Archive for the ‘ernie paragallo’ CategoryERNIE PARAGALLO FOUND GUILTYWednesday, March 10th, 2010Prominent horse breeder Ernie Paragallo was found guilty this morning of 33 or 34 misdemeanor counts of neglecting his 177 horses at Center Brook Farm in Climax, NY.
Then come back to the Paulick Report and let us know what you think ERNIE PARAGALLO TO TESTIFY IN CRUELTY TRIALThursday, March 4th, 2010New York owner Ernie Paragallo, whose Center Brook Farm allegedly engaged in severe abuse of its horses, will take the stand today in his own trial. According to Paul Post, he is facing up to two years in jail and $35,000 in fines after being indicted on 35 counts of animal cruelty. Setting the stage for his defense, Paragallo’s attorney Michael Howard claims his client put others in charge of the farm and wasn’t aware of the conditions. Then come back to the Paulick Report and let us know what you think KILL PEN OWNER TESTIFIES TO TAKING PARAGALLO’S HORSESWednesday, March 3rd, 2010As the Paragallo case continues to be tried, the case against the New York owner continues to mount. Donald Nickerson, who buys horses and has them transported to a slaughterhouse in Canada, admitted to taking some of Paragallo’s horses up north. He described the condition of horses as weighing 800-900 pounds although "they had a 1,300 or 1,400-pound framework. They were so emaciated that he nearly told the driver to take them back. Horses that are too bad off for a kill pen owner? That’s what Nickerson seems to be claiming. Then come back to the Paulick Report and let us know what you think VET ON PARAGALLO CASE: ALL OF THE HORSES HAD LICEFriday, February 26th, 2010Veterinarian Dr. Jerry Bilinski testified that nearly all Thoroughbreds on Ernie Paragallo’s farm were malnourished to emaciation and were living in an environment infested with parasites. Then come back to the Paulick Report and let us know what you think PARAGALLO: IF THEY WANT TO LOCK ME UP, MAYBE THEY SHOULDWednesday, February 24th, 2010In the first day of the Ernie Paragallo trial, the much-maligned owner didn’t pull too many punches. In a videotaped statement, Paragallo confessed, "I’m not denying it. If they want to lock me up, maybe they should. Whether it’s my fault or not it happened and it’s my responsibility." We agree. Then come back to the Paulick Report and let us know what you think TRIAL TIME FOR PARAGALLOTuesday, February 23rd, 2010According to Frank Angst at the Thoroughbred Times, alleged animal abuser Ernie Paragallo’s long awaited trial is to begin today. Facing a maximum of 35 years in jail and a $35,000 fine, the former New York horse owner has waived a jury trial and will plead his case directly to the judge. Read it at the Thoroughbred Times Then come back to the Paulick Report and let us know what you think PARAGALLO HORSES SCRATCHED IN DELAWAREFriday, May 1st, 2009By Ray Paulick Paragallo was recently charged on 22 criminal counts of animal cruelty at his Center Brook Farm in upstate New York. As a result of the case, in which scores of horses were found malnourished, the New York State Racing and Wagering Board launched an investigation into the Paragallo family and the roles of the father and the two daughters in Paraneck. Paragallo had his owner’s license revoked in 2005 for financial irresponsibility, but he was allowed to be licensed as authorized agent for the stable. The New York Racing Association banned Paraneck horses from running at its tracks until a new authorized agent is approved, one who is not related to the Paragallos and has not worked prevoiusly for the operation. The Paulick Report reported Friday that Melville, N.Y., attorney Robert Savitsky has applied for a license as authorized agent to the newly formed Nob Hill Stable, but that application has not been approved by the SRWB. Delaware Racing Commission executive director John Wayne confirmed the scratch of the two horses from Monday’s racing program but could not comment because the matter was still under review. Copyright © 2009, The Paulick Report Support the Paulick Report. Make a donation today. Sign up for our Email Flashes to get the latest news, analysis and commentary from Ray Paulick
PARAGALLO TO BE CHARGED ON 22 COUNTS OF ANIMAL CRUELTYFriday, April 10th, 2009UPDATED 11 P.M. He is being arraigned later this afternoon at the Coxsackie Town Court in Coxsackie, N.Y. According to published reports, Paragallo could face up to a $1,000 fine and a year in jail for each count. According to the New York Daily News, Paragallo had not made bail as of 9:40 p.m. However, the New York State Police told the Paulick Report at 10:45 p.m. that Paragallo had been released on bail sometime in the last hour. Copyright © 2009, The Paulick Report Sign up for our Email flashes to get the latest news, analysis and commentary from Ray Paulick Visit the Paulick Report for all the latest news throughout the racing world. PARAGALLO RAKING IN MILLIONS IN STUD