ADDITIONAL BELMONT SECURITY MEASURES DIRECTED AT O'NEILL

Patuxet

"The additional steps for O'Neill include that his horses cannot be treated in any way "without a board investigator present." No treatment should be allowed by mouth or by feed for any horse trained by O'Neill without him conferring with a board investigator who will log the treatment and discuss the reason for treatment. In addition, O'Neill must provide veterinary records for all the horses he has running at Belmont, including I'll Have Another."

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/31/sports/belmont-stakes-horse-security-tightened-by-new-york-board.html?_r=2&ref=sports
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"He is pure air and fire and the dull elements of earth and water never appear in him; he is indeed a horse ..." Wm. Shakespeare - Henry V

casallc · Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 4:39 pm Post subject:

"Special" rules for targeted people and horses should not be tolerated. Paul Reddam needs to get an attack dog lawyer and get a restraining order against Cuomo and the NY racing officials, or better yet tell NY to kiss off and leave. See how fast they cave when they don't have IHA to increase the gate and all other profit centers for the Belmont. While New York State accounted for the biggest migration exodus of any state in the nation for the last few years over taxes (3.4 million) - the numbers leaving because of stupidity like this has to be huge.

Maybe they could move the third jewel in the Triple Crown to someplace less corrupt - like Detroit.
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There are many men of principle in both parties in America, but there is no party of principle.
- Alexis de Tocqueville

TJ · Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 6:06 pm Post subject:

It's simply the NY Times, NY State's partner in saving racing and getting into the VLT vault, going for more biased sensationalism in print. The State is not singling out O'Neill alone, the rules (handed out to all trainers this morning at the NYRA tracks) apply to every entrant in the Belmont Stakes. Why just the Belmont Stakes, because the world is watching? It's such hypocrisy...why not all the races on the card....you mean the ignorance of the state in their noble quest to protect the horses, fans and the integrity of the sport of racing isn't aware there's more than one race on that Saturday's card....not to mention the thousands of other races run all year? In doing this only for the Belmont Stakes...it sends the wrong message to the racing world, in all fairness it should be done for every race run in NY on Belmont Day...not just the premier race at Belmont Park and carried on thereafter (which had been done before when they had the detention barn in operation in NY). This prejudicial treatment in singling out only The Belmont Stakes, is sending the wrong message to the world and the racing public. Just the best horses and trainers are subject to scrutiny....but all the rest of the races don't matter,why.. they play fair? But at least we can rest assured, thanks to our fearless State leaders... the integrity of a possible Triple Crown winner will be upheld at all cost. TJ

casallc · Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 9:49 am Post subject:

It is not only the Belmont Stakes, the lunacy of the stewards and NYRA in general is rampant. Look at the Sheepshead Bay Stakes last weekend:
http://espn.go.com/horse-racing/story/_/id/7975411/aruna-takes-start-plagued-sheepshead-bay
It takes some creative "logic" to arrive at the ruling by the stewards. Watch the start replay after the race. I'm sure that any bettors that had Mystical Cat to show are scratching their heads too. This is one of the most bizarre rulings I have ever seen.

I was once disqualified for interference and placed last BEHIND A RIDERLESS HORSE but at least the stewards recanted after I brought rules of racing to their attention.

When, even the darling of the carrots and candy for racehorses crowd, Michael Matz says "Jesus, do they make this stuff up as they go along?" about Belmont - something stinks.
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There are many men of principle in both parties in America, but there is no party of principle.
- Alexis de Tocqueville

Tappiano · Grade III Winner Joined: 20 Jan 2007 Posts: 1095

Lance Armstrong, Roger Clemons and a few others would command the same attention if they decided to compete again.

zinn21 · 3rd Year Sire Joined: 31 Jan 2005 Posts: 3306

I am all for leveling the playing field but not at the expense of the horse. This poor horse and all the others now have to be placed in a separate barn meaning most must endure yet another stall move. There are enough controls in place, IMO, that should negate the musical stalls scenario..

Tappiano · Grade III Winner Joined: 20 Jan 2007 Posts: 1095

I do believe sequestering horses on the day of a stakes race has been done before this and not just at Belmont. It's just getting MORE attention because of the trainer.

BenB · Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 12:32 am Post subject:

I do think that is fair, in order to maintain an even level playing field.

casallc · Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 8:36 am Post subject:

Not many horses accept change of environment well - especially young horses. The key responsibility of a trainer is to keep his horses relaxed, willing and happy. That is harder to accomplish when you are moving them around more than necessary.
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There are many men of principle in both parties in America, but there is no party of principle.
- Alexis de Tocqueville

TJ · Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 9:30 am Post subject:

casallc · Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 10:18 am Post subject:

TJ · Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 11:19 am Post subject:

photofinish · Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 9:22 pm Post subject: