The Blood-Horse Gets It, At least for Bloggers

Unless I can't avoid it, I don't link anything in my horse racing blog posts to The Daily Racing Form. Why? Because they require registration to read their articles. Most of the folks that I personally refer my site to have not registered with the drf. I'm talking about folks who are not the avid horse racing fanatics that I am. These more casual fans like to get down on the occasional pick six carryover and want to see the Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup, but don't know what a minus pool is or what Poly track is made of. They will not spend the time to register and release their personal data in order to read even a spectacular article in The Form, or anyone else that I link to.

Thus, if a similar point is covered by The Blood-Horse, or the Thoroughbred Times, or even MSNBC, I will link to that story. The Form may eventually find themselves marginalized because of the changing dynamics of the horse racing coverage, but by then most of us will be in such a habit of linking to other content providers that they wont likely recoup this viewshare. Luckily, most of the horse racing coverage out there is still linkable without registration. Especially, those who write horse racing blogs.

The Ascension of the Horse Racing Blog is Nigh

The Blood-Horse today offers a less alarmist view of the trend that has seen the Washington Post, Boston Globe, and others cut or eliminate horse racing coverage. [Thanks to John for the tipoff] The author states that, while the sport has experienced these losses in print, "Today's most engaging conversations about racing's most searing issues are all happening online, and, for the most part, under the radar in loosely structured groups and forums." You mean to say horse racing blogs are not only a valuable ingredient in the horse racing soup, but one of the places where the best flavors are? This is exactly what the Thoroughbred Bloggers Alliance is to me. What my compatriots put out day to day commands far more of my attention than all of the industry and mainstream websites & publications combined.

The author goes on to say, "Traditional media gatekeepers are no longer the only trusted authority, and fans are becoming more comfortable with looking outside conventional sources for the real story."

Bloggers, like the great sport of horse racing, suffer an affliction causing us to think we aren't getting any respect. Here, it sounds like we just got some.

Blood-Horse Editor Calls for Ban of Private Vets Administering Race Day Meds

The reform minded Ray Paulick, Blood-Horse Editor-in-Chief, makes some excellent points in his column today. Having state or track employed vets instead of private practitioners administer race-day medications makes a lot of sense.

CHRB Continues to contradict Itself

CHRB Executive Director, Ingrid Fermin, in a Blood-Horse article is quoted as saying on one hand there will be a review of the drug violation debacle "to see if any mistakes were made and if our understanding of the facts is correct." However, she also says the violation would not be grounds for a purse redistribution. If the Board hasn't yet determined if they even have all the facts and they have not yet determined if mistakes were made, how can she conclude that there should not be a purse redistribution? Again, she is drawing conclusions before the questions are even asked, much less answered.

Ms. Fermin also states that owners are not entitled to an appeal, a process that could require a purse redistribution, because an appeal must be filed within 72 hours after the original ruling was made public following the CHRB meeting on 10/15/05. This differs from her earlier assertion that an appeal must come within 72 hours of the race.

In the ruling neither the race nor the horse is named, making it impossible for an owner to know if the ruling was related to a race in which they had a horse. When I noted this to Mike Marten, CHRB Public Information Officer, he checked with Roy Minami, Assistant Executive Director, who said there was no lapse in that the ruling mentioned neither the horse nor the race because the horse was not cited. Rather, the cited party was the veterinarian, and not the horse. This calls into question Ms. Fermin's position that owners are not entitled to an appeal after the 72 hour deadline, which began when the ruling was made public in mid-October. Essentially, owners did not have notice, constructive or otherwise, because neither the race nor horse were made public.

Owner of 2nd Place Horse in Scandal Marred Race to Request Purse Redistribution

A chorus of owners requesting a purse redistribution is quickly assembling in the wake of revelations that the winner should have scratched in the September 3, 2005 Palomar Breeders' Cup. The latest is the owner of 2nd place finisher Amorama.

