativeOffices:135Queen’sPlateDrive,Suite370,Toronto,ON,M9W6V1 phone:416-747-5252
Attention all Benefit Plan Members
Report from the Executive Director
Skills Improvement Courses
The HBPA is offering three skills improvement courses this season. Practical Horsemanship/Barn Management; Anatomy and Physiology of the Horse; and Thoroughbred Racing Business Course.
The courses will begin at both Woodbine and Fort Erie in May.
Additional information and applications available at both HBPA backstretch offices.
HBPA Office Hours
The Woodbine HBPA backstretch office is now open 7 days a week from 7am to 3pm. Phone Numbers: 416-675-3802 or 1-800-268-9967 ext. 2249. Fax: 416-675-5569.
The Fort Erie HBPA Backstretch Office is now open Monday to Friday 7am to 3pm and will be open 7 days a week beginning April 29. Phone Numbers: 905-871-3200, ext. 3249 or 1-800-295-3770, ext. 3249. Fax: 905-871-0446.
The HBPA of Ontario will award one groom a day with $75 cash for Groom of the Day honours.
The money will be awarded to the groom based upon the appearance of the horse and the groom in the paddock. Put your best foot forward and you could be awarded Groom of the Day!
The issue of “drugs in racing” has
again seemed to surface in full force
throughout the United States with
particular attention being covered
throughout the press. The fact that
thoroughbred horse racing received
coverage in US Today is remarkable. Unfortunately the coverage that was
linked to cocaine positives in Indiana
was disturbing. Disturbing since only
one side of the story is being told. The
old journalism cliché states that “there
are two sides of every story” and since
I’m not a journalist, I believe that there
are usually three sides to every story
because somewhere within lies the truth. There is no question that the recent fury has been stimulated by drug scandals in other major sporting activities such as major league baseball. Nevertheless, whether reality or perception the issue must be addressed. “It ultimately doesn’t even matter whether there really is a problem or not, conceded Dr. Scot Waterman, Executive Director of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium. “If the fans perceive that there is a problem, we have to take that seriously”. I could not agree more. The fans are ultimately our lifeline. Without them, we will have no industry of any sub- stance to be concerned about.
Jeremy Plonk, editor of the Horseplayer magazine has capsulated in the March/April 2006 the issue quite well:
“The facts of the situation clearly are more difficult to define. That’s the major part of the problem itself. Anytime molecular biology and legal litigation play equal roles in drama, simply understanding the plot can be nearly impossible for those of us in the audience. What drugs are out there - and what exactly do they do to enhance performance?”
“Getting to the bottom of racing’s drug problem is about as easy as finding a hypodermic needle in a
haystack. Everyday horseplayers, casu- al fans and industry members alike are forced to make far reaching assump- tions as to the severity of the situation, and more importantly, what’s being done about it.”
“What the heck is even going on? To date, identifying that a drug problem exists in racing has been more a witch hunt than fact.”
To confuse the issue even more and in the wake of the increased exposure to the issue of increased positives and their notifications through media lies
the question of: Is the testing better today or are more horsemen cheating? Furthermore, from a litigation perspective: Are the tests and threshold levels too sen- sitive as to show therapeutic usage as a positive test?
The targets of recent attack are of course the high percentage win trainers. Let’s consider Bobby Frankel and Rick Dutrow. In the case of Mr. Frankel, he trains the best bred horses in the world, from top notch owners who have all to loose and nothing to gain from doing anything that may jeopardize integrity. Mr. Dutrow won two Breeders’ Cup races in 2005 at Belmont when security and surveillance was at its highest level in its history. Furthermore, consider this statistic, prior to the detention barn been implemented in New York (May 2005) Mr. Dutrow was winning at a 28% rate. After detention implementation, Mr. Dutrow is winning at a 26% rate. Got you Mr. Dutrow!
Maybe the media should evaluate and report on this very complex topic without any preconceived notions and conclusions prior to investigating.
The perception that may created to the racing fan could be damaging and irreversible which is the last thing that our industry needs at the moment.
Trainer Testing 2006 Season
The next Assistant Trainer/Trainer testing schedule for Woodbine is May 8 & 10. Completed applications have to be in the HBPA Backtstretch office no later than 3pm on Monday, April 24.
The first Assistant Trainer/Trainer testing for Fort Erie is on April 19 & 21. Applications are due at the HBPA Office in Fort Erie by 3pm on Monday, April 10. No applications will be accepted after this date.
Trainer testing will also be held at Woodbine on July 10 & 12 and at both Woodbine and Fort Erie September 18 & 20. All applications are due two weeks prior to the first test date. For more information contact the HBPA Backstretch Office at Woodbine 416-675-3802 or Fort Erie 905-871-3200, ext. 3249.
HBPA provides “Hot Spot”
Executive Director Nick Coukos
Easter Dinner at Fort Erie
HBPA Groom of the Day wins Cash!
The HBPA has installed a “hot spot” at the backstretch HBPA office and kitchen area for those wireless notebook users who want to be connected without plugging into an outlet.
The HBPA of Fort Erie invite all back- stretch workers to enjoy a free Easter Dinner in the backstretch kitchen on Thursday, April 13 from 11am to 1pm. Tickets for the Easter Dinner are available at the Fort Erie HBPA backstretch office.
Calling all Readers!!!
A “Book Swap” is available at the Fort Erie HBPA Office’s Resource Library. the rules are simple: take a book, leave a book in exchange.
Welcome back Martha Scott
The HBPA of Ontario is happy to announce that Martha Scott has returned to work part time at the Woodbine Backstretch office.
Alcoholics
Anonymous
Meetings
Every Tuesday at 1pm
HBPA Trailer Backstretch Woodbine Racetrack
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