Business As Usual

[actcasual]

[QUOTE=DickHertz;4640598]
If Penn National does ban Gill, do I have to change the topic of this thread since it will no longer be “Business As Ususal”? Just sayin…[/QUOTE]

When/if you get to change the topic, that’s going to be a big win.

I’m so impressed with your efforts and those other posters who are facilitating change. And I’ve never had so much respect for jockeys as a group. Knowing that these hard knocking old horses are being used to death for a few thousand dollars makes me cry. I don’t want to sound dramatic, but my SO rides a handful of races at Penn; these tough little men taking a stand to protect themselves may save his life, too.

With any luck, media outlets beyond the racing industry will start to pick up on what’s happening. Maybe a few thousand hysterical animal lovers would make Penn management appreciate how good they had it when only informed racetrackers were grumbling.

[DickHertz]

[QUOTE=actcasual;4640662]
When/if you get to change the topic, that’s going to be a big win.

I’m so impressed with your efforts and those other posters who are facilitating change. And I’ve never had so much respect for jockeys as a group. Knowing that these hard knocking old horses are being used to death for a few thousand dollars makes me cry. I don’t want to sound dramatic, but my SO rides a handful of races at Penn; these tough little men taking a stand to protect themselves may save his life, too.

With any luck, media outlets beyond the racing industry will start to pick up on what’s happening. Maybe a few thousand hysterical animal lovers would make Penn management appreciate how good they had it when only informed racetrackers were grumbling.[/QUOTE]

The main jocks in that room are Thomas Clifton and Luis Belmonte. One has to think that they led the charge to take a stand. They’ve both been riding there for almost 20 years. Wish we knew who spearheaded the movement although by judging the veracity of their stance, perhaps it truly was a universal movement.

I wonder if the colony at the PHA will folllow suit. I do not believe Gill has broken as many down there, but I don’t follow Philly to closely either.

Playing IF’S…IF the PA Commission bans him from competing, which I say is about 3/5 at this point with the only thing scaring them a possible lawsuit, would Maryland and neighboring states accept his entries? Mountaineer has been open to his entries, so perhaps that is the next stop for Mr. Gill.

[Little_Hound]

I understand that The Blood-Horse and Thoroughbred Times are working on stories and are looking for sources who will speak on the record.

[SEPowell]

Yippee. I’m so glad to see this coming to a head.

I’m also glad the PA Race Commission is looking at some of the vets. They bear some of the responsibility for letting those horses run.

[DickHertz]

[QUOTE=SEPowell;4640833]
Yippee. I’m so glad to see this coming to a head.

I’m also glad the PA Race Commission is looking at some of the vets. They bear some of the responsibility for letting those horses run.[/QUOTE]

Amen to that. The most knowledgable is Dr. Pack, but he’s generally of the opinion that the older horses can take care of themselves, perhaps he should change his mind on that since they aren’t feeling much of the pain that generally slows down the old campaigners.

I, for the first time, think Michael Gill has run his last horse at Penn National.

[AppJumpr08]

[QUOTE=DickHertz;4640897]
Amen to that. The most knowledgable is Dr. Pack, but he’s generally of the opinion that the older horses can take care of themselves, perhaps he should change his mind on that since they aren’t feeling much of the pain that generally slows down the old campaigners.

I, for the first time, think Michael Gill has run his last horse at Penn National.[/QUOTE]

That’s the problem (in my mind anyway). Yes, the vets should be paying more attention, but it’s hard to tell if a horse has a lameness issue if it’s drugged to the hilt…

I hope Gill does get ruled off, and I hope the other tracks that he runs horses at take heed and examine their own policies when it comes to someone like Mike Gill.

[foundationmare]

You hear that sound? I think it’s the sound the wheels of justice make when they start moving after being rusted to the tracks for a looong time.

[SEPowell]

@AppJumpr08;4640933

That’s the problem (in my mind anyway). Yes, the vets should be paying more attention, but it’s hard to tell if a horse has a lameness issue if it’s drugged to the hilt…

In most cases, all you have to do is spend two seconds flexing the horse’s ankles, or trying to.

