Dutrow says Drug Violation is being Overblown
Richard Dutrow, who is facing a suspension for a drug violation regarding another one of his horses is fighting back, claiming that he is being unfairly targeted.
New York Times - Bill Finley: Dutrow Says Drug Violation Is Overblown
Concerned that he has been unfairly labeled a cheat, Rick Dutrow, the trainer of Big Brown, said Friday that his latest drug offense had been overblown and insisted that he did not purposely break any rules. During another week in which horse racing’s drug problems have been in the news, Dutrow was suspended for 15 days because of drug use by a horse he trains. The Kentucky Horse Racing Authority announced this week that the horse, Salute the Count, tested positive for an excessive amount of the drug clenbuterol after finishing second in the Aegon Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs on May 2 — the day before the Kentucky Derby. .....more
New York Newsday - John Jeansonne: Dutrow: Drug snafu not such a big deal
...That revived details of repeated Dutrow drug suspensions - at least one every year since 2000 - but he said this positive simply was a communication "mistake in the barn" and "not as big a deal as everyone is making it out to be." He will fight the suspension "only because I can't afford to be away from the barn right now; I have too many good horses in the barn." Dutrow insisted that he skipped the Capitol Hill appearance only because he didn't feel well and "wasn't on top of my game" and that legislators "wanted to talk about breakdowns. If you're into drugs, you're going to have breakdowns. I'm safe. I'm sound. I can't remember the last time I had a breakdown in the afternoon [during a race].".....more