Ingrid Fermin's assertion that no steward was aware of the violation until after the race remains unreconciled with Associate Steward Gina Powell's statement that she reported the matter and was ignored, as reported by Brent Schrotenboer in the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Richard Shapiro, CHRB Chairman, reiterated his commitment to an investigation of the handling of the violation.

Indian Charlie Back for Calder Sale

No, not the favorite from the 1998 Kentucky Derby, the sharp witted satirist that doesn't miss a major sale. Now that the Fasig-Tipton Calder Two Year Olds in Training sale is about to get underway,Indian Charlie today put out his first newsletter since the Keeneland Mixed Sale in January.

On The Muscle to Air on HRTV

I guess Pony Highway, production company consisting of one married couple, finally got their TV deal they were looking for, but I had hoped they would get a deal with Outdoor Life Network, or even Animal Planet. Nonetheless, you folks who did not buy the DVD can now see it for free. And I can tell you, it's an outstanding look at a top class stable.

The equine athletes in Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella's stable are "on the muscle" — fit, race ready, and as good as they get. The barn doors are wide open for the first in-depth look inside their world.

Three one-hour episodes follow the engaging horse characters and their trainer, veterinarian, jockeys, exercise riders and caretakers through the highs and lows of a year of world class racing. With unprecedented access to all areas of Santa Anita Park, Hollywood Park and Del Mar Racecourse, the filmmakers reveal a self-contained world that few people see, and most misunderstand.

Program TiVo, set you VCR, or camp out in front of the tele with popcorn & Coca-Cola. This is not to be missed.

Stewards Knew of Late Shot Before Race Yet Did Nothing

In the best reporting to date on the California Horse Racing Board's bungling of the medication rules violation, it is revealed that Steward Gina Powell was aware of and reported the violation, but was ignored.

An associate steward at the track that day, Gina Powell, said she told racing officials before the race that Intercontinental had been given the late shot, but she said she was ignored. She cited video from a hand-held camera that showed the shot being administered late. [San Diego Union-Tribune]

Ingrid Fermin, CHRB Executive Director and chief cover up specialist continues to deny wrong doing on the part of the stewards or the CHRB.

"The stewards did not know beforehand," Fermin said. "If they had known beforehand, the horse would have been scratched. Dr. (William) Bell (the state veterinarian at the track) did not know beforehand, and I did not know beforehand. When they did the investigation, they sanctioned the veterinarian."

She appears to be continuing her mantra that because the vet was fined, the matter is settled. She began using this sweep-it-under-the-rug tactic on Wednesday, as reported by the Thoroughbred Times: "It was not a good situation, but the vet was cited and fined. Any protest of the result would have had to come within 72 hours of the race, and as far as I know, this was only brought up within the last week or so." This is the same arrogance, systemic in horse racing, that Churchill displayed when firing their starter over gate loading tactics.

Most disconcerting is that Ms. Fermin has beaten the law-and-order drum to further her strict enforcement of drug violations, but now that the CHRB has been shown to be, at minimum, complicit in the cover up of this violation, she wants the matter to pass without scrutiny. Luckily, the Chairman of CHRB, Richard Shapiro, is willing to investigate the matter and said "If the CHRB or anyone else did anything wrong, let's find out about it, fix it, and move on." [Thoroughbred Times] Ms. Fermin seems to want to skip the first two steps and just move on.

There is no denying that a late scratch of the overwhelming favorite in the day's feature race would have cost an immense amount of money. Intercontinental went off as the odds on favorite, garnering most of the wagering pool. I do not doubt that this was part of the calculus when dismissing Ms. Powell's complaint that the medication had been given late.

Owner Requests Redistribution of Purse

At least one owner who had a runner in the Palomar Breeders’ Cup has asked for a redistribution of the purse after the revelation that a veterinarian falsified the winner’s bleeder medication record before the race. Had the report been submitted properly, the horse would have been scratched under CHRB rules because the medication was administered outside the allowed window of time.

Both Ingrid Fermin, CHRB Executive Director, and Mike Marten, CHRB Public Information Officer, clearly stated that the time for an appeal or protest has passed. Although, Ms. Fermin said the deadline passed 72 hours after the race, and Mr. Marten told this author in a phone conversation that the deadline ended 72 hours after the report was “released” on 2/16/2006. Regardless, the time has passed in either case.

