WELCOME TO THE PAULICK REPORT
Welcome to the Paulick Report, your new, independent source for news, analysis and commentary on the Thoroughbred industry.
Why, you might ask, does racing and breeding need an independent voice, one that is not affiliated with any of the industry’s numerous organizations and does not cater to a specific segment of the business? We think the answer is obvious: that some organizations, businesses and individuals within the Thoroughbred industry have had too much influence on the traditional role of the press to ask the difficult questions and report the unvarnished truth. That is what the public deserves, and what the Paulick Report aims to deliver.
The Paulick Report is modeled after the success of web-based publications including Real Clear Politics, The Huffington Post and Drudge Report. It will break exclusive stories, featuring reporting and analysis on a wide range of topics by veteran award-winning journalist Ray Paulick, the longtime editor of The Blood-Horse who over the past three decades has developed a trusted and informed network of sources throughout the industry.
The Paulick Report also will feature links — updated throughout the day — to global Thoroughbred news and commentary produced by mainstream media and the growing community of knowledgeable bloggers who keep a watchful eye on the racing and breeding industry. In addition, readers will have the opportunity to provide anonymous news tips.
The Paulick Report promises to be relevant, intuitive and independent. Said Paulick: “We hope to revolutionize the news coverage of the Thoroughbred industry with quality reporting of the large reservoir of uncovered news, emphasis on breaking the big story and by tapping into the talented army of on-line contributors.”
It should be the first and last stop for anyone seeking up-to-date information regarding the Thoroughbred industry. “This industry combines all the ingredients of Wall Street, Washington and Hollywood — and we plan to bring this out with a laser focus on the business of racing, the politics of the industry and the celebrities of horse racing, including the horses themselves,” said Paulick. “This business can be a great deal of fun, and we also aim to reflect that, too.”
We hope you will be a frequent visitor to the Paulick Report. Our mission is to provide you with the news and analysis you want and need. We look forward to your feedback. Also, please keep in mind that this is a reader-supported site, and we hope we can count on your support in the days and weeks to come.
June 16th, 2008 at 7:46 am
Mr. Paulick - Welcome back! I always enjoyed your commentary on the Bloodhorse site, and your new venture looks like a great collection of racing news. Thank you, too, for realizing that we do race in countries other than the United States. I’m definitely bookmarking your site to check daily with my morning coffee.
June 16th, 2008 at 8:28 am
Great to have your wise and insightful comments back in publication.
Dave Johnson
June 16th, 2008 at 8:32 am
Good luck with this new site and already gone through it and found a lot of info that is not higher priority on other sites.
Having seen you at a lot off race meets outside the USA and happy to know there is an independent voice out their covering racing in more than one region.
Good luck and will enjoy your site.
David Raphael.
June 16th, 2008 at 8:59 am
We can never get enough info in this biz…keep on writin
June 16th, 2008 at 10:01 am
I was thrilled to see the “Paulick” name appear in my in-box. You have always been an independent voice, so I am sure you will do well in this venue. Great to connect with you again.
June 16th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Looking forward to your independent and educated point of view. It was quickly evident that when you left Bloodhorse, Omerta was back in full effect. You have been sorely missed and lamented Ray.
June 16th, 2008 at 11:12 am
Nice to see you back - any chance of refining the look and feel as things progress? Granted, I’m here for the content, but would love for it to be a little easier on the eyes.
In any case, I’m looking forward to seeing your voice back in the game.
June 16th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Ray: Good show, & off to a good start! The corporations sling it with the “our name brings in the business; you don’t.” Here’s proof that the opposite is true.
Freshly-baked humor, as a house-warming present:
“And to Steve, my neighborhood UPS delivery guy:
“You didn’t bet the Belmont Stakes, nor do you care much about racing.
“But I do want to thank you for the ‘Go Big Brown’ button that you left in my mailbox.
“It’s now positioned on the bulletin board, side by side with a photo of Joe Bruno that once illustrated a New York Magazine article (March 2008), the theme of which was that Governor Spitzer now had him ‘on the ropes.’ ”
(What a legacy: The 2008 Belmont Stakes has filled out the fiasco trifecta box, along with the unforgettable 1979 “Disco Demolition” stunt in Chicago & Cleveland’s infamous 1974 “Ten-Cent Beer Night.”)
Best tip I can pass along is that a long-struggling jockey, Dale Beckner, has finally made it big.
Switching his long-time tack from Monmouth Park to Presque Isle Downs, in the last five weeks, he’s been on a roll that has propelled him into the Jockey’s Top 100 list (earnings), with over $800,00 in purses earned since May 7th, 2008 (when the PI season opened).
This is even more impressive when you consider that for the first two-three weeks of their meet, I believe - and this needs to be double-checked - they were only racing 2-3 days a week.
So there might be a story in it for you. None of the major media word plunkers so far have exhibited the faintest interest - which is crazy, because it would be the ideal antidote in the wake of the poisonous rancor that is the legacy of the 2008 Belmont/Triple Crown.
Later this week, we’re ordering 1st SIM from your site. Glad you have it, because I was wondering how to obtain it.
Write up a storm!
Don
June 16th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Welcome back, Ray! Best of luck with this new venture.
Steven Crist
June 16th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Well Done! The site looks amazing…Good luck to you, and Congratulations!
June 16th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Hope you can become the Tim Russert of TB racing. Racing could use a guy like that. Good luck!
June 16th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
I look forward to reading more of what you have to say. It will be very nice to have a well-known, respectable person who doesn’t answer to the business pressures of this industry.
June 16th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
My new Home page.
June 18th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
Ray, best of luck.
One suggestion: unlike other blogs that try to “make” the news, I hope yours chooses to shed light on it.
June 29th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
What a breath of fresh air!
I live and race in Australia where there are no journalists game to tackle the real hard issues as it will affect the advertising budgets of their national / state newspaper.
Australian racing is spiralling down the gurgler. This has been shown by the results of the sales by the major auction houses and as a result there is no lower or middle market.
Australian racing and breeding is being taken over by the big cartels, Darley, Coolmore, Arrowfield etc. and not one journalist has had the gutz to take a hard look at our industry and report it in the media.
I was always of the belief that the press (papers, radio and tv ) was a communication channel for “freedom of the press”, however, there is never any real news, just dictated spin from these studs.
On cable, while we have Sky Racing, we also have another thoroughbred channel called TVN - which funnily enough is funded through the big cartels and also only spins stories and news items that they want us to hear. Which is a waste of time.
The body that is supposed to be representative of the whole industry as a nation, Aushorse, is populated with like minded, like paid representatives that do what is “best for themselves” not what is best for the industry.
It also seems to be the dumping ground of ex politicians when they stuff up and bring a disease like, EI for instance, into the country.
When EI was brought into the country by any number of non-thinking individuals, it was shown how manipulative these people can be with the Government of the time. A special purple zone was “made up” so that they could move their mares and get their stallion service fee quotas while the rest of the country was at total standstill.
Still, no media representative had the balls to report this.
When Darley bought out the Woodlands group the only press available was the good time press spining how good it now was for the breeder. Now everyone can get a Darley deal which includes pay on live foal, free agistment until 45 days and then $12 a day - not forgetting the free transport deal.
This was the final nail in the coffin for small and medium stallion owners and breeders.
Still, no media representative dared look at this side of the takeover.
In a world that is struggling and riots over the basic necessities like fuel and food - Darley and Coolmore rage a bidding war over a Danehill mare for $5 million.
How come the press did not write how outrageous this is?
Can you answer some of these questions?