Don "Investigator" Kolioutas making the rounds
9/11/07 KyHarnessRacing.com

    For those that have been racing at The Red Mile
    lately, you may have met Investigator Kolioutas with
    the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority. Kolioutas
    collects the money for Lasix (Salix). If you have a
    horse racing on Lasix, he most likely will see you by
    the end of the week for payment. If Lasix is the only
    reason for "The Investigator" to visit you. Then, you
    pay your Lasix tab and you're in the clear.

    However, if you're warming up horses or driving in a
    race and get a pat on the back from Kolioutas, you
    may owe $100 to the Racing Authority, depending if
    you're wearing a safety vest. That's the first offense.
    The second offense is  $250. One of Investigator
    Kolioutas' jobs is to make sure everyone that is
    required to have a safety vest on is wearing one.
    Kolioutas doesn't play favoritism either. On Sunday
    evening, several fines were issue for not wearing a
    safety vest. Even the KHHA President, Bobby Stewart
    had a $100 ticket issued to him for not wearing a
    safety vest.

    New rules, including the safety vest rule and drug
    rules went into effect earlier this year. Don Kolioutas
    has been instrumental ensuring that safety vests are
    worn when required. The KHHA never gave their
    imput on the safety vest rule before it went into
    effect. Bill Napier says, "I first heard about the safety
    vest rule around May 15th of this year (2007)". The
    Kentucky Horse Racing Authority said the KHHA
    received material on this rule twice before August 1st
    2006. We have asked some board members about
    this rule and they say they never heard about it till
    May of this year. One board member said he could
    have been sleeping or talking when that rule was
    discussed.

    Everyone beware. Don "the Investigator" Kolioutas
    has been known to sit around the barn area, in his
    vehicle, reading the newspaper with two eye holes cut
    in it. He was spotted just the other day on watch, at
    Tattersalls, for people going onto the track without a
    safety vest.