Posts Tagged ‘california racing’BUMMER MANMonday, December 28th, 2009After hopeful aspirations, eight-year-old Lava Man’s return to racing was anything but what trainer Doug O’Neill wanted to see as the popular California gelding faded to last in the San Gabriel. For the entire article, click here and then come back to the Paulick Report and let us know what you think. CALIFORNIA TO OUT-OF-STATE OWNERS: IOUWednesday, July 15th, 2009By Ray Paulick
Oh, the joys of sending a horse to race in California. Some owners with horses participating in last year’s Breeders’ Cup on the Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita Park believed running on that track was a crapshoot if it was their horse’s first time on synthetics. Obviously, it worked out for some (Raven’s Pass in the Classic was the most notable first-time synthetic winner), but not for others (Curlin finished fourth in the race, and trainer Steve Asmussen and owner Jess Jackson blamed the racing surface). But that wasn’t the end of the surprises for out of state or foreign owners. Those who were lucky enough to get a share of the Breeders’ Cup’s $25.5 million in prize money had 7% of the purse they won withheld by the state of California for income tax purposes. They were told the money could be refunded after filing a tax return with the state. California is apparently one of the only states to withhold purse money awarded to out-of-state owners. Well, guess what? Since the Breeders’ Cup was run, the state of California has fallen into a huge budget crisis and, for all practical purposes, is out of money. So what did those owners get from the California treasury after they filed a state income tax return? An IOU, or a “registered warrant” as the state calls it, that may be worth something “on or AFTER” Oct. 2, 2009.” As we like to say in the hospitable South, “Y’all come back now, hear?” The Breeders’ Cup does indeed return to Southern California this Nov. 6-7. And some owners are wondering why.
LIVE BLOGGING BREEDERS’ CUP PRE-ENTRY TELECONFERENCEThursday, October 16th, 2008At 1 p.m. Eastern Ray Paulick will be live blogging today’s National Thoroughbred Racing Association teleconference focusing on the 25th Breeders’ Cup from the Oak Tree Racing Association meeting at Santa Anita Park Oct. 24-25, pre-entries for which were announced earlier. Click here to get the list of pre-entries. Scheduled guests on the conference are: . Trainer Steve Asmussen. 1:04 p.m. … Before the conference begins, let me send a cautionary note to readers of today’s blog. In the event any of the participants starts talking about Joe the Plumber, I am out of here. That is, unless there is actually a pre-entered horse named Joe the Plumber. It comes to mind that we could have used Joe the Plumber at this year’s Belmont Stakes. If you were there, you’d know what I mean. 1:06 p.m. … It’s post time! Where are the horses? 1:12 p.m. … Still no tellie conference! While we are waiting, let me remind everyone that post positions will be drawn for the Friday and Saturday races next Tuesday, Oct. 21. TVG will have the live draw of some of the races that afternoon. Let’s hope the draw is as dramatic and entertaining as the Kentucky Derby draw! (Actually, it’s a pretty serious and busineslike affair, given the number of races that will be drawn, and they do it the old-fashioned way.) 1:16 p.m. … We begin! Jim Gluckson, the Breeders’ Cup publicist gets on the call and we immediately hear someone’s cell phone going off. 1:18 p.m. … Jimmy G. says there is a record number of pre-entries from overseas (I guess it helps that three races were added.) There should be a lot of records with the expansion. Greg Avioli is giving introductory remarks now. "Strongest fields in the 25 year history of our event….$25 million in purses. We are particularly pleased that the six new races (three in 2007, three this year) all have been oversubscribed." Avioli says he could talk for a long time but won’t. Good news. More good news. Advance forecast…83 degrees and sunny. No fires in sight this year, thankfully. 