Interesting study on Italian wagering. Wagering is up, wagering on horses is down. It seems as if I have heard this before, somewhere, probably just me though.
CHRB increases fines for trainers not reporting first time geldings. It also increases the excuses the trainers can use in order to avoid paying said fines...AWESOME.
Geno at Equisapce is putting old wine into new bottles (early bird gets the worm) and FoolishPleasure takes a bold new direction with a fitting tribute.
If the Eclipse is to go to the trainer with the most wins, then Asmussen is a deserving winner. However, if the measure of the award, its essence and spirit, is reserved for those few souls who hold the game and the horse above all else, then it is a slap in the face to the game and its fans that Asmussen, Pletcher and their ilk are even nominated.
These men might well be great horsemen and I am sure that they had to demonstrate their abilities at some point but they are no longer trainers. They are CEO's and as such are responsible for the entire operation. If their product is tainted, then it is their responsibility, no matter what side of the continent they are on when it happens.
GreenbutGame should receive 10% of Chantal Sutherland's marketing contract, given the work she does in exposing her to the world. Why is horse racing not promoting the hell out of this woman? Get her a national contract. Make her and Channing Hill the face of the game.
The IRL did a pretty good job of shoving Danica Patrick down our throats and she is a comparatively mediocre driver. How hard would it be to put Chantal (I can call her Chantal, we're tight like that) on a Derby horse next year?
There will be, in that mad field of twenty, at least five horses that have no business running that race. IF, nobody is willing to give Chantal a shot on a contender, and why not is beyond me, then why not put her on the pretender and market the hell out of her? Maybe agree to some form of revenue sharing with the owner for giving her the ride.
The one day a year when the public gives a rat crap about horse racing and this business is just passive aggressively stroking itself for the attention.
22 December 2008
The Danica effect
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The Bid
Greatest horse ever to look through a bridle
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4 comments:
Knowing Chantal (yeah, we're tight too, lol), she'd bring a 50-1 longshot in as the Derby winner, so by all means, get that girl a ride! As long as it's not Mike Smith's sloppy seconds :)
Not sure whether it's fair to lump Asmussen and Pletcher in the same category. Pletcher's two recent violations were both of legal meds, trace amounts of which were found on race day, and most industry folks that I've read--even the watchdogs--believe that they are honest mistakes.
Not sure the same can be said of Mr. Asmussen.
Awarding the essence and the spirit of a discipline, whether it's The Academy Awards or The Eclipse Awards, is all to often based on what have you done for me lately. I would have loved to have seen Carl Nafzger win an Eclipse last year and I would love to see Larry Jones win this year. Sadly, being a teflon media darling and producing the largest bankroll seems to matter the most.
Thanks everybody.
Teresa-Point taken. I guess my question then would be, how many honest mistakes is one willing to accept?
I understand the fine line trainers walk and it was not my intention to lump Pletcher in with Asmussen as it relates to drug abuse. I would just think the Eclipse award should stand for something more than how many horses can you get to feel nothing long enough to stagger across the finish line first.
It is very pie in the sky but then again it's my world and the sky can be whatever color I want it to be:)
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