The Learning Curve of Hisa

As everyone knows who has anything to do with racing, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority is off to an awfully rough start with their medication violations and trainer suspensions. After trainer Jonothan Wong had been suspended for four weeks and all of his 100 plus horses have been given to other trainers across the country, they said Saturday he can go back to training and entering horses. Well, that’s only until they get the other split sample back from the lab on his positive of a banned substance in a maiden race on June 1 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Now why would he take all of those horses back and then have to give them up again if the split sample comes back as a positive. Horses like a routine and every trainer trains differently and more importantly for the horse, every trainer has their own feed program. Wong is only 34 years old, but he has shown a lot of class the way he handled this mess. Wong actually applauded the Medication Control Committee for changing their stance but has no interest in going back to training until the other split sample comes back from the lab. He says it’s a learning experience for all. But a lot of the damage has already been done once a trainer gets suspended. Many of his owners think he’s a cheat and they never come back. Your reputation means a lot in this business and one never has enough owners. Trainers should never be immediately suspended until they have their due- process. It’s what this country was built on. They have every right to a fair and speedy trial and they are innocent until proven guilty. The real problem with the HISA people is that they really don’t understand racing and the way the game operates. It’s a tough learning curve for the trainers in this country.