1:20 p.m. … Sherwood Chillingworth of Oak Tree takes the phone and mentions that this is a year of firsts: first time on synthetic, and first time without steroids (thanks for that reminder…does that mean we should put an asterisk in front of all previous Breeders’ Cup champions like baseball may do with Barry Bonds and that shameless dude from the St. Louis Cardinals? 1:25 p.m. … A little humor is injected into the call. Gluckson asks if Jerry Moss is on the line (he isn’t yet), then asks if trainer Eoin Harty is on the line. Harty says he is, and is ready to answer questiions anyone has for Jerry Moss, too. 1:30 p.m. … Steve Asmussen on the call says he was a little concerned with the hot weather when Curlin first arrived in California but it’s cooled off. Synthetic tracks can be very different day to day, says Asmussen, but he is satisfied with how Curlin has handled it so far. Asmussen isn’t going to judge anyone else’s horses (no trash talk against Duke of Marmalade, given a question about that horse from a writer). 1:31 p.m. … Does Eoin Harty have a home field advantage on synthetic surfaces with Well Armed and Colonel John? "Only in that I don’t have to ship," he replied. 1:32 p.m. … Jerry Moss talks about Zenyatta. "It’s not that we weren’t aware she didn’t have great talent. John Shirreffs always said she was special. … We don’t consider anything’s in the bag. Mike’s (jockey Smith) going to have to be lucky and she’s going to have to run her best race to win. … "We had a really nice filly that won the (Kentucky) Oaks in 1994, Sardula, and unfortunately she contracted an illness and didn’t make it past her fourth year. So we don’t take anything for granted. When I think of the great fillies I think of Personal Ensign, and the great race she had with Winning Colors back in the 1980s. I remember how she went to the breeding shed undefeated and that would be great if we could do something like that." Moss said he and wife Ann have not made any decision yet about 2009 with Zenyatta, as to whether or not she will run. Talking about Tiago, Moss said he will be "running against some the greatest horses of our time." 1:37 p.m. … A question about why the Breeders’ Cup came to a track with synthetics. Avioli said the Breeders’ Cup board made "an intentional decision" to have the races on a synthetic surface. "I don’t foresee going back to an era when you only have traditonal dirt tracks. … I expect you are going to see many, many more Breeders’ Cups held on synthetic tracks in the future." 1:39 p.m. … Back to Moss. He isn’t thinking about Horse of the Year for Zenyatta in the event Curlin is beaten in the Classic. 1:40 p.m. … Is Asmussen concerned Curlin may be vulnerable on a synthetic track. "There’s a lot out there…horses as accomplished as Tiago is a longshot. It’s competitive and we have nothing but respect for the horses involved. Having said that we are very proud of Curlin and very proud to be on his side." 1:41 p.m. … Did Moss ever consider the Classic with Zenyatta? "It never really entered our minds. We were always pointing toward this race, the Ladies’ Classic. OK she’s an undefeated filly and she might do well against colts, but this would be the first time she runs a mile and a quarter. Maybe there’s another time for that if she runs next year, and there’s some mile and quarter races for fillies we can try." 1:42 p.m. … Edgar Prado will ride Colonel John after Garrett Gomez chose to ride Go Between in the Classic. Harty said he wasn’t surprised by the deicison by Gomez and his agent. 1:43 p.m. … "Curlin looked absolutely fabulous in the California sun," Asmussen said about Curlin’s afternoon work on Monday. "The crowd erupted in the work," he said, "and Curlin jumped into the bridle." Asmussen said Curlin "has spoiled us with his consistency and ability. … I felt the track was very quick that afternoon. We were very pleased with the result." It was just a breeze, however, he added, a race is a completely different thing. 