Archive for September, 2008
Tuesday, September 30th, 2008
By Ray Paulick
Shares in Magna Entertainment (MECA), the debt-ridden racetrack operating company controlled by Frank Stronach, plunged by 56% in Tuesday’s trading on the NASDAQ exchange. Closing at $1.75 per share (down from $4.00) under extremely heavy trading (more than 30 times higher than the daily average), MECA was NASDAQ’s biggest percentage loser on a day when the Dow and NASDAQ each gained between 5%-6%.
MECA stock has plummeted by 91% in the last 52 weeks, and its market capitalization has shriveled to less than $10 million.
Magna Entertainment has listed debt of $571 million. The company recently announced 30-day extensions on a loan maturity date from a Canadian bank and an $80-million bridge loan from its affiliated real estate company, MI Developments, that will be due Oct. 15 and Oct. 31, respectively, along with a $100-million payment due MI Developments Oct. 31. Major shareholders in MI Developments have fought extensions of the bridge loan and repayment. On Monday, John Barnett resigned from the board of MI Developments. The company’s CEO, John Simonetti, stepped down in August and was replaced by Dennis Mills, a longtime Stronach ally.
The current bank and credit crisis only heightens the gravity of Magna’s poor financial health.
Magna Entertainment operates, among other tracks, Santa Anita Park in Southern California, the site of the 2008 and ’09 Breeders’ Cup world championships. The Oak Tree Racing Association, a separate non-profit entity that leases the Santa Anita racetrack from Magna, is the organization with which Breeders’ Cup has contracted to host the championships. Any financial failings or potential bankruptcy by Magna Entertainment will not affect the Breeders’ Cup, according to Greg Avioli, president and CEO of Breeders’ Cup Ltd.
“Because of Oak Tree’s contractual structure, they are fully protected from any possible Magna bankruptcy in terms of their ability to operate the meet in their standard fashion,” Avioli said. “(Oak Tree Racing Association) is a separate legal entity. They have a lease on the facility, and that lease would be maintained.”
Avioli did say that the Breeders’ Cup developed contingency plans to move the championships to Hollywood Park, but not because of Magna’s financial situation. “We had contingencies in place in the event that there might be problems with the new track,” he said, in reference to the new Pro-Ride synthetic surface recently installed at Santa Anita. According to published reports, horsemen and jockeys generally seem satisfied that the new surface is safe and formful after one week of racing during the Oak Tree meeting.
The pending due dates on loans are not the only question marks concerning Magna Entertainment. A California judge ruled this week that a shopping mall development planned for a section of Santa Anita’s parking lot cannot go forward. In Maryland, where Magna owns Laurel and Pimlico racetracks, a referendum is coming up in November on slot machines.
“The stock only trades on option values,” one market analyst observed, “and the option value is declining because the potential options for the company are quickly disappearing.”
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Tags: bank crisis, Breeders' Cup, bridge loan, credit crisis, Frank Stronach, Greg Avioli, Hollywood Park, laurel, Magna, Magna Entertainment, meca, mi developments, oak tree, oak tree racing association, Paulick Report, pimlico, Ray Paulick, santa anita, santa anita park, Slot machines, stronach
Posted in Breeders' Cup, Magna Entertainment, Synthetic surfaces | 7 Comments »
Tuesday, September 30th, 2008
By Ray Paulick
The horse business is Kentucky’s signature industry, employing tens of thousands of people, generating over a billion dollars of revenue throughout the year, and putting the international spotlight on the Commonwealth each spring at the Kentucky Derby. Yet, in many ways, legislators and other government officials have been dealing with the industry almost as an afterthought.
Tax breaks given to lesser industries have not been granted to farmers whose agricultural product happens to be a horse instead of a cow. Kentucky’s legislature was late to the party to create an incentive fund to reward breeders for doing business in the Bluegrass State rather than shipping their breeding stock (and jobs) out of state where more lucrative incentives have been created. And now, one of the most troublesome challenges the racing industry faces – questions about the integrity of the sport and its pari-mutuel wagering foundation – has been hampered by ongoing budgetary shortfalls at the state agency that regulates racing.
Simply put, the integrity of racing in Kentucky is being jeopardized by indifference by some at the legislative and executive level to properly fund the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
The problem goes back nearly eight years ago to the administration of Gov. Paul Patton, who cut $1 million dollars – nearly one-third – out of what was then known as the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority. Frank Shoop, then the chairman of the regulatory body, told the Paulick Report he thought the cuts were temporary and would be restored; they weren’t. Instead, the Racing Authority began assessing racetracks as much as $3,500 a day to pay for many of the functions that would previously have been funded by the state. “It’s so important to the signature industry of the state,” Shoop said. “They should have proper money to regulate the industry: transportation, insurance and other departments have proper regulatory budgets. This department has been short of money and short of money for years.
“I don’t know what the proper funding action should be,” Shoop added, “but something needs to be done that the legislature and governor can agree on.”
If something isn’t done, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission will run out of money by Jan. 1, according to Tracy Farmer, a Thoroughbred owner and breeder and high-level operative in the Democratic Party that helped elect Gov. Steve Beshear last November. Farmer was named by Beshear to the current horse racing commission, where he serves as vice chairman, and is heading up a special Task Force on the Future of Horse Racing examining numerous issues related to racing and breeding.
Farmer told the Paulick Report that Kentucky’s General Assembly had $2 million set aside for the racing commission for the current fiscal year but they subsequently “raided our accounts to balance the (state) budget.” Farmer said he and others are looking at ways to fund the commission through such revenue items as the tax on claiming horses, which he estimated generates $2 million per year. “Money is being generated that’s not being put back into the industry,” Farmer said. “We’re looking at several different methodologies and will recommend one of them. This is the largest industry in the state. We have to fund the people who oversee it.”
State Sen. Damon Thayer, a Republican from Georgetown and a consultant in the racing industry who helped create the breeders’ incentive fund through existing revenue drawn from the tax on stallion seasons, pushed for legislation that would have Kentucky’s General Fund provide for the commission’s budget. That legislation failed, Thayer said, despite bi-partisan efforts to get it passed.
“The racetracks are struggling, the commission is without money, and the state is in a budget crisis,” Thayer said. “We need more money for the commission to have boots on the ground to do their job. And we were saying this before Eight Belles and Big Brown.”
The death of Eight Belles in this year’s Kentucky Derby and the admission by trainer Rick Dutrow that Derby winner Big Brown raced on anabolic steroids (then legal) has prompted an outcry for tighter regulations, stricter medication rules, and more comprehensive drug testing. Anabolic steroids have recently been banned in Kentucky and several other states, and that ban requires additional testing be added to the existing drug testing program.
Thayer plans to introduce new legislation during the next session of the General Assembly.
