Cross-posted from the Paulick Report »
By PAULICK REPORT STAFF
The Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission has revoked all racing licenses for four veterinarians recently named in a federal plea agreement on criminal charges for the “rigging of publicly exhibited contests.”
The revocations were dated March 27, one day after plea agreements were entered in U.S. District Court in Harrisburg, Pa., by equine practitioners Kevin L. Brophy of Annville, Pa., Christopher G. Korte of Pueblo West, Colo., Fernando Motta of Lancaster, Pa., and Renee Nodine of Annville, Pa.
The Pennsylvania rulings say the four vets pleaded guilty to “administering drugs to Thoroughbred race horses within 24 hours of when the horse was entered to race. This conduct was in violation of the state criminal law prohibiting the rigging of publicly exhibited contests; the administering of the drugs was not pursuant to a valid prescription and constituted misbranding of the prescription animal drugs in violation of federal law.
“Pursuant to Section 325.213(f)(l), (2) and (f.1) of the Horse Race Industry Reform Act, the Commission ‘shall suspend, refuse to renew or revoke a license issued under this section, if it shall determine that the applicant or licensee has been convicted of an offense related to fixing races…’”
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Tuesday's Horse 
This violation of their veterinary oath, not to mention violating the laws, needs to be exposed in every racing state in this country. The industry’s own research from data in Calilfornia indicates that up to 90% of catastrophic accidents shows the horses had pre-existing conditions that led to their breakdown. Pre-existing conditions that the trainers and certainly the veterinarians KNOW about yet continue to administer unlimited catabolic joint injections and all other manner of drugs the industry considers “legal”. They are, therefore, “fixing” races and have provided the research to support this themselves! How can it be that the public must be told on the racing form if the horse is wearing BLINKERS when all can see whether the horse is or is not wearing blinkers??? HOWEVER, the public does NOT have access to every DRUG given the horse prior to racing??? Please, Feds, you have a lot of work to do in every racing state that continues to cheat the betting public while accepting wagers across state lines through simulcasting of races! A Federal violation!!!
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So the racing license is revoked in Pa. Can they go to W. Va or Maryland and cheat for money there? They sold their souls to the trainers and mistreated animals for the almighty dollar or had no balls to say no, my veterinary oath won’t allow me to do that.
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Yes, they can simply go work in another State until they get caught and banned there. Looks like the AVMA would do something about it but what do you bet they wouldn’t if they could?
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