1:45 p.m. … Well Armed’s comeback from a serious health problem was a testament to the "owner’s perseverence," Harty said, then referred to WinStar Farm co-owner Bill Casner as a "hard-headed Texan." Veterinarians had recommended to Casner that Well Armed be euthanized. 1:47 p.m. … Asmussen has two others in the Classic… Student Council and Pyro."Student Council is a tremendous horse mentally and physically. He will show up and run his best race in the Breeders’ Cup. … Pyro deserves a chance at a mile and a quarter again (especially after the trouble he had in the Derby and Travers). The synthetic surface is a huge question because of his disappointing Blue Grass. But Polytrack isn’t Pro-Ride, and we’ll go from there." Asmussen refers to Curlin as a "Baby Huey" kind of horse early last year. 1:49 p.m. … Moss named many of his horses after the music business he’s in. How was Zenyatta named? "Zenyatta is named after the third Police album, Zenyatta Mondatta, which means absolutely nothing. We thought this would fit her and it has," he says. 1:51 p.m. … "Candidly after last year’s event we spent a lot of time thinking about what we could do to bring more European horses and Asian horses," Avioli said in response to a question about the increase in International runners this year. Avioli said it has to remain a "world championship." He said Breeders’ Cup officials actively recruited foreign runners. "There are more and more of these late fall championships in the world. The Arc, Hong Kong, Japan, and the Melbourne Cup. There’s a lot of competition out there for international horses." 1:54 p.m. … Tom Robbins said the Juvenile Fillies Tur f was a very difficult race to sort through and choose the field. 1: 56 p.m. … Someone asks Jerry Moss how he feels to have his unbeaten filly relegated to a Friday afternoon race (Filly Friday). "I’m just thrilled we are in the race," he says. "So in that sense whenever they decide to hold the race would be just fine with me. Whenever they scheduled it is up to them. They have the whole picture, and I’m just concerned about our horses and how they are doing. I really don’t have a comment on that. It’s not my place to ruminate about that." 1:58 p.m. … How much will be the economy going in the tank hurt this year’s Breeders’ Cup? "We will not be able to do the same level of handle that hypothetically we would have done if the economy not taken the nosedive it did.," said Avioli. Any estimate on this year’s handle? "It’s an inexact science," Avioli says. (Trust me: they have projections, they’re just not going to say what they are.) 2:00 p.m. … "European horses in the Turf are fast-ground horses," says Alastair Donald of the International Racing Bureau. He thinks the synthetic track will give Europeans a better chance to win the non-turf races, but adds, "I still think that we may put out our best performances on the turf." As for European horses coming to California, Donald said it isn’t the heat that gets to the European horses or the firm surface, but the farther distance horses must travel (as opposed to Belmont or Churchill Downs). It’s also the end of a long year for many of them, he added. "The steroid situation is greatly improved and there is consensus that we are on a level playing field. The synthetic surface helps level the playing field, too." END OF TELECONFERENCE MIKE MITCHELL’S CALIFORNIA RAPSHEETFriday, September 19th, 2008Californian Mike Mitchell has produced a steady stream of winners – mostly in the claiming ranks – since taking out his trainer’s license in 1974. He also has been cited quite regularly for various rules violations, including numerous medication and medication procedural infractions, by track stewards and the California Horse Racing Board, the latest being a positive test for the Class 3 drug Procaine in Scat Thief, third-place finisher in a race at Del Mar Aug. 3. Procaine is commonly found in the antibiotic Pencillin G. The longtime California claiming king consistently ranks among meeting leaders at Santa Anita Park, Hollywood Park and Del Mar, and he usually cracks the top 50 in the national standings by earnings. Horses he trains have won $3.5 million thus far