OWNER WITT EJECTED FROM PENN NATIONAL
By Ray Paulick
Owner Henry S. Witt Jr., whose name surfaced in the Paulick Report in late March in connection with a Darrel Delahoussaye-trained horse formerly owned by Michael Gill, has been ejected from Penn National after an alleged discovery of injectables by investigators with the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission on Thursday. The ejection will essentially prohibit Witt from racing at any Pennsylvania track, pending a possible appeal, according to a Pennsylvania commission official.
Suzy Three, a filly owned by Witt, was to be scratched from the $100,000 Jenny Wade Handicap at Penn National Friday night as a result of the ejection. The filly had been racing for Witt in Texas, where she was trained by Charlotte Bronstad.
Delahoussaye, who has trained for Witt at Penn National since being fired by Gill in January, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with two felonies and several misdemeanors alleging theft by deception, illegal drugging of racehorses, rigging a public event, and tampering with evidence.
The Pennsylvania State Racing Commission on Thursday suspended Delahoussaye indefinitely, ruling that “the experience, character and general fitness of the applicant or licensee are such that the participation of the person in thoroughbred horse race meets will be inconsistent with the public interest, the best interests of racing generally.” Delahoussaye’s eligibility for reinstatement will not be considered until the final disposition of the criminal charges against him. Delahoussaye filed an appeal with the commission. While the motion for an appeal was granted, the stay of the suspension was denied.
There was some confusion about a horse named Iron Man Surprise earlier this year when he was double entered <http://www.paulickreport.com/blog/gill-again-one-horse-two-owners/> at Philadelphia Park, where he was listed as owned by Gill, and at Penn National, where Witt was listed as owner. According to published reports, a number of other horses that had been owned by Gill—who dissolved his stable and was banned from entering horses at Penn National after a January controversy—ended up racing in Witt’s name.
Tags: Darrel Delahoussaye, Henry S. Witt Jr, Jenny Wade Handicap, Michael Gill, Paulick Report, pennsylvania state horse racing commission, Suzy Three
July 30th, 2010 at 6:50 pm
My goodness. Penn National might actually get cleaned up !!!
Now if only the PA Racing Commission would look into Witt’s personal finances to see if he laundered money for Gill.
July 30th, 2010 at 7:00 pm
Just another witch hunt my a bunch of mindless dingbats with the PA Racing Commission. Witt is a good man and has done a lot for the sport or horse racing.
July 30th, 2010 at 7:06 pm
Something has been up @ Penn for quite some time, so don’t anyone tell me this was a mistake. There is too much “smoke” around this situation.
The walls are falling at Penn….because people refused to play by the rules & abused horses, defraud racegoers & wagerers, and now are causing raving to get another black eye.
What’s wrong with racing by the rules? Why do people need to race lame horses?
And, while we’re talking….about milkshakes. I know a trainer in California who still defends his use of them, calling them “natural.” I told him he was a jackass. Horses don’t consume sodium bicarbonate naturally nor do they drink coffee or Red Bull.
July 30th, 2010 at 7:12 pm
Witt has a good reputation and is a stand up owner. They could bust just about anyone at that backside for needles, but they pick on people who are good for the sport. What a joke.
July 30th, 2010 at 7:28 pm
Witt may very well be a jackass. If he is affiliated with Gill, his chances of this moniker greatly increase. Folks like this add no value to our sport and should be run out of the business of horse racing. If only honest owner/trainer would emerge and sell the bums down the river……..
July 30th, 2010 at 7:37 pm
The whole bunch is still wound up tight over Gill. Witt made a long trip and should have dropped off the banamine before he went on track. Every horsemen should travel with some emergency stuff for the horses. I would not jump on this owner quite yet. When you haul your horses across the country yourself, a mistake was made. Not an attempt to hurt a horse or take advantage of the public.
July 30th, 2010 at 7:44 pm
I call BS, you’re full of just that. Witt and his broken bottom level claimers are as bad for the sport as Gill.
July 30th, 2010 at 7:53 pm
No owner is permitted to provide their horse with ANY substance. Vets are the only authorized personnel permitted to be carrying any injectables on the backside of a racetrack. So to Witt, what’s the deal?
July 30th, 2010 at 8:11 pm
ruffian, not everyone lives and trains on the backside of a racetrack. Horses are livestock, you are allowed to give them shots legally in the state of Pennsylvania, just not on the backside of a commissioned racetrack. I would like to know the details: a) was it in a vehicle? b)was it seen given to a horse on the backside? c) was it given to a horse that was in? d) was this part of Darryl’s plea bargan? Before the Paulick Lynch Mob takes out another one, I think these are important questions.
