Kentucky Bans Steroids and Saratoga Update

Kentucky is banning steroids. In fact, the bluegrass state is going to lay down the law and is set to enforce the strictest ban on steroids that horse racing has seen.

Bam! Score another one for the good guys. Sometimes I think maybe mankind is evolving.

Come on New York! Where have you been for all this? Kentucky, California and New York are arguably the three biggest horse racing states, by almost every measure.

Kentucky and Cali installed polytrack and banned steroids. Not New York though. Neither one.

Why not? Would it be too trendy if we focused on the safety of the lifeblood of the sport?

But let's talk Toga. I'll bet NYRA is relieved that they've got Curlin lined up for the Woodward on August 30th.

Especially with the almost daily showers that the Capital Region has been getting since late July and a 2-race card dating back a couple weeks to a thunderstorm that apparently washed away part of the main track.

On a personal note, I walked right by Nick Zito at Saratoga last Friday. He was just standing there, messing with his cell phone, readily accessible.

I really wanted to ask him why he is opposed to synthetic racing surfaces, but I wimped out.

But, the more sweeping moves California and Kentucky make to clean up horses and horse racing, the more NYRA is going to be forced to react.

And this news is just the kind of fuel that adds to the trail NYSPI is trying to blaze.

Please feel free to participate in the NYSPI poll and share any comments.