“What needs to happen is Gov. Beshear needs to get behind legislation drafted by Sen. Ed Worley (D-Richmond) and me that would set up a reliable, recurring source of revenue for the racing commission so the tracks do not pay for drug testing and their own regulation. The racing commission needs to be funded by the pari-mutuel excise tax so we can expand drug testing to a respectable level.”
According to Thayer, the pari-mutuel tax currently helps fund the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund, equine drug research and the University of Louisville’s equine business program.
The lack of funding came to a head at a recent meeting of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission when it was disclosed testing was not conducted for performance-enhancing milkshakes (TCO2 levels or bicarbonate loading) at Ellis Park this summer because of a personnel shortage. Since that disclosure, the commission’s chief veterinarian resigned his position.
“We were shocked to learn that no testing was conducted,” said Farmer.
It may have taken weeks for commission members to learn that there was no testing for milkshakes, but trainers probably knew instantly, permitting cheaters to prosper. The absence of testing shook the confidence of many horseplayers about whether the state is doing enough to stop performance-enhancing drugs from giving an edge to some trainers.
The racing commission’s executive director, Lisa Underwood, who was hired during the previous administration of Republican Gov. Ernie Fletcher, has plans to expand the size of the staff if funding is provided. She has submitted a plan to add investigators, state veterinarians and other full and part-time staff to better regulate racing and ensure its integrity.
Ed Martin, president of the Association of Racing Commissioners International, told the Task Force on the Future of Horse Racing when he became aware of how little was committed to Kentucky’s commission that he was “shocked at how low a priority the integrity of racing apparently was, especially considering how important the racing industry is to the state’s economy and identity.”
Martin compiled a study of how much is committed to integrity issues in other major racing states and found that Kentucky, “instead of being first, is last.”
His study showed Kentucky commits $7,692 per race day, less than half of the $17,948 committed by Florida for integrity enforcement. Martin said the Kentucky commission is sorely lacking investigators to monitor backstretch activities. Kentucky has two investigators, he said, compared with 14 in New York, 15 in Pennsylvania, 17 in Florida, and 18 in California.
“ Perhaps the most glaring weakness in the funding can be seen in the fact that no resources have been dedicated to policing the pari-mutuel system,” Martin said.“Kentucky in the past has dedicated nothing in this area while other major racing states have made a considerable commitment in this area, not only in terms of staff, but to ensure that an independent computerized monitoring system is deployed to protect against past posting, odds manipulations, cyber crime, and larceny. In public forum after public forum, large bettors have expressed a growing concern about the lack of commitment to wagering security.
“ While some states have committed as many as six people to wagering security and made arrangements for independent monitoring, Kentucky has yet to commit one.”
Many bettors are convinced the technology used in today’s pari-mutuel wagering system is archaic and able to be exploited by techno-savvy players who are making bets after the gates to a race have been opened. One member of the Kentucky Racing Commission who asked not to be named agreed: “There is no question people are betting after the horses are out of the gate,” he said. “They are somehow getting into the pool. It’s frightening.”
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Tags: association of racing commissioners international, bicarbonate loading, Big Brown, bluegrass state, churchill downs, damon thayer, drug testing, ed martin, ed worley, eight belles, ellis park, ernie fletcher, frank shoop, Horse Racing, Keeneland, kentucky horse racing, kentucky horse racing authority, kentucky horse racing commission, kentucky thoroughbred development fund, lisa underwood, pari-mutuel wagering, paul patton, Paulick Report, Ray Paulick, RCI, steve beshear, task force on the future of horse racing, tco2, thoroughbred racing, tracy farmer, turfway park, university of louisville equiine business program, wagering integrity
Posted in Horse Racing, Industry Organizations, Kentucky, Medication, Regulatory Issues, Tote System, Wagering | 2 Comments »
Monday, September 29th, 2008
Dear Colleague,
We are wrapping up our seven-day Public Broadasting System knock-off quarterly fundraising drive. Again like PBS, we depend on viewers like you for the majority of our operational support to allow us to maintain and enhance the Thoroughbred industry’s premiere independent voice. Fortunately for you, we have replaced old British actors in bad wigs and documentaries on the life and times of such stirring historical figures as the 11th U.S. President James K. Polk with entertaining and sometimes poignant top ten lists about the direction of our industry and where the Paulick Report is heading.
In just over 90 days, the Paulick Report has grown to an online community of 5,000 readers that includes the Who’s Who of Thoroughbred racing and breeding, fans of the industry and even my mother-in-law. We have pulled no punches in our quest to become an honest broker for the sport we all love. The feedback you have given us confirms our belief that a truly independent voice has long been needed and will serve to benefit the health and future of the Thoroughbred industry.
If you place value in the independent voice found only on the pages of the Paulick Report and are still hankering to support its continued growth, would you please consider sending a donation of $2,000, $1,000, $500, $250, $100, $50 or even $25 to help further our cause? Any amount is greatly appreciated and rest assured that donor anonymity is guaranteed. Click the link below to our ‘Support the Paulick Report’ page where you can make a donation either by PayPal or through the mail.
Thank you for your consideration and as always, we greatly appreciate your daily support of the Paulick Report.
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Monday, September 29th, 2008
By Ray Paulick
Well, it was fun while it lasted, this dream of someday returning to Hialeah Park to enjoy horse racing in its most beautiful setting. Since making my first trip there in 1988, when the South Florida track already was in severe decline, I’ve held out hope that someone, somehow could restore it to some semblance of its past elegance.
At first, I let John Brunetti convince me that everyone really was out to get him and that if he could only get a break from state legislators and regulators he could be the one to bring Hialeah back. But then, as the years went by and I saw Brunetti’s recalcitrance and heard about his disingenuous actions from horsemen and others involved in Florida racing, my expectations were that Hialeah Park would never be reopened after running its last race in 2001.
Then along came Halsey Minor, reigniting the flame of hope many of us hold for Hialeah. The Internet entrepreneur and Virginia Thoroughbred owner and breeder put together a team of experts to appraise the property, map out renovations for the grandstand and clubhouse, design new barns, and develop an operating plan. He engaged Brunetti is discussions that so many of us hoped would lead to a sale of the track to Minor and the rebirth of the “sport” of racing in South Florida.
Turns out Brunetti was only jerking his chain.
Brunetti is one of those guys who has a number in his head that isn’t based on appraised values, or highest and best use of the property. The price Brunetti wants today, the Paulick Report has learned, isn’t even in the ballpark of what he was trying to get previously from the state of Florida. It’s much higher.
There is no rationale for Brunetti’s demands, for he isn’t a rational man. He just has a price, and one that isn’t based on reality – especially the reality of an economy that has seen real estate values plummet, credit tighten and development slow to a crawl.
So the talks between Minor and Brunetti are dead, unless Brunetti has any second thoughts.
