CULLEN RESPONDS TO ACCUSATIONS OF WRONGDOING
Friday, November 27th, 2009By Ray Paulick
I took no glee in writing about bloodstock agent Jim Cullen’s legal and financial problems earlier this week. The trail of lawsuits, unpaid financial obligations and charges of alleged wrongdoing from some of his former clients and associates do not paint a pretty picture to outsiders interested in investing in the Thoroughbred industry.
For his part, Cullen has responded to my article at the website he maintains for his company, Cullen Bloodstock. Click here to read his response. Feel free to comment below on whether you feel he was wronged by the Paulick Report expose, or in subsequent, similar articles at bloodhorse.com and drf.com.
We have a shortage of Thoroughbred owners, and in some ways the industry has itself to blame. Organizations have failed to adequately look out for and protect the best interests of many newcomers to racing who, quite frankly, have been fleeced and unfortunately participate in what has historically been a three-step program: 1) get in; 2) get screwed; 3) get out.
There has been some progress. The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association’s Sales Integrity Task Force has been formed, and it took some very modest steps to protect horse owners from unscrupulous agents, including a long-overdue Code of Conduct for participants. It’s better than what was in place before—nothing.
But let’s be honest. Much, much more can and should be done to inspire confidence in people who enter the Thoroughbred industry with the expectation of getting a fair shake. The decision by Keeneland to sanction Cullen—banning him from auction participation until 2011 at the earliest—was the first time the Sales Integrity Task Force’s Code of Conduct has been openly cited for enforcement since its adoption in 2007. I would suggest its enforcement has been less than aggressively pursued by some auction companies.
There has been no small amount of throat-clearing and back-patting about how well “the system worked” in bringing about the Code of Conduct-cited sanctions against Cullen. In this instance, the “system” did very little. If not for the tireless efforts of the individuals who felt they were wronged by Cullen, I doubt any action would have been taken.
By the way, the charges are just that—allegations—and Cullen deserves his day in court to respond to any of the lawsuits or accusations against him. For his part, he calls the conduct of his former clients “harassment” and said they have made “slanderous” and “defamatory” statements about him. Cullen said he has filed “charges” against them with the Lexington (Ky.) police for “harassing communications.” The Paulick Report checked with both the Lexington Police Department and Fayette County court system to see if such charges were filed, but was unable to confirm that any charges have indeed been filed as Cullen indicated.
Copyright © 2009, The Paulick Report
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