FEESThursday, April 9th, 2009By Ray Paulick In one published report, Paragallo claims to be spending $5,000 per week on feed for the horses on his farm. That sounds like a lot of money to many of us, but Paragallo has played at the top end of the racing and breeding world. One of his racing stable’s former stars, Unbridled’s Song, winner of the $1-million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in 1995, has been an extremely successful stallion, standing as the property of a syndicate at Taylor Made Farm in Kentucky. Unbridled’s Song is the sire of two of this year’s leading Kentucky Derby contenders, Old Fashioned and Dunkirk. According to sources, Paragallo owns as many as 20 of the 40 shares in Unbridled’s Song, whose 2009 live foal stud fee is $125,000 (down from $150,000 in 2008, and $200,000 in 2007). Each of those shares leads to roughly two live foals per year, meaning that if Paragallo owns 20 shares he will get $5 million or more in revenue in stud fees from Unbridled’s Song when this breeding season’s foals are born in 2010 (20 shares=40 foals, times $125,000 stud fee). Over a three-year period (factoring in the higher fees from 2007-08), Paragallo’s revenue from Unbridled’s Song could approach $20 million. Yes, he certainly can afford to feed and provide proper veterinary care for his horses. Copyright © 2009, The Paulick Report Visit the Paulick Report for all the latest news throughout the racing world. PARAGALLO OWNER’S LICENSE REVOKED IN 2005Tuesday, April 7th, 2009By Ray Paulick
Something is rotten in the state of New York, and it involves the licensing of Thoroughbred owners. Back in July of 2005, the New York State Racing and Wagering Board, which oversees licensing and the rules and regulations of pari-mutuel racing in the Empire State, revoked the owner’s license of Ernie Paragallo for financial irresponsibility. The wealthy New Yorker who in 1996 raced the Kentucky Derby favorite and now leading stallion Unbridled’s Song owed money (reportedly $18,000) to the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton equine hospital, apparently for veterinary work done on one or more of his Thoroughbreds. But that ruling didn’t appear to slow Paragallo down, whose horses race in the name of Paraneck Stable. Paragallo’s daughters, Jennifer and Kristen, are licensed in New York as the “owners” of Paraneck Stable, which is among the leading owners in New York. Ernie Paragallo is licensed by the SRWB as an “authorized agent.” When I spoke with Paragallo last week about the mares from his Center Brook Farm that were found in a lice infested and malnourished condition at a New York livestock auction’s kill pen, he said he “runs” the stable as an employee of his daughters. Why, then, does the New York Racing Association’s media guide list Ernie Paragallo’s biography as the owner of Paraneck Stable and everyone associate Ernie as the voice and face of Paraneck? Is this one of those wink-wink nod-nod things where the rules are made to be broken, or least overlooked? “If I wanted to be licensed I’d have to prove to the board that I’ve satisfied the bill,” Paragallo said. The University of Pennsylvania isn’t the only business that had to go to extremes to collect money owed by Paragallo. When the SRWB revoked his license, he reportedly owed $500,000 to the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. That bill was said to be paid. I can say from personal experience that Paragallo (or a business entity he controlled) wasn’t quick to pay for advertising invoices to at least one Thoroughbred trade magazine , either. On at least one occasion, a publication I was affiliated with was forced to hire an attorney and threaten to take legal action to collect money owed on advertising for Paragallo’s stallions. I wonder if other businesses have had similar problems. Five years ago, in July 2004, Paragallo announced he was going to sell all of his racing and breeding stock by the end of that year because of unspecified health problems. It’s a shame he didn’t. Now I know that I’m going to be castigated for that statement by some people in the industry who will be quick to point out all the good things Ernie Paragallo has done: the $1 million given to the NTRA Charities New York Heroes Fund in 2001, the seasons to Unbridled’s Song and other stallions he has donated to charities, and the money he spends in the industry. Racing does need Thoroughbred owners, and it needs more owners than it currently has. But it needs owners who act responsibly regarding the care and treatment of their horses. Based on what I’ve learned about the horses under Paragallo’s care, at least those at his Center Brook Farm, I don’t believe he fits into that category. Of course, Paragallo isn’t even licensed as an owner, is he? Copyright © 2009, The Paulick Report Visit the Paulick Report for all the latest news throughout the racing world. |
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