Given the nature of the economy, financial markets and zoning impediments that would keep Brunetti from bulldozing the track and putting up a business park or condos, Hialeah Park isn’t going anywhere soon. It will just sit empty as Brunetti gets older and more bitter about his plight. Minor, 43 years old and involved in many other business projects, can simply wait Brunetti out and see if his heirs have more interest in doing something with the track than Brunetti.
As Minor has been quoted as saying, in that scenario Brunetti would “forego any of the recognition of giving back what he took from racing." For Hialeah Park, it’s back to hibernation, unless Brunetti changes his mind and decides that he wants to be a steward of this Thoroughbred racing gem.
SO HORSE OF THE WORLD CURLIN, GINGER PUNCH AND OTHER STAR THOROUGHBREDS racing on a program that included five Grade 1 stakes could only attract 8,563 fans to Belmont Park. No surprise there, especially considering the rainstorms that swept through the New York metropolitan area. But previous crowds to see Curlin compete at New York Racing Association tracks weren’t exactly overwhelming. For both the Woodward at Saratoga and Saturday’s Jockey Club Gold Cup, NYRA’s marketing team tried to stir up interest in a sporting public apathetic to any racing that doesn’t involve the Triple Crown.
The problem isn’t what NYRA’s marketing department has done over the last few months. It’s much bigger than that. The challenge for the “new” out-of-bankruptcy NYRA (which looks suspiciously like the old NYRA to me) is to redefine itself and somehow overcome a reputation defined by decades of arrogance and indifference to the public.
THANKS TO THE READER WHO TIPPED US TO THE LATE SCRATCH OF SAILORS SUNSET from Saturday’s Grade 1 Ancient Title sprint at Santa Anita. A check with the California Horse Racing Board’s equine medical director, Dr. Rick Arthur, confirmed that there was a scratch on that day’s program because a horse received a pre-race throat flush that involved something other than water, the only substance permitted on race day. Arthur said there appeared to be no performance-enhancing procedure attempted on the horse (i.e., a milkshake), but that a steward’s hearing would be conducted into the matter. If Sailors Sunset was indeed the horse in question, the hearing would involve trainer Marcelo Polanco.
California’s prohibition on race-day of throat-washing products such as Wind Aid that are commonly used in some other jurisdictions could create problems at this year’s Breeders’ Cup for trainers unfamiliar with CHRB regulations. For that reason, Arthur said, the Breeders’ Cup horseman’s handbook will explain its medication rules in detail and an associate steward will be assigned to outline California medication rules to every trainer with a horse in the Breeders ‘ Cup.
BEST PERFORMANCE OF A SPECTACULAR WEEKEND OF RACING? Was it Curlin’s victory over Wanderin Boy in the Jockey Club Gold Cup? Zenyatta’s dominating performance in the Lady’s Secret at Santa Anita? Eye-popping turf victories by Grand Couturier in the Joe Hirsch Invitational Turf Classic or Red Giant in the Clement L. Hirsch Memorial? How about the stretch-running victory by the 2-year-old Tapit filly Stardom Bound in the Oak Leaf Stakes?
All were outstanding, without question, but in my book the race that might be the most overlooked was the track-record blowout by Fatal Bullet in the Kentucky Cup Sprint at Turfway Park. This 3-year-old Red Bullet gelding is a synthetic track specialist who could be very dangerous on the Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
Who did you like in these Breeders’ Cup preps?
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Tags: belmont park, Breeders' Cup, Breeders' Cup championships, breeders' cup classic, breeders' cup sprint, California Horse Racing Board, CHRB, chrb regulations, Curlin, dr. rick arthur, Fatal Bullet, florida racing, ginger punch, grand couturier, Halsey Minor, Hialeah Park, Horse Racing, jockey club gold cup, john brunetti, marcelo polanco, Medication, New York Racing Association, nyra, Paulick Report, Ray Paulick, red giant, sailors sunset, stardom bound, tapit, triople crown, wind aid, woodward, zenyatta
Posted in Breeders' Cup, California, California Horse Racing Board, Curlin, Florida, Halsey Minor, Hialeah Park, Horse Racing, Marketing, Medication, New York Racing Association | 6 Comments »
Saturday, September 27th, 2008
By Ray Paulick
Curlin passed Cigar to become North America’s all-time earnings leader and first $10-million horse with his second consecutive victory in the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup on a sloppy Belmont Park track on Saturday afternoon.
Ridden by Robbie Albarado, Curlin raced in midpack early as Wanderin Boy set the pace under Alan Garcia — his fractions in :24.67, :48.79, 1:13.08, and 1:36.70. Curlin ommenced his rally on the turn, swung out wide at the top of the stretch and wore down Wanderin Boy late to win by three-quarters of a length. Merchant Marine was third, 3 3/4 lengths behind the runner-up. Mambo in Seattle was fourth, followed by Ravel, Stones River, A.P. Arrow and Angliana. Time of the race on a sloppy track was 2:01.93.
(VIDEO), (CHART)
The win, worth $450,000, was Curlin’s 11th in 15 lifetime starts (all as a 3- and 4-year-old in 2007-08), and moved his earnings to $10,246,800, surpassing Cigar’s previous record of $9,999,815.
Curlin, a 4-year-old son of Smart Strike out of Sherriff’s Deputy, by Deputy Minister was bred in Kentucky by Fares Farm. He is owned by Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables and the Midnight Cry Stable of Shirley Cunningham and William Gallion, is trained by Steve Asmussen. Curlin began his career racing for Midnight Cry and was trained by Helen Pitts. An 80% interest in Curlin was purchased following his maiden win by Jackson, Satish Sanan and George Bolton, but Jackson eventually bought out those partners and now owns 80%.
There is great speculation about whether Curlin will face Kentucky Derby-Preakness winner Big Brown in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, but Jackson would not commit to the race during a teleconference earlier this week. He indicated Curlin could race two more times this year, leaving the door open for the Breeders’ Cup and a possible subsequent appearance in either the Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs in late November of the Japan Cup Dirt at Hanshin race course in Japan in early December.
"As to going out to Santa Anita, we’ll probably load him up, but first we’ll have to get him adjusted," Jackson said. "But it is up to him whether he likes the track and the surface. So those are concerns we still have. But we’ll consider it now that we’re past this hurdle. That’s the next prospect for us, and we’ll give it every bit of attention."
Albarado never appeared to use the whip on Curlin, who seemed to lose ground down the backstretch, but quickly moved into contention when asked by his rider. "Robby was really comfortable down the backside," Asmussen said. "I think he knows who he is on, and he let it sort out in front of him. He lost a little bit of position on the backside when Robby decided he didn’t want to be that wide. He immediately moved up in the bridle and came into the stretch the way you wanted him to be. He looked fabulous through the stretch."
