Doping in America

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7271, 26 September 1933, Page 4

Doping in America

FAVOURITE METHODS. 201 CASES REPORTED. Doping is a common practice in America, and tho following comment by a Washington writer is interesting:—Federal Action. i Dope—cruel, revolting, fiendish—lias degraded tho sport of kings into an inhuman racket of gamblers. Doping of racehorses is a regular prnctico at American tracks. Horse-racing is no longer a sport supposedly devoted to development Of thoroughbreds. It is becoming a brutal business for tho enrichment of racketeers and gamblers at the expense of tho unwary botting public. Those arc the outstanding revelations of a year’s secret investigation at American tracks by Federal narcotic officers under tho personal supervision of Harry J'. Anslingor, United States Coin, missioncr of Narcotics.

Moro Arrests Ma,do. The inquiry came to a climax to-day. when Federal agents, under Auslingor’s command, made seven- arrests at tho Arlington Park track, Chicago. Moro arrests arc to follow in a nation-wide cloaii-up of tho doping racket. A Federal grand jury moots in Chicago on Monday to investigate ■ tho doping scandal. Numerous indictments will bo sought.

The inquiry revealed that more than 200 horsos in as many races had been stimulated, Anslinger declared to-day, in a report to Washington. Ho added: “We are going to prosecute to the limit to stamp out thi3 evil.” Animals Suffer. Agents found horses wore doped to win or lose, a 3 the gamblers dictated. Dumb animala suffered. Sorno were destroyed. The public pays. The Federal investigation actually saw 201 horses doped. There are scores more. It was obviously impossible to catch them all. It is a stealthy, secret business.

Cases reported by agents were divided as follows: —

Chicago tracks, 63, Now Orleans tracks, 12. Florida tracks, 46. Maryland tracks, 20. So common is tho doping practice that it is laughed at, even, bragged about, by many owucts, trainers ,and handlers, Some owners confessed their horses won’t run “until they get a jolt,”

Heroin Favoured,

Age means nothing. Even two-year-olds are drugged. It is bad enough to dnig old campaigners.

Heroin, moat vicious of opium derivatives, is the .favourite drug. Cocaine comes .next. Hasheesh, known, as the “killer drug,” is widely usod.

Narcotics are administered generally in three days. Tho * ‘ hottest ’ method is injection by tho hypodermic needle into - the main, blood artery of the nock, A second way is to Tub in horoln o? cocaine on tho horse’s tongue.

Third Method. Another favourite of the racketeers is .to inject dope down tho animal’s throat with a syringe. Doping is done from a few minutes to ono hour and a half before post time. Each horse reacts differently to various, drugs. A socond-rate horse, keyed to razor’s edge by dope, runs over its head to win at a fancy price. A favourite is doped to let a plater, backed by gamblers, win.

That’s the racketeers’ object, A horso

is just a piece of flesh to them. And they care evon loss about bilking' the. bettors.