July 30th, 2010 at 8:14 pm
Good job, PA. Thank you.
July 30th, 2010 at 8:52 pm
How could any owner who chose to employ Darrel Delahoussaye as a trainer have a “good reputation”? DD’s reputation, both before and after he got to PA, was not exactly a secret.
July 30th, 2010 at 10:28 pm
When I grow up I want to have the easiest job in the world. I want to be the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture. It is my understanding that Redding’s most difficult job each year is going to the Farm Show to hold a press conference about the butter sculpture. This guy has singlehandedly killed horse racing in Pennsylvania. Under his watch, he slashed the budget allocation to the Racing Commission side rendering them practically worthless. Then they pay people like Jorge Augusto way too much money instead of putting the money into more important programs…um…like…putting cameras on the backside and in barns at Penn National. As long as Augusto is running the ship we’re all in trouble. I would venture to guess that if Augusto were practicing private law, he would probably sue the State of Pennsylvania for tripping on a sidewalk. But since he works for them, he will never do anything to improve the sport. Augusto approves every license that is put in front of him as is the customary way for Pennsylvania. Just take a look at Burton K. Sipp.
From ESPN.com’s Bill Finley
“Sipp has been in and out of trouble throughout his racing career, but one incident stands out. In 1983, Sipp was investigated by the New Jersey and Pennsylvania State Police for allegedly killing horses for insurance reasons and was eventually indicted for fraud…By 1993, the worst of Sipp’s legal troubles had ended and his probation was lifted. The New Jersey Racing Commission would not grant him a license, but it did lift its suspension against him. That opened the door for him to apply elsewhere and the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission gave him a license. Burton K. Sipp was back.”
Until the State of Pennsylvania removes people like Jorge Augusto from office this problem is going to continue.
I would ask Ray Paulick do a special feature on the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission when this is all over. Ray, do you think it would be a good idea to delve deep into the broken PA Racing Commission. I think it’s pretty apparent the Pennsylvania model is broken.
July 30th, 2010 at 10:28 pm
You people just don’t seem to get it. Delahoussaye was just plain bad for the game, in general. And now that he’s been arrested we are supposed to start believing all of his chatter about turning on those who inhabit the backside and the racing office? Darrell has not been very shy, in the past few days, about screaming that he is going to bury Stephanie Beattie, jockey agent Krulock, and secretary Jenkins. As a matter of fact, this known scum claims to have already done so. How can we trust information from a man that has a rap sheet as long as the Old Testament and who has in the past lacked all ethical principles and credibility. I think it is absurd if the future arrests that the DA says are probable are all based on the information given by this proven criminal.
And anyway, Beattie has always proven to be a great caretaker and successful business person. Jenkins has turned this once failing racing program, into a respected program with soaring purses and exciting, competitive racing. I mean come on people. Do you really think an owner of the class and caliber of Donny Brown would be in business with these people if they were not running things with the highest degree of integrity? I am certain that if additional charges are filed in this manner, we will find out that going down this road has been a big mistake. We just don’t need senseless arrests of good people to darken this already bloody sport any further. Keep Darrell away and take any of his nonsense info for what it is- a bunch of desperate lies and rubbish
July 31st, 2010 at 12:38 am
I personaly have met Mr. Witt. He is a great owner and unlike most pays his bills. He shows up every two to three weeks with a load of horses. My question is why would the commision even waste their time shaking a guy down thats only here a couple times a month? Would you think it would be smarter to get someone who is on backside on a daily basis hoppin’ horses rather than an owner who hauls his own horses and gets shook down for medicine that may be needed while hauing horses over 24 hours. Mr. Witt all I have to say is Witch Hunt. This is pretty embarrassing.
July 31st, 2010 at 1:20 am
Good for Penn National….need to kick more bums out of the game….all those who are trying to defend them can are clueless and can kiss my a$$
July 31st, 2010 at 8:21 am
John Conner and Brandon Jenkins train for Mr. Witt. They trained for him before DD. I dont think DD trained for him but a couple months. If you even know anything about shipping horses you will know that you could need medication especially for a horse thats in a trailer more than 24 hours. Hot horses colic. I took one to Mountaineer the other day in this heat and he colic’d on me. I see Mr. Witt runnin around with a huge trailer probably a six or eight horse thats six or eight problems in this heat. Its not against the law to have medicattion in your vehicle but it’s against the rules to take it through the back gate. He shoulda dropped it off before going to the back gate.
July 31st, 2010 at 9:55 am
How stupid to drive when it’s hot-drive at night rather than colic your horses then. That’s supposed to make me feel better about Witt?