"I can’t say how proud I am to be part of what’s just happened," Asmussen said. "To make history — the all-time money-winning horse in North America — it’s very special. The job that (assistant) Scott Blasi and (exercise rider) Carmen Rosas have done with him on a day-to-day basis enabled him to maintain the consistency. For him to be able to carry the weight of expectation, I’m very proud."
The 3-year-old Kingmambo colt Mambo in Seattle, a narrowly beaten second in the Travers Stakes to Colonel John, was never a factor in the Gold Cup.
Results from Saturday’s other major Breeders’ Cup prep races from Belmont Park, Turfway Park, Oak Tree at Santa Anita and Hawthorne. Updates from each race as they are run.
KENTUCKY CUP JUVENILE FILLIES (Turfway Park): Sugar Mom made a late run in the two-turn mile race to make it three straight wins on synthetic tracks for the owner-trainer combination of Frank Calabrese and Wayne Catalano. First stakes win for daughter of Monarchos out of Plenty of Sugar, by Ascot Knight. Winless in first three starts at Churchill Downs, including her last for a maiden claiming tag of $30,000. Complicity finished second, a length back, with Saxxy Rose Lee third and favored Bold Union tiring to be fourth. Time for the mile was 1:37.86.
KENTUCKY CUP SPRINT (Turfway Park): Fatal Bullet completely dominated his rivals as the 6-5 favorite, setting fast fractions and pulling away in the stretch for an impressive7 3/4-length victory in track-record time 1:08.03 for six furlongs on Polytrack. This was the seventh win in 10 starts for 3-year-old Red Bullet gelding out of Sararegal, by Regal Classic. Owned by Bear Stables and trained by Canadian Reade Baker, Fatal Bullet was coming off stakes victories on Polytrack at Woodbine and Tapeta track at Presque Isle Downs. Silver Sword and No Advantage finished second and third, respectively. Baker said it’s on to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint for Fatal Bullet.
KENTUCKY CUP JUVENILE (Turfway Park): West Side Bernie rallied into the stretch and pulled away by three lengths under Stewart Elliott. The 2-year-old by Bernstein out of Time Honored, by Gilded Time, is unbeaten in two starts for trainer Kelly Breen and owners Lori and George Hall, having broken his maiden by 1 ½ lengths at Monmouth Park Aug. 28. He covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.22 as the 9-5 favorite, with Retap and Gresham finishing second and third.
KENTUCKY CUP DISTAFF (Turfway): Getting their second stakes win of the day, Bear Stable, trainer Reade Baker and jockey Eurico Da Silva teamed up for a four-length victory with Bear Now (Tiznow–Controlled, by In Excess), who sat just off the pace of Devil House, moved to the lead at the head of the stretch and drew off by daylight. Unforgotten rallied late for second, with Devil House holding third. Bear Now, eighth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff, has won three of six starts this year, her two previous wins coming on Woodbine’s Polytrack. She covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.37. Baker said he would give Bear Now another chance in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (formerly the Distaff).
KENTUCKY CUP CLASSIC (Turfway): Well-traveled Zanjero pulled away in the final furlong to win the Kentucky Cup Classic by 1 1/2 lengths under Shaun Bridgmohan. Trained by Steve Asmussen and owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds, Zanjero was winning for the sixth time in 18 starts. He is a 4-year-old by Cherokee Run out of Checkered Flag, by A.P. Indy. Extreme Supreme finished second, followed by Canela and 8-5 favorite, Honest Man. Time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:49.27. Owner Ron Winchell said Zanjero will be pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile Oct. 25.
BELDAME (Belmont Park): Godolphin’s Cocoa Beach wore down odds-on favorite Ginger Punch, the reigning Eclipse Award-winning older filly and mare to make it two straight in the U.S., following an easy win in the ungraded Love Sign Stakes at Saratoga. The 4-year-old Chilean-bred daughter of Doneraile Court out of Visionera, by Edgy Diplomat, raced four times in Dubai over the winter, including a third-place showing in UAE Derby, after beginning career unbeaten in four starts in native Chile. She is trained by Saeed bin Suroor. Ginger Punch was second, beaten a half length, after setting fractions of :24.61, :48.18, :1:12.26; and 1:36.76. Final time was 1:49.50 on a sloppy track.
FLOWER BOWL INVITATIONAL STAKES (Belmont): Alan Garcia coaxed Dynaforce to a four-length wire-to-wire victory over heavily favored Mauralakana, who was gunning for her fifth straight win. The 5-year-old daughter of Dynaformer was winning on U.S. soil for the first time in four starts after racing in France for owner-breeder John Chandler.Mauralakana made a bold early run going into the far turn under Kent Desormeaux, but the Bill Mott-trained Dynaforce had too much in reserve, winning by daylight after setting fractions of :26.23, :52.87, 1:19.22 and 1:43.45. Comminque was third in the four-horse field. Time for 1 ¼ miles was 2:07.59 on a yielding track.
VOSBURGH (Belmont): Black Seventeen shipped in from California for trainer Brian Koriner to score a major upset over defending champion Fabulous Strike. The 4-year-old son of Is It True out of Fuzzy Navel, by Strike the Anvil, won the Carry Back Stakes at Calder in July for his only previous stakes win. Black Seventeen raced just behind a three horse duel (Fabulous Strike, J Be K, First Defence), moved to the lead in the stretch, and overtook Fabulous Strike late. Kokiak Kowboy rallied late to get third.
JOE HIRSCH TURF CLASSIC INVITATIONAL (Belmont): Alan Garcia guided Grand Couturier to a 10 1/4-length victory, his second Grade 1 turf triumph in a row for trainer Robert Ribaudo and owner Marc Keller. The 5-year-old son of Grand Lodge out of Lady Eigar, by Sadler’s Wells, comes off a victory in the Sword Dancer over Better Talk Now Aug. 16 at Saratoga. Grand Couturier won last year’s Sword Dancer and then finished sixth behind English Channel in the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Turf. Interpation edged Summer Patriot for second. Kent Desormeaux, aboard Interpation, filed a complaint against the winner alleging interference on the turn, but it was not allowed. Precious Passion set the pace in the Hirsch, with slow fractions of :24.97, :50.52, 1:16.84, and 1:42.35 for the opening mile of the 1 1/2-mile event. Strike a Deal took a brief lead with a quarter mile to go, the 1 1/4 miles clocked in 2:09.07, but Grand Couturier charged past to win in hand, getting the distance on yielding turf in 2:34.84.
CLEMENT L. HIRSCH MEMORIAL TURF INVITATIONAL STAKES (Oak Tree at Santa Anita): Making just his second start of the year, Peachtree Stable’s Red Giant (by Giant’s Causeway) set a new track and world record of 1:57.16 for 1 1/4 miles on the Santa Anita turf while edging Out of Control by a head. Transduction Gold was third. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Red Giant was winning for the sixth time in 12 starts. Last year he won the Virginia Derby and was second in the Secretariat Stakes. In his 2008 debut at Saratoga, Red Giant took the Fourstardave by a neck Aug. 3.
