Del Mar sale cancelled

Talk about upcoming sales or auction results.

Moderators: Roguelet, WaveMaster, madelyn

Michael
Allowance Winner
Posts: 405
Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2004 11:51 am
Location: California

Postby Michael » Wed Jan 26, 2005 11:16 am

Below is my letter as printed in the Daily Racing Form on Jan. 3, 2005


Editor:

A recent San Diego Union Tribune article cites concerns that Chairman John Harris and other members of the California Horse Racing Board have taken actions that some in the industry believe demonstrate a conflict of interest, given their close ties to jockeys and trainers and their ownership of racehorses.

The article concludes with former CHRB chairman Harvey Furgatch's astute comment that many current board members "are there to serve special interests," and that "their ability to judge is influenced by personal gains one way or another." Furgatch and others claim that the CHRB is mired in self-serving causes and that a major overhaul is necessary to fix it.

Pam Berg, a state steward in northern California, says in the article: "The board might as well be abolished. The way it's functioning or not functioning right now, it's a waste of taxpayer dollars."

In an e-mail rebuttal to the Union article, Harris says the article tries to discredit the board using "distorted information," and attacks those critical of the CHRB in the article as having "an axe to grind."

I believe our industry suffers from a lack of leadership at all levels--beginning with the CHRB. Rules are selectively enforced; penalties are inconsistent and inherently biased against smaller outfits; promises by racetrack managements are forgotten; public input is neither welcome or valued; authority is vested in too few individuals; health and welfare
issues for horse and human are avoided; threats from other gaming
interests are ignored; and long term strategic planning for the industry
is shelved. It's no wonder that the integrity of racing is at an all time low.

I also have no doubt that the complaints about the CHRB are minimized by Harris' presence and that many horsemen refuse to publicly criticize the board in fear of reprisals; those who work for board members are placed in an untenable position.

If these horsemen were able to speak without intimidation they might ask questions like these:

1) Why hasn't the CHRB released the names of all trainers and vets whose horses tested positive for drugs and milkshakes? Why does the public know less about the identities of medication violators than it does about jockey Pat Valenzuela's pubic hair?

2) Why did Mr. Harris politic so strongly for his long time friend Dan
Schiffer to become the new CHRB Executive Director? Why should a person who, as CTBA president, oversaw the demise of the 50 year old Del Mar yearling sale be considered for a position of far greater responsibility?

3) Why hasn't the CHRB withheld racing dates for racetracks which fail to
provide safe racing surfaces?

Unless Governor Schwarzenegger overhauls the CHRB post haste, horse racing will continue to look less and less attractive to its patrons.

Michael Power

----------------------------------------------------------

After reading this article, and Dan Schiffer's response to it, does anyone have a hard time believing that Schiffer is not in Harris' hind pocket? Again, I ask, is this the type of person who would have served the California racing industry best?

ZiaLand
Breeder's Cup Contender
Posts: 1833
Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2004 1:07 pm
Location: New Mexico

Postby ZiaLand » Wed Jan 26, 2005 1:52 pm

Michael, thanks for posting your well written response, but I think anyone who's been on the forum for awhile now knows who posted that article and why. It was just one more opportunity to bash and slam another member without ever offering one shred of valuable information to the forum.

Personally, I discredited the author of the letter (I long ago discredited the person who posted it, who I'm sure is the same individual who keeps reincarnating on this forum to sling more mud) when the statement was made:

"The writer of the Jan. 2 letter in question...is not a licensed owner of racehorses in California. He is not a member of the breeders' association. He does not serve on any regulatory board overseeing this industry."

Umm, yeah. If memory serves, you are, however, the owner of a major, stakes-producing stallion standing in the state of California and in my mind that gives you more than enough knowledge and involvement in the state's TB industry to offer your opinions on the shortcomings of the association's leadership. Their actions affect you just as directly as any "licensed owner or member of the breeders' association'.

OK, that was my two cents worth. Any errors or omissions are my own.

Laurie
So many pedigrees...so little time. (C)

User avatar
Nancy T
Allowance Winner
Posts: 350
Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2004 11:23 am
Location: Sharpsburg. Maryland
Contact:

Postby Nancy T » Wed Jan 26, 2005 3:06 pm

Zialand you hit it right on the head!! another thinly veiled attempt by you know who. I would like to see the original letter. Its seems like its been "enhanced" just a little.

Michael
Allowance Winner
Posts: 405
Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2004 11:51 am
Location: California

Postby Michael » Wed Jan 26, 2005 4:24 pm

Nancy, I think the letter posted by "princess" is the actual one written by Dan Schiffer. She may have added the reference to me in the opening line, but nothing else. Whatever gives her jollies, I guess.

In addition to Schiffer's blatant arrogance (as Laurie pointed out), he completely failed to answer the points in my original letter which comprised 95% of its content. Nor did he challenge the comments of Harvey Furgatch (a very respected ex-CHRB chairman), state steward Pam Berg, and others quoted in the San Diego tribune article, about the conflicts of interest by Harris and others.

The trust fund babies who head most of California's organizations seem to think they are beyond reproach. Rather than addressing issues head on, they indulge in character assassination and obfuscation to focus attention elsewhere. Perhaps if I were a member of the Idle Rich Club Schiffer and Harris would be more inclined to heed my words. I have been a breeder for 35 years and own more than 40 horses in California alone so I feel no need to justify my motives to them.

It's not hard to see why so little positive change occurs in California. Our entrenched leaders deny the existence of problems evident to most everyone else, and then blame others for their foibles. Certainly there must be a 12-step recovery program available for this dysfunction. The Del Mar sale was not killed by outside interference; it imploded from inept leadership. Schiffer was at the helm of the CTBA for two years preceding the sale's collapse--in the private sector he and several others would have lost their jobs for this major flub.

The only good news in all this is that the winds are changing. More owners, trainers and breeders are beginning to question the poor decisions made by the Idle Rich Club. The concerns are filtering up to Sacramento, where the Governor may take action soon against this insidious force. It can't be too soon.

steve
Weanling
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2005 12:21 pm

Postby steve » Wed Feb 02, 2005 12:18 am

I didn't know where this went now I see