It appears the CHRB may make an exception in this case, as Thoroughbred Times is reporting that CHRB Chairman Richard Shapiro has called for an investigation.

"If the CHRB or anyone else did anything wrong, let's find out about it, fix it, and move on," Shapiro said. "If anybody made a mistake, we want to know it. If anybody did anything unethical or improper, they should be held accountable. If we made a mistake, I'm not afraid to admit it." [Thoroughbred Times]

This is a refreshing turn-around after Ms. Fermin’s initial attempt to sweep the matter under the rug saying "It was not a good situation, but the vet was cited and fined. Any protest of the result would have had to come within 72 hours of the race, and as far as I know, this was only brought up within the last week or so," according to Thoroughbred Times.

The larger story may be, be careful what you wish for. It is well known in California racing circles that Ms. Fermin has ruffled many feathers among horsemen. Some of the initiatives and programs designed to detect or discourage rule violations that she has championed have been implemented in ways some horsemen find burdensome. Others have expressed feelings that their input was not considered when new rules or procedures were developed. The milkshake controversy and cameras on the backstretch are two oft cited examples of horsemen. Now, procedures put in place under Ms. Fermin’s leadership may be revealing not just suspect practices of vets and horsemen, but a breakdown in the CHRB itself. Whenever one endeavors to discover just how the sausage is made, there are bound to be some inadequacies revealed on all sides.

Horse Slaughter Resource

Gonzo has done some serious leg work on the horse slaughter story tracking down information and looking at angles I have not seen anywhere. He lists his location as none other than DeKalb, Ill., home of one of the three horse slaughter plants operating in the United States.

CHRB System of Releasing Rulings Fails to Give Notice

What do the connections know? And when do they know it? Those are the two most vital aspects to the timely reporting of a California Horse Racing Board ruling which could be grounds for a protest. This takes on further significance when considering a Thoroughbred Times story today. It reported the California Horse Racing Board has fined a veterinarian for falsifying the time on a bleeder medication report. The infraction occurred before the September 3, 2005 Palomar Breeders’ Cup Handicap (G2) at Del Mar. The horse was Intercontinental, who went on to be named champion turf mare. CHRB’s release of the infraction appears to make owners’ timely protests difficult or even impossible when challenging the outcome of the race within the time limit.

Frank Moore, Chief Investigator for the CHRB, said barn security guards are employed by the tracks for purposes of monitoring backstretch activity. Thoroughbred Owners of California also purchased digital video cameras. The security guards record activities related to certain designated races, such as memorializing on tape the administration of drugs to graded stakes entrants. One such camera reportedly recorded the violation. The time code, which is a real-time stamp on the tape, showed a vet administering medication after a rules-imposed deadline. It is unclear the control CHRB has over the guards, or if the guards have a duty to the CHRB, or if they merely have a duty to the tracks themselves.

When CHRB first conceived these particular provisions, its task force developed it with the intent to fill the security guards’ positions with those who have knowledge of horse racing, Mr. Moore said. After an extensive search, almost no one on the backstretch wanted such a thankless job of policing their compatriots. Tracks then contracted security guards without horse-specific knowledge from outside agencies. Now, security guards go through a training program for imparting the specialized knowledge of their tasks.

The guards monitoring the Intercontinental infraction incident may have been inadequately trained to recognize conditions such as this, according to Mr. Moore. Guards have now undergone more training since this occurrence last fall.

Mike Marten, CHRB Public Information Officer, said any protest of a race must come within 72 hours of the relevant information being "released". In the article published in the Thoroughbred Times, CHRB Executive Director Ingrid Fermin says, "Any protest of the result would have had to come within 72 hours of the race..." Mr. Marten stated that Ms. Fermin's assertion was incorrect and that in fact the 72 hour clock begins running when the information is released. The Thoroughbred Times article states and Mr. Marten confirmed the information was released on February 16th on the CHRB website. When asked specifically where the release was located on the website, Mr. Marten indicated an Official Ruling dated 10/15/2005. Mr. Marten also stated the CHRB website is the only place such information is made public and that industry insiders are aware of this.

