In January, a Greyhound from the Derby Lane Racing Track tested positive for cocaine after he won fourth place in the finishing leg of the race. His name was Flying Tidalwave. Other urine tests from other dogs at the track were found positive for cocaine. Tainer Malcom McAllister, a veteran with 40 years at the track, lost his license after five of the dogs in his care were found to have cocaine in their system.
Dogs on coke
McAllister’s license was revoked April 24. Now, at 70-years-oldm he waived his rights for a hearing in federal court after the Division of Pari-Mutuel Racing took away his license as a dog trainer at the racing track.
The case file on McAllister was obtained by the Tampa Bay Times. It shows McAllister does not know how the drugs ended up in the dog’s system. He is ashamed and lives in disbelief that some of these dogs were found with cocaine.
McAllister was in the process of hiring a new trainer at the racing track when the dogs were found positive with cocaine in their systems. He had four other people help him at the track to take care of the dogs until another trainer arrived to work alongside McAllister. McAllister suspects that one of the men must have dropped some cocaine somewhere and the dogs may have gotten into it, but he has repeatedly stated that he did not put the cocaine where the dogs could get it.
History of problems
The Division of Pari-Mutuel Racing has had several issues with McAllister in the past. In 2011, he was cited for failing to properly display his racing license. Florida law on dog racing states that urine tests are to be done after every race and should be tested for drugs or any enhancers in the dog’s system.
The trainer on record is responsible for the condition of the racing dog when it is tested for banned substances.
It is also unclear about the duration of time McAllister will continue to work at the Greyhound racing track. Derby Lane and McAllister have not responded to the Tampa Bay Times in any follow up calls or emails.
There are areas in the United States besides Florida that some instances of dogs testing positive for cocaine or other banned substances happen. But not like the Derby Lane racing track in Florida were it was days after each dog was tested that another dog was found positive for cocaine said executive director Cary Thiel to the Tampa Bay Times from the GREY2K USA, a non-profit watchdog group.