in 2008, and he’s winning at a 24% clip. Mitchell makes semi-frequent forays into graded stakes, as he did in 2007 when the $50,000 claim Sun Boat won Del Mar’s Grade 2 San Diego Handicap. Sun Boat died a month later after contracting laminitis. Earlier this summer, Thoroughbred Times reported that Mitchell received 10 notifications for anabolic steroid positive tests during the transition period to ban the substance in California. The only trainer with more notifications, according to the article, was Del Mar’s leading trainer, John Sadler, who reportedly received 18 notifications. The article said there was a total of 38 notification letters to all trainers, which means Sadler and Mitchell allegedly accounted for 74% of them. Those reported anabolic steroid notices do not go on Mitchell’s record at the CHRB or into the database of the Association of Racing Commissioners International, which compiles rulings from around the country. The RCI’s compilation of rulings involving Mitchell are shown below. One of the more interesting rulings in the list of violations is a $5,000 fine in 2004 against Mitchell for an Acepromazine positive that occurred in 2003. Apparently, then CHRB executive director Roy Wood cut a deal with Mitchell for a fine and no suspension before the case even reached track stewards. According to a 2004 article in Bloodhorse magazine by Michael G. Wagner, Wood bargained for fines and no suspensions with trainers whose horses tested positive in order to save the racing board money spent on attorneys. According to the article, when stewards conducted a hearing on the matter with Mitchell and asked him to discuss how the case was resolved, he told them: "Talking to some of the (CHRB) investigators, they said, ‘You know they really don’t like to suspend anybody now — if you acknowledge the fact that it happened, and you want to pay the fine.’ … So I went through Roy Wood, talked to him. … I felt I just — you know, a 30-day suspension just would have been devastating to me. It would have been terrible. The fine was great." Wood is no longer with the CHRB. Below is Comprehensive Ruling Report on Mitchell from the RCI. Rulings Against: MICHAEL RAY MITCHELL 46 total ruling(s) listed. Ruling Number: LATS090 Date: 3/16/2007 Ruling Number: LATS083 Date: 3/14/2007 Ruling Number: OTTS001 Date: 10/1/2006 Ruling Number: OTTS005 Date: 10/1/2006 Ruling Number: HRTH104 Date: 6/29/2006 Ruling Number: *N*10101543 Date: 6/29/2006 Ruling Number: *N*10092082 Date: 5/5/2005 Ruling Number: *N*10080229 Date: 11/11/2004 Ruling Number: *N*10090571 Date: 11/11/2004 Ruling Number: *N*10073956 Date: 3/27/2004 Ruling Number: *N*10075126 Date: 2/29/2004 Ruling Number: *N*10065309 Date: 7/26/2003 Ruling Number: *N*10054303 Date: 6/27/2002 Ruling Number: *N*10023128 Date: 3/17/2001 Ruling Number: *N*339217 Date: 5/8/1998 Ruling Number: *N*85390 Date: 6/8/1996 Ruling Number: *N*85389 Date: 10/22/1995 Ruling Number: *N*85372 Date: 2/13/1991 Ruling Number: *N*85391 Date: 2/13/1991 Ruling Number: *N*85398 Date: 7/31/1990 Ruling Number: *N*85373 Date: 9/7/1989 Ruling Number: *N*85374 Date: 9/1/1989 Ruling Number: *N*85375 Date: 7/15/1989 Ruling Number: *N*85376 Date: 1/28/1989 Ruling Number: *N*85399 Date: 8/22/1988 Ruling Number: *N*85377 Date: 7/9/1988 Ruling Number: *N*85392 Date: 12/5/1987 Ruling Number: *N*85378 Date: 11/25/1987 Ruling Number: *N*85393 Date: 1/15/1987 Ruling Number: *N*85400 Date: 1/3/1987 Ruling Number: *N*85379 Date: 10/3/1986 Ruling Number: *N*85401 Date: 6/11/1986 Ruling Number: *N*85380 Date: 2/22/1986 Ruling Number: *N*85381 Date: 3/28/1984 Ruling Number: *N*85382 Date: 9/7/1983 Ruling Number: *N*85383 Date: 7/8/1982 Ruling Number: *N*85402 Date: 6/21/1981 Ruling Number: *N*85384 Date: 5/29/1981 Ruling Number: *N*85394 Date: 9/14/1980 Ruling Number: *N*85385 Date: 5/23/1980 Ruling Number: *N*85395 Date: 2/17/1979 Ruling Number: *N*85386 Date: 1/25/1979 Ruling Number: *N*85403 Date: 5/26/1978 Ruling Number: *N*85387 Date: 1/2/1978 Ruling Number: *N*85388 Date: 12/10/1975
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