Letters to the Editor: Elliott Walden

ELLIOTT WALDEN, WinStar Farm President/CEO & Racing Manager: 

I often get asked if I miss training. There are times that I miss the camaraderie of the backside, the friendships of fellow trainers, and the many great people who have worked for me over the years. Yesterday, however, was a day I did not miss training. The ruling handed down to a guy who I have recommended as both a trainer and a friend, Kellyn Gorder, seems unjust and unbelievable for the year sentence he was handed down. Is Kellyn a cheater? I do not believe so. 

We had Kellyn on our team at WinStar Farm for over five years breaking our best horses and getting them ready to go to trainers across the country. There was never one instance where Kellyn’s integrity came into question. I respect him as a complete horseman and a guy that loves horses. We have had Kellyn train numerous horses of ours since he started training and he has done an outstanding job. 

As a former horse trainer, I have learned to be objective. So as I examine the facts about Kellyn’s case, I see real questions. 

First, who in their right mind would give a horse a Methamphetamine? We live in a world where drugs, especially crystal meth, are abused by every class of society and 90% of our criminal cases in the U.S. are tied to drugs. They are easy to get, and easy to administer to one’s self. 

Secondly, the ability to test to low levels is twice as good as it was a decade ago lending the possibility to contamination even more possible. Did you know that over the counter inhalers for asthmatics contain the molecule that was found in Kellyn’s horse? 

Thirdly, according to Mike Meuser, the molecules found in the sample were 57 picograms per milliliter of blood, or simply said, 57 parts per trillion of Methamphetamine. 

The antibiotic and needle administered by Kellyn, which he acknowledged, was a very bad decision. As a trainer, we have all been there. I remember a time whereby a very prestigious vet who has been honored by our sport in recent years gave me a syringe of ace promazine to clip a horse because he was going home for lunch. 

The absolute trainer rule is a rule that I recognize has to be in place, but I sure wish we had a commissioner and central office that would explore the facts and impose penalties based on facts and common sense rather than blindly following a rule book. While the media has done a good job of raising awareness to get rid of the cheaters, the Stewards are put in an unenviable task in today’s environment of appearing too lenient if they don’t impose harsh penalties. But is it at the expense of real justice? 

Kellyn Gorder is not a cheater. 

–W Elliott Walden