The New York State Racing And Wagering Board's decision to hold horses in a detention barn prior to the 2012 Belmont Stakes has infuriated at least one trainer.
Dale Romans, who trains the third-place Kentucky Derby finisher Dullahan, said the racing and wagering board is failing to look out for the horses' best interests.
``They are not cars that you can just go and move from one garage to the next,'' Romans said. ``These are creatures of habit. They like being where they are.
``The biggest problem we have in our game is the disconnect between the regulators of the game and the reality of what goes on on the backside (barn area).''
The detention barn will open on June 5. I'll Have Another's trainer, Doug O'Neill, said he would accompany the horse into the barn as early as June 4 so the horse can have more time to settle into its new environment.
But Romans doesn't feel the detention barn is in any way necessary.
``Enough has been put in place to make sure the integrity is maintained,'' he said. ``We have state-of-the-art testing after each race.''
In the meantime, stay with our Belmont Stakes Storystream for all your Belmont Stakes news, odds and analysis. You can also visit anddownthestretchtheycome for more on the race.