Mr. Marten did not elaborate on why the ruling was dated 10/15/05 if it was made public on 2/16/06. He could not be reach for comment after office hours to offer clarification. Also, the ruling does not indicate the horse or race in question.

If the ruling occurred on 10/15/05, but was not released until 2/16/06, other questions about transparency arise. First, given that the ruling only states the date of the infraction and does not indicate the race or horse affected, connections would be precluded from knowledge, precluded from filing the protest and thus precluded from the opportunity to go through the process, possibly to claim additional purse money awarded to a horse that should have scratched. Also, the ruling is buried. It is located on the CHRB website under the Santa Anita rulings section. That is a subset of Stewards Rulings which is a subset of Administrative Hearings. But the infraction took place at Del Mar. Mr. Marten’s explanation for this is that the rulings are filed under the race meeting being conducted during the hearing, not the infraction’s location. Regardless, affected owners would be unlikely to find the information given its needle-in-haystack residence.

You're Fired for Not Whipping the Horses More

Churchill's firing of their starter, Roger Nagle, is another instance of brash, arrogant management which is their calling card. Examples of their my way or the highway, followed by slash and burn, style are easily found.

Do you remember how they demonized jockeys trying to get insurance to cover medical treatment for ON TRACK accidents? Churchill banned them from the jocks room, had them strong armed by their goons when they tried to retrieve their equipment, and called them law breakers & conspiracy mongers. With benefit of hindsight, we all can see that the jockeys would not have this coverage now if they had not taken these steps. Churchill could have prevented the drama, but their hardline approach precluded this.

Here, with the dismissal of their starter, it appears there is a difference of philosophy. Mr. Nagle believes some tactics management favors for loading horses into the gate are safety risks and are not efficacious. With regard to the specific tactics, Churchill appears to want more liberal use of many techniques already employed only when necessary such as loading horses without a jockey, and blindfolds, and others Mr. Nagle prefers to avoid such as whipping.

In true Churchill fashion, when asked about the matter they responded with more arrogance. Jim Gates only offered, "We don't comment on personnel issues." Apparently they do not care to comment on safety issues, either.

The discussion that should be taking place is whether management's approach introduces additional safety risks or that the experienced starter's approach is unnecessarily costing Churchill money. Management does not to want to have this discussion, most likely because their real goal is only to increase the speed of the load and eliminate late scratches. Perhaps with proper study of the issue we could come to some conclusions. They must not have an MBA over there that can collect data from different gate crews employing different tactics and come up with some metrics. A definitive answer about the best approach does not seem to be available without at least a bit of study, but Churchill is not interested in finding out. They just don't want to repeat the loss of handle from refunded wagers resultant from the two (yes, just two) late scratches that occurred during the 217 race fall meet.

Sam Rubin, Owner of John Henry, Dies

Chapman, Lewis, and now Rubin. Not that I believe the notion, but one often hears: "Ever notice how such things happen in threes?" Airplane crashes, broken dishes, whatever. Even though I doubt any causal effect, I will say I scoured Golden Gate Fields on Friday looking for Harry Aleo to tell him to be very careful until the curse completed it's trifecta. Sure, he's a pistol, but he's no spring chicken. I'm very sorry for the friends and family of Mr. Rubin, but I'm also thankful Harry's still with us.

Leave to Appeal Tagged at Wire

She ran her race, and Frank gave her a perfectly competent ride, not fighting with her when she wanted to go on the backstretch like Russell did last out. She's a horse that seems to think the running is over once she gets the lead, so she'll level off after striking the front. That's what happened here. Had she made the lead 40 yards later, I think she would have taken down the win pool. Regardless, she took 20% of the purse, which will pay the feed bill until her next start, and then some. The racing secretary at Golden Gate has said he's not carding any turf races until March, which is why we had her on the main track today, right when she'll be ready to go on her preferred surface. If she stays healthy, I'll expect another top effort at this level or higher.