LADY’S SECRET (Oak Tree at Santa Anita): Zenyatta tracked from last in the four-horse field under Mike Baze, swung wide into the stretch and pulled away down the stretch under a hand ride to win by 3 1/2 lengths — her eighth straight without a defeat. Pacesetter Hystericalady was second, with Santa Teresita third. The daughter of Street Cry out of Vertigineux out of Kris S, is trained by John Shirreffs and owned by Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Moss. She was odds-on to win her sixth consecutive graded stakes and eighth overall and will be a solid choice in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic Oct. 24 at Santa Anita. Time for the 1 1/16 miles on the new Pro-Ride synthetic track was 1:40.30.
ANCIENT TITLE STAKES (Oak Tree at Santa Anita): Cost of Freedom made the first run under Tyler Baze, getting the lead at the top of the stretch, and then holding off the late charge of 9-10 favorite, Street Boss, to win by a half-length in 1:07.53 for six furlongs (fractions were :21.27, :43.57, :55.50) . In Summation was third. Cost of Freedom was a $50,000 claim by Gary and Cecil Barber in late July at Del Mar. Formerly owned by Harris Farms and trained by Carla Gaines, he is now under the care of John Sadler. A 5-year-old California-bred gelding by Cee’s Tizzy out of Freedom Dance, by Moscow Ballet, Cost of Freedom has now won six of 10 starts, but the Ancient Title was his first stakes victory.
OAK LEAF STAKES (Oak Tree at Santa Anita): Making her 4-5 odds look generous, Stardom Bound overwhelmed her 11 2-year-old filly rivals, rallying from far off the pace to win by 3 1/2 lengths over pacesetter Palacio de Amor. The gray daughter of first-crop sire Tapit (out of My White Corvette, by Tarr Road) broke behind the field and was allowed to settle near the back of the pack by Mike Smith as Palacio de Amor set fractions of :23.32, :46.37, 1:10.61 and 1:35.90 for the opening mile. Stardom Bound swung widest of all into the stretch and easily moved to the lead under a hand ride, completing the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.44. Oro Blanco was third. The winner, owned by Charles Cono and trained by Christopher Paasch, broke her maiden in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante after running second in a maiden race and second in the Sorrento Stakes — all at Del Mar. The Oak Leaf was her first race around two turns.
YELLOW RIBBON STAKES (Oak Tree at Santa Anita): John Velazquez registered career win No. 3,999 aboard Wait a While for Arindel Farm and trainer Todd Pletcher, racing from just off the pace, taking command in mid-stretch and holding Vacare at sway to win by about three-quarters of a length. Black Mamba was a fast-closing third. Final time for the 1 1/4 miles on firm turf was 1:59.16 after fractions of :24.53, :47.83, 1:12.31, and 1:35.63. Longshot Live Life showed the way for the first six furlongs, then gave way to Solva, Velazquez used Wait a While’s good tactical speed to overcome the No. 10 post position, and raced just off the lead before moving to the front. This was the 12th win in 23 starts and pushed Wait a While (a 5-year-old by Maria’s Mon, out of Flirtatious, by A.P. Indy) over the $2-million mark in career earnings. It Wait a While’s first Grade 1 victory since taking the Yellow Ribbon in 2006.
GOODWOOD (Oak Tree at Santa Anita): Using new off-the-pace tactics, Aaron Gryder guided7-10 favorite Well Armed to a one-length victory over Tiago. Rating in third position most of the way as Mast Track and Informed volleyed for the lead, Well Armed swung to the outside at the head of the stretch, drifted out with a furlong to run, but switched leads and kept to his task to get the win for trainer Eoin Harty. Final time was 1:47.11 for the 1 1/8 miles. Albertus Maximus finished third.It was the sixth victory in 19 starts for Well Armed, and his first in a Grade 1 race. He won the San Antonio and San Diego Handicaps (both Grade 2) going wire to wire earlier this year. Well Armed is a 5-year-old gelded son of Tiznow out of Well Dressed, by Notebook. Harty said Well Armed would be pointed for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, along with another WinStar runner in his barn, Santa Anita Derby and Travers Stakes winner Colonel John.
HAWTHORNE GOLD CUP (Hawthorne): Richard Migliore gave Team Valor’s Fairbanks a perfect trip in the 1 1/4-mile Gold Cup, racing just off the pace, moving between horses on the turn for home, and drawing away down the stretch for an easy 2 3/4-length victory as teh 7-10 favorite. Magna Graduate finished second, with Wayzata Bay third Fairbanks (by Giant’s Causeway out of Alaska Queen, by Time for a Change), was winning for the sixth time in 18 starts. He is trained by Todd Pletcher.
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Tags: aaron gryder, Add new tag, Alan Garcia, Beldame, bill mott, Breeders' Cup, Breeders' Cup Challenge, breeders' cup classic, breeders' cup preps, Breeders' Cup Win and You're In, cee's tizzy, charles cono, christopher paasch, cigar, clement hirsch, Cocoa Beach, cost of freedom, Curlin, Doneraile Court, Dynaforce, eoin harty, fairbanks, Fatal Bullet, Flower Bowl Invitational, Frank Calabrese, gary and cecil barber, ginger punch, Godolphin, goodwood, grand couturier, grand lodge, Horse Racing, is it true, jess jackson, John Chandler, john sadler, john velazquez, Kentucky Cup, Kentucky Cup Sprint, Kentucky Juvenile Fillies, lady's secret, mauralakana, monarchos, Oak leaf, Paulick Report, polytrack, Ray Paulick, Reade Baker, Red Bullet, robbie albarado, stardom bound, steve asmussen, street boss, Sugar Mom, tapit, team valor, tiago, todd pletcher, tyler baze, wait a while, Wayne Catalano, well armed, west side bernie, winstar farm, Yellow ribbon, zenyatta
Posted in Breeders' Cup, Curlin, Horse Racing | Comments Off
Friday, September 26th, 2008
Estimated Post Time (all times Eastern), Race Name, Track, Breeders’ Cup Division, Network, Equibase entries
9:30 a.m.-Royal Lodge Stakes, Ascot, Juvenile Turf, TVG
10:05 a.m.-Meon Valley Stud Mile, Ascot, Juvenile Fillies Turf, TVG
11:15 a.m.-Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, Ascot, Mile Turf, TVG
3:33 p.m.-Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies, Turfway, Juvenile Division, TVG, entries
3:40 p.m.-Beldame Stakes, Belmont, Ladies Classic Division, TVG, HRTV, entries
4:04 p.m.-Kentucky Cup Sprint, Turfway, Sprint Division, TVG, entries
4:13 p.m.-Flower Bowl Invitational S, Belmont, Filly & Mare Turf Division, TVG, HRTV, entries
4:37 p.m.-Kentucky Cup Juvenile, Turfway, Juvenile Division, TVG, entries
4:46 p.m.-Vosburgh Stakes, Belmont, Sprint Division, TVG, HRTV, entries
5:02 p.m.- Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship Stakes, Oak Tree at Santa Anita,Turf Division, TVG, entries
5:10 p.m.-Kentucky Cup Distaff, Turfway, Ladies Classic Division, TVG, entries
5:19 p.m.-Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational S, Belmont, Turf Division, TVG,HRTV, entries
5:30 p.m.-Lady’s Secret Stakes, Oak Tree at Santa Anita, Ladies Classic Division, TVG, entries
5:44 p.m.-Kentucky Cup Classic, Turfway,Classic Division, TVG, entries
5:52 p.m.-Jockey Club Gold Cup, Belmont, Classic Division, ESPN News, MSG PLUS, TVG, HRTV, entries
5:54 p.m.-Hawthorne Golf Cup Handicap, Classic Division, Hawthorne, TVG, entries
6:00 p.m.-Ancient Title Stakes, Oak Tree at Santa Anita, Sprint Division, TVG, entries
7:00 p.m.-Oak Leaf Stakes, Oak Tree at Santa Anita, Juvenile Fillies Division, TVG, entries
7:30 p.m.-Yellow Ribbon Stakes, Oak Tree at Santa Anita, Filly & Mare Turf Division, TVG, entries
8:00 p.m.-Goodwood Stakes, Oak Tree at Santa Anita, Classic Division, TVG, entries
Tags: belmont park, Breeders' Cup, Curlin, espn news, hawthorne, HRTV, msg plus, oak tree at santa anita, Paulick Report, tvg
Posted in Breeders' Cup, Horse Racing, International Racing, Television | Comments Off
Friday, September 26th, 2008
We are safe and sound in an undisclosed, dark and damp location. We’re not exactly sure where we are and don’t feel terribly comfortable, but at least we feel pretty good about being hidden from the world of litigation.
