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ILLEGAL STIMULATION OF HORSES. Preventive Measures Suggested to Abate the - Practice of Doping." New Orleans,- December 23. Talk that has been" current in the west for the last year or so, of the appointment by the jockey clubs of a veterinary to serve as a sort of paddock "dope" judge, has been revived here. This "dope" problem lias been a serious one for a great many years, and one that the turf authorities have found exceedingly difficult to cope with. That some abnormally fretful and nervous horses need moderate applications of stimulants to quiet them before going to the post is generally admitted. Frequently in the paddock, in the fear and dread of race contests, horses work themselves up into an almost uncontrollable state of nervousness. Oftentimes they break out and wash profusely. They betray every symptom of having been "doped," and from superficial observation, only one familiar with the peculiarities of such horses would be able, to attribute their condition to accurate causes. Horses of this temperament fret and worry themselves into such a state that they practically run their races while in the paddock awaiting the call to post, and as far as winning chances are concerned they might just as well have been left in their stables. It is not the moderate and consistent use of stimulants, where they are helpful, but the overdosing of horses with powerful drugs and the inconsistent employment of these artificial speed producers the "doping" in ami "doping." out process that is objectionable, norscs are run "warm" one day and "cold" the next, thus turning all theories of form topsy turvy and befuddling the public, the bookmakers and the officials alike. Many prominent owners there are in the west who never resort to stimulants under any circumstances. These men understand the art of thoroughly conditioning their horses and getting them in such good physical condition that they do not need" to be stimulated. The "dope" fiends, as a general thing, are found among the class of poor owners and incompetent trainers who either cannot afford to take the time, or have not the ability, to build up horses that have "gone off" and set them into racing fettle again. They tried the "dope" paddock judge down east last summer, and with satisfactory results in some instances, it Is claimed. The most noteworthy case, however, with which the official veterinary came in contact, occurred at the Benning fall meeting, and resulted in a 0,000 damage suit against the Washington Jockey Club, which was filed only two or three weeks ago. The instance referred to was when the horse, St. Joseph, belonging to Joe Marrone, ran a bad race at a long price in. the betting, this latter a circumstance which one would think should hardly have attracted much notice to him. The track veterinary alleged that St Joseph had been "doped." Another eminent "vet," employed by Marrone, asserted that St. Joseph Mad not been "doped," and it was on his suggestion that Marrone entered snit. Many plausible theories for controlling this "dope" evil have been advanced, and it Is doubtful if any plan could be devised that would not meet witii more or less strong objections. For example, an official "dope" judge might play favorites. He might injure innocent parties while neglecting to ferret out really notorious culprits. Again he might get jockey clubs into all sorts of le.gal tangles. Possibly the hurtful and highly unsatisfactory results of "doping" practices might be partially obviated, at all cvents, in the remodeling by the turf governing bodies of the existing rules against "doping," so that permission would have to be obtained from the judges to stimulate a horse, that such stimulant would have to be administered by a veterinary surgeon employed by the race track, and that announcement that such stimulant had been given would have to be displayed on the race track bulletin board. It would seem that this might place the matter under official control, and then If extreme penalties, say ruling off, were imposed against surreptitious "doping," It would appear to be probable that owners might fall into line and prefer to do their "doping" under official sanction rather than take the risks of outlawry. S. B. Weems.