July 31st, 2010 at 10:54 am
good job Penn National! Henry witt is just another cancer removed from the backside and another step in cleaning up racing at this pathetic track! In all honesty with all the corruption at this low level track it probably should be closed down temporarily until the PSP is finished with their investigation and all the trash is removed from both the backside and racing department.
July 31st, 2010 at 2:57 pm
One of the broken down claimers was entered into the 100k and that was the one he was hauling in. The bottle of banamine was new and had not been opened! The DD connection was limited and with eighty four horses running the four states, Mr Witt does not have a history of hurting the sport.
July 31st, 2010 at 3:07 pm
You must not have anything to do with horse racing. If you closed the track down it would hurt ALL aspects of the racing industry. Maybe you are one of the bad guys thats always trying to keep things stirred up at the track. People like you being negative doesn’t help the horse industry which is already struggling to stay on its feet.
July 31st, 2010 at 3:20 pm
John Sunwack, Your comments about DD are correct. The rest of your post shows that you are delusional.
July 31st, 2010 at 7:32 pm
Matt’s comments pretty much sum up what’s wrong wtih racing today…APATHY EVERYWHERE. Well this, well that, whatever. The guy got caught with injectables on the backside and it is my understanding that it was more than banamine so spare us the Poor Henry Witt crap. Let Witt free then everytime someone gets busted theyll use the same excuse…”well I was in Paducah Kentucky and just got back”. Oh last time I checked there was such a thing as banamine paste which is permitted on Penn National’s backside.
July 31st, 2010 at 10:49 pm
I hate to hurt anyone’s feelings on this blog but it’s pretty sad when we spend our tax dollars on commisioners or a commissioner that is supposed to work for the people since we pay them with our tax dollars and they have several handles on this blog and dog horse racing and individuals to make themselves look good. Matt Flores says put your real name on here or quite doggin the horse racing industry and if you don’t like horse racing and the people in this business then maybe you should get another job.
-Matt Flores, I sign my name, would you sign yours or will you just get another handle.
August 2nd, 2010 at 1:44 pm
Don’t forget, Arizona was one of the first states to welcome Burton Sipps back with open arms. When his past was pointed out to the Az..Dirctor of Racing, He said he would never have given him the license if he would have known that. UUUUUHHHHH??? Investigators??? Yeah, several work for the Dept. Funny, I typed in the name Burton Sipps in the Google box and Voila!!! An entire history of him. 5 minutes is about what it took. And the investigators get paid how much?? They COULD have rescinded the license but chose not to. I think it was one of Az.’s most embarrassing moments. Altho we have many.
August 2nd, 2010 at 3:18 pm
I was wrong, he was not hauling Suzy three in, it was another horse. He broke a rule, but it was a mistake, it should be like a speeding ticket and not like a locke him up deal when you intentionally abuse an animal to get an advantage in a race. Keep things in perspective folks.
August 2nd, 2010 at 4:13 pm
Tokie everyone knows it’s a big no-no to bring injectables into the backside. Swearing in the Racing Office or drinking a beer in the stable area would be more along the lines of a speeding ticket in my opinion. Why don’t you tell us what he injectables were then maybe we’ll agree with you? I don’t think anyone is comparing Mr. Witt to Mr. Delahoussaye either. If they are then that is way off base. There was a Greek trainer (name eludes me)caught with injectables and he was given a multi year suspension so it’s not like others have been caught and given only a slap on the wrist. Nobody is picking on Mr. Witt.
August 2nd, 2010 at 5:20 pm
That Greek trainer had a whole rack full of needles, syringes, injectables on the horse path where horses are led up and giving a shot as they went by going to the saddling paddock. Big difference.
August 2nd, 2010 at 8:11 pm
why is that “Golf” Toddie is seen with the Queen B everywhere. I am getting the impression that “Golf” toddie gets overpaid 85 large a year to be the Queen B’s bodyguard. he spends almost every waking moment protecting her. doesn’t look good for you toddie!! If you aren’t doing something that has the Beattie name involved you are no good for the HPBA because otherwise you do nothing.
August 4th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
“Golf” Toddie is once again seen with only people that have some major issues at Penn National. why is that Toddie?? We all can only question “why”. hopefully in the very near future “Golf” Toddie will be just another bad memory from Penn National.
August 4th, 2010 at 2:49 pm
May I ask a dumb question? Who is Golf Toddie?
August 4th, 2010 at 3:25 pm
“Golf” Toddie is that famous slug that collects 85 large a year to nothing more than clock horses, read racing forms and patronize anybody that has a name of “Beattie” and also try his best to protect all the bad apples at Penn National. every once and again you will see him frequent the HPBA office and try to his job as our director. now do you know whom “Golf” toddie is?