Being stuck in a hole in the wall apartment in Lex – er – just kidding – we have started to become contemplative. So, we came up with ten stories we would like to someday see on the pages of the Paulick Report. Hopefully you’ll agree.
10. Sheikh Mohammed purchases several troubled U.S. racetracks; owner John Brunetti says there isn’t enough money in all of Dubai to pay for Hialeah.
9. Disgruntled California owner Jerry Jamgotchian is named chairman of horse racing board; realizes issues more complex than previously thought.
8. New York Times investigative report determines slot machines designed to win money from people who play them; former slots players fall in love with horse racing.
7. The Jockey Club establishes new rules prohibiting Thoroughbreds from being bred until they turn five years old.
6. Racehorse owners rally behind new racing league plan that leads up to the Breeders’ Cup.
5. Frank Stronach horses wins octet of Eclipse Awards. In shortest speeches in history, Stronach says “Three words: Frank’s Energy Drink.”
4. Racing finds a champion in Congress who pushes through effective Thorougbred legislation on drug testing, medication and safety standards.
3. Using newfound operatic skills, Tom Durkin blows out public address system at Saratoga and shatters thousands of window panes in the neighborhood singing Doremifasollatido to victory in the Alabama.
2. Keeneland takes lead role on transparency by holding shareholder meetings at Rupp Arena; opens the books on its financials.
1.The Paulick Report buys out Daily Racing Form, Bloodhorse and Thoroughbred Times to become largest publishing company in racing history.
Well, if you would like the opportunity to read these stories on the Paulick Report, we need to exist for several more years. To that end, we ask you to please consider sending a donation of $2,000, $1,000, $500, $250, $100, $50 or even $25. Any amount is greatly appreciated and rest assured that donor anonymity is guaranteed. Please click the link below to our ‘Support the Paulick Report’ page where you can make a donation either by PayPal or through the mail.
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Thursday, September 25th, 2008
By Ray Paulick
No horse has ever done what Exceller did 30 years ago when he defeated two Triple Crown winners, Seattle Slew and Affirmed, in the 1978 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park. Given the unlikelihood that the sport will ever see two Triple Crown winners racing at the same time again, it’s hard to see how Exceller’s accomplishment will ever be matched. The son of Vaguely Noble may be the greatest horse never to win a year-end championship in the United States. He was an accomplished runner in Europe and in the U.S., winning 15 of 33 starts for Nelson Bunker Hunt (including seven of 10 starts in 1978), and earning in excess of $1.6 million — when million-dollar winners were rare.
Take a few minutes and enjoy this video of the 1978 Jockey Club Gold Cup. It was a fascinating contest. Seattle Slew broke through the gate before the start. Then, Affirmed’s saddled slipped, compromising his chances. Seattle Slew was pushed to unbelievably fast fractions for a mile and a half race, yet he fought as gamely as any horse has ever fought, right to the finish. And Exceller, under Bill Shoemaker, rallied from 22 lengths off that rapid pace to get the win.
Sadly, neither the Jockey Club Gold Cup nor the many other outstanding victories are why Exceller is known to a generation of racing fans who never had the good fortune to see him run. This grand Thoroughbred, who gave so much for our pleasure, wound up in a slaughterhouse in Sweden in April 1997, less than 20 years after his greatest racing achievement.
Exceller’s crime? Failure to succeed as a stallion?
(Read more about Exceller’s racing career and his death in a Swedish slaughterhouse. Elected to the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in 1999, two years after his death, Exceller’s biographical information and Hall of Fame plaque fail to state his cause of death.)
Whether you believe that slaughter is a viable alternative for unwanted horses or are sickened by the thought that thousands of Thoroughbreds are led to slaughter for human consumption every year, the story of Exceller is a tragic one. No horse who did for the sport what Exceller did should have such an undignified death.
The same is true of the 1986 Kentucky Derby winner, Ferdinand, who is believed to have died in a Japanese slaughterhouse in 2002 after not living up to expectations as a stallion.
Exceller became a cause célèbre for some racing fans who were frustrated that the Thoroughbred industry and its leaders were doing next to nothing for so many former racehorses who failed to generate revenue for their owners and ended up being slaughtered. A group of them decided they would do something about it, forming the Exceller Fund, pooling their own resources and raising additional funds, and volunteering their time to save horses from slaughter and help them transition to a second career off the racetrack. The Exceller Fund is one of many such organizations struggling to make a difference on behalf of the horses and the Thoroughbred industry.
This Saturday, to honor Exceller’s Jockey Club Gold Cup victory, a number of racetracks across the U.S. will host a “Toast to Exceller Day,” in order to raise awareness and donations for the Exceller Fund and many other equine charity groups. A special cocktail, “The Exceller,” is being sold at several tracks, including Mountaineer, Finger Lakes, Laurel Park and Presque Isle Downs, with proceeds benefting the Exceller Fund.