Jock, 62, Has NEVER Broken a Bone!

Some of these kids retire young like Pincay (mid-fifties) and Baily (late forties), but not Nuke Shim.

Trainer Day Rates

Thoroughbred Owners of California puts out a newsletter quarterly which included a look a trainer day rates in their Winter 2006 issue. The article is SoCal-centric, as NorCal trainers usually work for a little less. According to their study, the day rate range is $75 - $100. In the documentary "On the Muscle" with Richard Mandella, he states his rate is $100/day. The footage was probably recorded in 2003 or 2004 and so is reasonably current.

Leave to Appeal Entered Friday; Point Determined in Feature

My partnership horse Leave to Appeal is entered in the 3rd race at Golden Gate Fields on Friday. The eight and one half furlong affair for fillies and mares four years old and up drew a modest field of 6, each entered for a claiming tag of $16,000.

The day's feature race will include the oft touted Derby hopeful Point Determined and will be contested at one mile on the main track.

Movement "well-balanced" Says Trainer

As reported in these pages previously, Movement is in training at Rimroc Farm under the expert tutelage of Bill Wofford. She went from the turnout farm to Bill's training farm on December 26, 2005, and a few days ago I got the first training invoice. It was by far the largest training bill I have ever received, and included the following note: "Your filly has settled into her new home and training nicely. She is a lovely, well-balanced horse, so she shows a lot of potential."

Given the heft of the bill, I would have liked a little more verbiage. Alas, we're paying him to turn her into a champion race horse, not turn a phrase.

Let the Horses Race

Somewhere in Georgia there is such a burning desire to race, they must overcome the persecution of authorities.

A letter and video were sent to area media and law enforcement agencies alleging that Tinoco charges an admission fee for horse races, even though he doesn't have a business license. The letter also said that beer is sold and the horses are given "speed acting drugs" to win the races.

There's no wagering, and there's probably nearly as many fans on track than at a Wednesday card at Golden Gate Fields.

The Curse of Top Tier Sports

I too lament the commercialization of sports, breaking down the illusion of Local Teams in favor of businesses with regional outlets. The FedEx Orange bowl, the Staples Center, Qualcomm Stadium and Minute Maid Park are offensive to me and I do not look forward to the day when Lexmark Downs hosts the Yum Brands [Kentucky] Derby.

Nonetheless, if horse racing is to be a top tier sport again (and this is NOT too lofty a goal), such sponsorships are part of that process (hopefully selling the naming rights to Churchill Downs is not, though). The Breeder's Cup is already "Powered by Dodge" and The Visa Triple Crown was painfully missed upon that sponsor's pullout. Essentially, I would prefer horse racing and all sports not have such marketing arrangements, but given the lay of the competitive sports business landscape, I think it is good for horse racing to follow in the steps of major sports in this regard.

Expert Race Caller Michael Wrona Interviewed

My local circuit race caller Michael Wrona is interviewed by The Goat today. Unlike most of these interviews, Wrona doesn't duck any questions.

In my opinion, the biggest problem is the fragility of the breed...the only logical conclusion I can draw is that drugs are to blame.

In so many places I found myself saying "Yeah! That's right." about so many issues industry insiders are never willing to go on record to say.

Talking Trash

I recently read a rather hateful post from one blogger (not affiliated with TBA, of course) attacking another on a personal level, and was seriously put off by this. It then occurred to me that I have been lobbing vicious personal attacks at about half of my readership.

Unlike the above author, I am not serious, and want to set the record straight: I do not believe that Sue of Post Parade offers aid and comfort to the terrorists; that John at Always to the Swift is a pansy; that Alan at LATG is a whore [to the radical left]; that Patrick at Pulling Hair is an egomaniac; or that the Survivalist at Survival Cookies is small in the pants.

If anyone has been offended by my sophomoric hazing, please accept my apologies. In this case, singling one out for insult is a childish sign of affection, and there is no malice, bitches.