Posts Tagged ‘Emily Patton’

It was, to say the least, an interesting week to launch the Paulick Report.

First, we had the opportunity to take a close look at the Breeders’ Cup election for its board of members and trustees in a two-part series that looked first at the history of the organization’s governance. The current battle for control — the old guard vs. the new guard — was the focus of the second part of that series. The Breeders’ Cup election is now in full swing. A newly seated board of members and trustees will then be responsible for electing half of the 14-member board of directors, which has operational oversight of the Breeders’ Cup program and its championship event. The vote for the board of directors takes place in Lexington July 11.

The Paulick Report promises to keep a close eye on the Breeders’ Cup election process.

Then came the news uncovered here that Curlin might not be able to race in New York this year because of problems involving the owner’s license of Shirley Cunningham, a jailed attorney who is part of the Midnight Cry Stable that owns 20% of the reigning North American Horse of the Year. Cunningham, along with two other attorneys involved in a class-action lawsuit settlement, has been charged with a crime but not convicted of anything. Shortly after PaulickReport.com exposed the problem with Cunningham’s license, a mouthpiece for the New York State Racing and Wagering Board attempted to spike the issue through the Thoroughbred industry’s trade press by saying there would be no problems with Curlin racing in New York. If that was the case, then, why was Midnight Cry Stable’s Einstein not allowed to race in New York on Belmont Day in the Manhattan Handicap?

I can think of at least one person who was happy to keep Einstein out of New York: Dinny Phipps, the former boss of New York racing, whose family stable’s Dancing Forever won the $400,000 Manhattan. Einstein defeated Dancing Forever earlier this year in Florida, where the owner’s license was not an issue. It was not an issue in Kentucky, either, where Einstein ran second to Curlin in the Stephen Foster Handicap June 14. Even stranger: Curlin raced in New York last fall, winning the Jockey Club Gold Cup, one month after Cunningham’s license had expired. By week’s end, attorneys for Curlin’s majority owner, Jess Jackson, said they are confident the issue will be resolved.

Mid-week brought our focus to Washington, D.C., for a preview of a Congressional hearing on Thoroughbred racing by the House of Representatives subcommittee on commerce, trade and consumer protection. The hearings came in the wake of a series of high-profile events that seemed to begin two years ago with the tragic breakdown of Barbaro, then continued in this year’s Triple Crown with the death of Kentucky Derby runner-up Eight Belles.

The Paulick Report was the only racing publication to provide live-blogging of the hearing from Capitol Hill on Thursday, followed by an analysis of what could be a watershed day for the industry if Kentucky Rep. Ed Whitfield can push through legislation setting national guidelines on medication and other issues for the 38 state racing commissions to follow.

Finally, a glimmer of hope from an unexpected source. Emily Patton, an 18-year-old horse crazy girl, writes with passion about what attracted her to Thoroughbred racing at the tender age of 12. It was a wonderful reminder to us all about what is so appealing about this great game.

Thanks to the many of you who already have indicated your support for what we are doing by making a financial donation or contacting us about advertising at info@paulickreport.com.

Stay tuned, the Paulick Report is just getting started.

By Ray Paulick

Copyright ©2008, The Paulick Report

The other day I received an e-mail from a young lady, 18 years old, commenting on an article I had written for ESPN.com in the wake of Big Brown’s defeat in the Belmont Stakes. The passion with which she wrote about the sport reminded me that racing always has and always will have tremendous appeal because of one thing: the horse. As long as the people in racing don’t completely mess things up, there is still hope for racing. The young lady, Emily Patton, said it would be OK to share her email with readers of the Paulick Report:

I just finished reading your article on ESPN.com, and sincerely enjoyed it.

I am an 18 year old girl who fell in love with horse racing as a 12-year-old: a 12-year-old girl falling in love with a sport that attracts many with serious addictions, involving smoking, gambling, and drinking.

I would race to the television to watch Bob Baffert’s horses, watching Real Quiet and Silver Charm race for the crown. I cannot tell you how upset my parents were as I begged them to please, please let me go watch the races. When Smarty Jones came around in 2004, I was sold. I had hit rock bottom. I was in love with a horse.

My parents couldn’t deny it, buying me Blood-Horse after Blood-Horse that had Smarty on the cover.

I plainly want to say, your article is the absolute truth. Every year I choose a Derby horse. I pick it early, around February, and see if “my” horse can do it. I slowly become attached, and by the time they are driving down the stretch at Churchill, I am on my feet, screaming.

I pick a horse who can handle the distance. I like closers, I don’t like horses that go to the lead. I like Kentucky breds. I like a horse with non-corporate owners. And the list continues… I didn’t pull for Big Brown this year, well prior to the Derby at least.

I was alive one month before Secretariat passed away, about ten years before Seattle Slew went, and my gosh, I cannot tell you how I would have loved to be around for the 12th triple crown winner to parade in front of me. I thought, “For once, a team is doing it the right way with a horse in the Triple Crown: racing him lightly before, not running too huge in the Preakness…”

I was getting excited. I even called a sports radio station the morning of the Belmont, excited, talking about how he would do it. I convinced myself that the Sport of Kings, would be that again. I don’t know how I fell in love with horse-racing. I don’t know why as a young teenage girl I found it more appealing to memorize all the Derby winners instead of chase boys around. I don’t know.

Big Brown did what he could.

Thank you for the enjoyment.

–Emily Patton

Let’s hope there are a lot more Emily Pattons out there, young people who bring such passion to our great sport.