“I cannot thank our partner tracks enough for their support with this and I wish to especially thank the New York Racing Association for their commitment to the Exceller Fund that will be a lasting relationship for many years to come,” said leading New York trainer Gary Contessa, who in August was named president of the Exceller Fund.
Exceller did a great deal for Thoroughbred racing — then and now.
Copyright © 2008, The Paulick Report
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Tags: affirmed, bill shoemaker, exceller, exceller fund, ferdinand, gary contessa, hall of fame, Horse Racing, horse slaughter, japanese slaughterhouse, jockey club gold cup, kentucky derby, national museum of racing and hall of fame, seattle slew, swedish slaughterhouse, Triple Crown
Posted in Horse Racing, Horse Slaughter, Horse Welfare, New York Racing Association, Racing Greats | 7 Comments »
Thursday, September 25th, 2008
Much to our surprise, it seems we have kept the high-priced fancy lawyers from Letterman and Public Broadcasting off our backs. Don’t tell anyone, but we’ve found a nice hiding spot at Calder racetrack and if Ray’s recent photos of empty stands mean anything, we don’t suspect anyone will come out here to find us.
And that brings us to today’s top ten list. The aforementioned photo seems symbolic of the realistic and oftentimes untold side of the Thoroughbred industry that you have grown accustomed to at the Paulick Report. We have decided to highlight our favorite ten facts you would not see anywhere else in the media. Unfortunately, Ray’s propensity to injure himself with sharp sausages didn’t make the list.
10. Keeneland never formed a sale company; it merely convinced Kentucky breeders to hand over the Breeders’ Sales Company co-op in 1962 and has since profited to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.
9. Internet entrepreneur Halsey Minor inquired about purchasing Magna Entertainment racetracks in California and Maryland but was led to believe by a Magna executive that despite public pronouncements to the contrary they really were not for sale.
8. Stonewalling and ultimately defeat of the Thoroughbred Championship Tour by the NTRA and Breeders’ Cup boards helped convince Houston Texans owner Robert McNair to get out of the Thoroughbred industry.
7. Simulcast bettors at Tampa Bay Downs bet into the pools of a June 28 race at Philadelphia Park – minutes after the Philly Park race had been run. The industry and tote companies have yet to report on how the past-post-betting was allowed to occur.
6. Board-room politicking by the father-son duo of Will and Bill Farish kept Richard Santulli and John Sikura off the Breeders’ Cup board of directors in an election earlier this year.
5. NTRA president and CEO Alex Waldrop took a “neutral” position on slaughter legislation before Congress despite earlier pledges that the NTRA was leading the way for the industry on horse welfare issues.
4. The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame is an inefficient and uninspiring facility secretively run by people whose spending oversight rates it “zero stars” (out of four stars) from an unbiased organization that rates charities.
3. The NTRA held secret meetings in Kentucky before circulating a confidential memorandum recommending numerous industry reforms ranging from racetrack safety standards to eliminating timed workouts at 2-year-old sales.
2. Keeneland convinced nearly all of its original investors to turn their shares over to the association; in 2002, it quietly formed a new non-profit holding company called Keeneland Trustees, the de facto “owner” of the Keeneland run by three people: Will Farish, William Lear, and Louie Lee Haggin.
1. A roadmap of how Jockey Club chairman Dinny Phipps, vice chairman Will Farish and their surrogates exert extensive control over numerous industry organizations including the Breeders’ Cup, Keeneland, National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and its American Graded Stakes Committee, Bloodhorse magazine, and the New York Racing Association,
Now that you are reminded of the unique product the Paulick Report offers, we ask you to please consider sending a donation of $2,000, $1,000, $500, $250, $100 or even $50? Any amount is greatly appreciated and rest assured that donor anonymity is guaranteed. Please click the link below to our ‘Support the Paulick Report’ page where you can make a donation either by PayPal or through the mail.
Support the Paulick Report by clicking here
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Wednesday, September 24th, 2008
By Ray Paulick
The Judiciary Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a bill criminalizing the transportation of horses for the purpose of slaughtering them for human consumption. The action, by voice vote, came less than 24 hours after Josephine Abercrombie, a prominent Kentucky Thoroughbred owner and breeder, sent a letter (co-signed by 45 others) to Judiciary Committee chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) and ranking member Lamar Smith (R-Texas), urging passage of the bill over the “neutral” position taken by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association one week earlier. The bill, H.R. 6598, known as the Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2008, now moves to the House floor.
Abercrombie’s letter (shown below) seemed to trump an earlier letter by NTRA president Alex Waldrop, which said the NTRA had “concerns with the bill and potential unintended consequences.” The NTRA had previously supported anti-slaughter legislation filed but not passed in 2003; Waldrop’s letter did not address other anti-slaughter bills currently under consideration. Abercrombie and her co-signors urged support of all anti-slaughter legislation currently before the 110th Congress. “We and so many others in the Thoroughbred breeding and racing community strongly support all legislative initiatives, including H.R. 503, S. 311, and H.R. 6598, which will bring horse slaughter to a swift end,” Abercrombie wrote. “We want you to know that the NTRA’s position is not representative of the larger community.”
There currently are no slaughter plants operating in the U.S., the two in Texas having been shut down by a court ruling and a plant in Illinois shuttered after a state law was passed. There has been an increase in the number of horses being transported across the borders into Canada and Mexico, however, and H.R. 6598 provides enforcement for federal officials to end that. Horses confiscated would be under the jusisdiction of the attorney general, who, according to the bill, “shall provide for the humane placement or other humane disposition of any horse seized.”
Abercrombie is a prominent and successful Thoroughbred owner and breeder who owns Pin Oak Stud near Versailles, Ky. She is involved in numerous philanthropic causes, serves as a trustee of the Breeders’ Cup and is a member of the Jockey Club, among other Thoroughbred industry organizations.
Among those who signed the letter with Abercrombie are the owners of such well-known horses as reigning Horse of the Year Curlin (Barbara Banke and Jess Jackson), Kentucky Derby winner and Horse of the Year Sunday Silence (Arthur and Staci Hancock, along with breeders Deborah and Thomas Tatham), Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide (Jackson Knowlton of Sackatoga Stable), Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos (Debby and John Oxley, along with breeder James Squires), Kentucky Derby winner Smarty Jones (Pat Chapman), and Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro (Gretchen and Roy Jackson). Others who signed the letter include Racing Hall of Fame members Nick Zito (trainer of multiple Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown race winners); jockey Gary Stevens (multiple Kentucky Derby winner); and Julie Krone (Belmont Stakes winner and all-time leading female rider).
