Cliff Williams, Contributor

The failure of 2006 Jamaica Oaks and One Thousand Guineas heroine Swing By to face the starter in Trinidad & Tobago's Royal Oaks Derby last Monday, marks the second occasion in nine months when differing circumstances converged to deny participation of a locally-trained horse in an important race in the Eastern Caribbean.

Early last December 2005 Derby and Superstakes champion Miracle Man could not overcome problems encountered in the travel logistics and quarantine requirements, as well as being diagnosed with tick fever, to get to Puerto Rico to compete in the Caribbean Classic.

This was most unfortunate because given the failure by a Jamaican horse to win the event in the nearly three decades of checkered participation, the handicaps would have made Miracle Man highly competitive at the weights over the distance.

Potent painkiller

The unintentional administering of a potent painkiller for a minor fetlock injury by a veterinarian in the twin-island republic last week ensured that if Swing By participated in the Derby she would have returned a positive test. As I understand it, once administered, traces of the substance would almost certainly be present in any sample submitted less than seven days after.

Although Swing By was scheduled to run fully four days after medication, none of the consulted overseas experts of veterinary medicine in the United States and elsewhere would recommend participation by the filly although she was otherwise perfectly fit to start.

Compounding the problem here, though, is the fact that there is no allowable threshold level in Trinidad & Tobago, so any trace of the substance would be deemed a positive test.

In a radio interview I conducted with Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC) chief veterinarian, Dr. St. Aubyn Bartlett, he expressed astonishment that such an error was possible given the proximity to the race the treatment for that type of injury was required.

In fact, in the view of Dr. Bartlett, this particular medication should not even have been in the same locale as the horse.

SUSPICIOUS

It is difficult not to be suspicious in these circumstances but the connections of Swing By had no option but to take a philosophical view of the episode although their disappointment was understandably not very well disguised.

This is one that the conspiracy theorists will be trying to convince all who will listen that Swing By's misfortune was not just human error.

Arrangements are now being made for Ransom Man, winner of the 2006 Derby, and St. Leger winner Alliedforce, to journey to Puerto Rico to compete in this year's Caribbean Classic.

Miracle Man is also slated to be part of the contingent and will line up in an event for older horses. This time the JRC will be making sure that none of the problems recur or any others surface to abort this effort.

To this end, samples of blood have been forwarded already and the travel arrangements will follow in due course. With the horses representing Jamaica, Dr. Bartlett will be ensuring that the requisite veterinary services will be delivered without the likelihood of human error intervening.