In addition, a number of the individuals who signed the letter have strong ties to Texas or Oklahoma, where opposition to the anti-slaughter legislation has been the strongest. Included in that list are Abercrombie, Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Ford, Janice and Robert McNair, Debby and John Oxley, Madeleine Paulson Pickens (wife of T. Boone Pickens), and Deborah and Thomas Tatham. Following is the text of the letter from Josephine Abercrombie and the list of co-signors.
Sept. 23, 2008
Dear Chairman Conyers and Ranking Member Smith:
Last week, during a Judiciary Committee mark up of H.R. 6598 – the Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2008, it was revealed that the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) does not support current legislation to ban horse slaughter. Needless to say, we were surprised at the revelation and disappointed by the reasons NTRA put forward, none of which are valid.
As Thoroughbred industry leaders who have long supported all Congressional actions to end this cruel industry, we were disappointed that the NTRA voiced unfounded concerns to those who support the slaughter of horses thus jeopardizing the passage of this legislation. We and so many others in the Thoroughbred breeding and racing community strongly support all legislative initiatives, including H.R. 503, S. 311, and H.R. 6598, which will bring horse slaughter to a swift end. We want you to know that the NTRA’s position is not representative of the larger community.
We commend you, Chairman Conyers, for providing this bill with a fair hearing, which has allowed it to move to this point. Given the narrow opportunity to act before Congress adjourns, we hope that H.R. 6598 can swiftly be moved from Committee to the floor of the full House of Representatives for final consideration. This bill is too important for politics to delay its enactment. Every five minutes an American horse is slaughtered. This bill can stop that.
H.R. 6598 is a sound bill that puts enforcement into the hands of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and its agents who are trained and staffed to deal with criminal issues. We feel confident that the DOJ has the necessary experience in dealing with large animal confiscations having led such high profile investigations involving animal fighting, Class B Dealers, and puppy mills. As with other statutes, under H.R. 6598, the DOJ has the authority to ask for assistance from other federal, state and non-governmental agencies during its enforcement of the law and this flexibility has shown to be highly effective.
Under a close examination of the concerns asserted by those opposing the bill, we can see no legitimate reason not to pass this legislation. As representatives of the Thoroughbred industry we look forward to the next Committee mark up of H.R. 6598 and urge you to pass H.R. 6598 as written, without amendments, as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Josephine Abercrombie
WE, the undersigned, are co-signors of this letter and support legislation to stop the slaughter of American horses.
John H. Adger, racing and bloodstock manager, Stonerside Stable, Houston, TX;
Peggy Augustus, Thoroughbred owner and breeder, Keswick Stables, Keswick, VA;
Betty and Gary Biszantz, Thoroughbred owners and breeders, Cobra Farm, Lexington, KY and Solana Beach, CA;
Nadia Sanan Briggs, Thoroughbred owner and breeder, Padua Stables, Ocala, FL;
Anne and Cot Campbell, Thoroughbred owners, Dogwood Stable, Aiken, SC;
Pat Chapman, Thoroughbred owner and breeder, Someday Farm, Doylestown, PA;
Jenny Craig, Thoroughbred owner and breeder, Rancho Paseana, Rancho Santa Fe, CA;
Carol Farmer, Thoroughbred owner and breeder, Shadowlawn Farm, Midway, KY;
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Ford, Thoroughbred owners and breeders, Diamond A Farms, Versailles, KY;
Maegan Ford, Thoroughbred owner and breeder, Diamond A Farms, Versailles, KY;
Staci and Arthur Hancock, Thoroughbred owners and breeders, Stone Farm, Paris, KY;
Mark Hennig, Thoroughbred owner and trainer, Garden City, NY;
Sara Jones Hill, Thoroughbred owner, Coconut Grove, FL;
Gretchen and Roy Jackson, Thoroughbred owners and breeders, Lael Farm, West Grove, PA;
Barbara Banke and Jess Jackson, Thoroughbred owners and breeders, Stonestreet Farm, Lexington, KY;
Jackson W. Knowlton, Thoroughbred owner, managing partner, Sackatoga Stable, Saratoga Springs, NY;
Julie Krone, Racing Hall of Fame jockey, Los Angeles, CA;
Janice and Robert McNair, Thoroughbred owners and breeders, Stonerside Stables, Houston, TX;
Ellen Moelis and Herbert I Moelis, Thoroughbred Charities of America, Candyland Farm, Middletown, DE;
Maggi Moss, Thoroughbred owner, Moss Equestrians, Des Moines, Iowa;
Joanne and Paul Oreffice, Thoroughbred owners, Dogwood Stables, Paradise Valley, AZ;
Debby and John Oxley, Thoroughbred owners and breeders, Fawn Leap Farm, Midway, KY;
Madeleine Paulson Pickens, Thoroughbred owner and breeder, Rancho Santa Fe, CA;
Dan Rosenberg, Rosenberg Thoroughbred Consulting,, Midway, KY;
James D. Squires, Two Bucks Farm, Versailles, KY;
Angie Athayde-Stevens, Thoroughbred consultant, Los Angeles, CA;
Gary Stevens, Racing Hall of Fame jockey; Los Angeles, CA;
Deborah W. Tatham and Thomas P. Tatham, Thoroughbred owners and breeders, Oak Cliff Breeders, Houston, TX;
Melanie and Jeffrey Tucker, Stone Bridge Farm, Schuylerville, NY;
Marylou Whitney and John Hendrickson, Thoroughbred owners and breeders, Lexington, KY and Saratoga Springs, NY;
Kim and Nick Zito, Thoroughbred owner and trainer, Lexington, KY and Saratoga Springs, NY.
Copyright © 2008, The Paulick Report
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Tags: Angie Athayde-Stevens, Anne and Cot Campbell, anti-slaughter legislation, Barbaro, Betty and Gary Biszantz, Carol Farmer, congressional hearings, Curlin, Dan Rosenberg, Debby and John Oxley, Deborah Tatham, Department of Justice, Ellen Moelis, funny cide, Gary Stevens, Gerald Ford, Gretchen and Roy Jackson, H.R. 503, h.r. 6598, Herb Moelis, horse slaughter, Jackson Knowlton, James Squires, Janice and Robert McNair, Jenny Craig, Joanne and Paul Oreffice, John Adger, john conyers, john hendrickson, Josephine Abercrombie, judiciary committee, Julie Krone, Kim and Nick Zito, Lamar Smith, Madeleine Paulson Pickens, Maegan Ford, maggi moss, Mark Hennig, marylou whitney, Melanie and Jeffrey Tucker, monarchos, Nadia Sanan Briggs, National Thoroughbred Racing Association, NTRA, Pat Chapman, Paulick Report, Peggy Augustus, prevention of equine cruelty act, Ray Paulick, S. 311, Sara Jones Hill, Smarty Jones, Staci and Arthur Hancock, sunday silence, Thomas P. Tatham
Posted in Horse Slaughter, Horse Welfare, National Thoroughbred Racing Association, People, Uncategorized | 21 Comments »
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