I would love the vets to step up like the Jockeys have.

[Little_Hound]

Plus, there’s a really good chance that Gill was using shock-wave therapy on his horses, probably right before they were scheduled to race.

[Dahoss]

[QUOTE=Little Hound;4641131]
Plus, there’s a really good chance that Gill was using shock-wave therapy on his horses, probably right before they were scheduled to race.[/QUOTE]

Nah they don’t. You won’t find machines like that over there. Only poultice and needles.

[lily04]

[QUOTE=Dahoss;4641155]
Nah they don’t. You won’t find machines like that over there. Only poultice and needles.[/QUOTE]
You really don’t think he is using shock wave at the farm?

[Glimmerglass]

And now The Daily Racing Form which rarely cites Penn news has also picked up the story …

DRF 1-25-10 “Penn jockeys: Gill horses a safety risk”

Gill, speaking Monday from his mortgage business in New Hampshire, maintains that his high volume of starters “unfortunately means that some horses will break down” but claimed that his overall breakdown rate is not higher than the norm.

Until the situation is more fully addressed, the six Gill horses entered at Penn for Wednesday (two) and Thursday (four) night have been scratched, according to Gill.

“It’s an old song,” said Gill, 54. “You don’t make many friends when you operate like I do. You’re taking a big piece of the pie that everyone is used to cutting up among themselves.”

[DickHertz]

His comments are the SAME OLD SONG !!! I knew he’d say he only breaks more down because of the number of starters he has. What a joke. He also threw Penn under the bus saying they told him to fire Darrell Delahoussaye. THAT, if true, does not look good for Penn Gaming. Also, can’t believe he actually said that !!!

One only has to look at one horse, IGOR. This is a horse I looked to claim in August of 2008. I looked at the horse and he was in some pretty rough shape at that point. I can’t believe he made it another year. And the guy ran the horse, if I’m not mistaken, on an off track the day Igor ran his last race. Butchery at its worst.

[DickHertz]

I can’t believe I did it, but I added QUESTION MARKS to the title of the thread. If Penn Gaming does the right thing then I will change the thread topic all together. The QUESTION MARKS were added to give them the benefit of the doubt that they will address these issues in a swift and severe manner. We will see !!!

[AppJumpr08]

Gill is outraged with the situation, saying he is being singled out in large part because of the way he dominates racing at Penn by racing and winning often and by being active at the claim box.

Umm… but the JOCKEYS are the ones who make money when they ride a winning horse!! The man is seriously delusional to even think that is the main issue.
If they jocks were just money hungry, they would put their personal safety aside, and keep riding Gill’s horses.

I hope he gets it, and gets it good this time. Being ruled off of Penn would be just a start, as far as I’m concerned.

Can’t wait to see what the other publications come up with for stories… I wonder if Penn officials will actually grant an interview to anyone.

[BeverlyAStrauss]

I know Delaware told him he was not welcome several years ago- did they hold to that or did they allow him to race last year? Just curious…

[reese]

CA “banned” Gill around 3-4 years ago because he was claiming all these horses and shipping them back east to race.

Delaware banned Gill from getting stalls. He sued the track, but the track won because the track is private property and can allow or deny access to their property.

GLF “looked the other way” when a body was in the trash-pit with a leg severed from Casual Conflict’s body. Gill’s defense was “his vet was studying the leg for breakdown info”.
BTW, Gill’s vet at the time has his license revoked for “abuse” in PA years earlier.

Gill never races in NY, NJ, Del., FL… Seems Penn is happy to have Gill fill stalls even though they know what he is doing.
And it took jockeys to draw the line. What A TRAVESTY.
I hope Joe Drape in the NYTimes does an expose on that psychopath Gill.

[Little_Hound]

Yes, Joe Drape is working on this story, from what I’ve been told.

[Dahoss]

[QUOTE=lily04;4641179]
You really don’t think he is using shock wave at the farm?[/QUOTE]

Well as I just PM someone about that. They may have started doing that in the last few months. So it’s possible.

[Dahoss]

[QUOTE=AppJumpr08;4641280]
Umm… but the JOCKEYS are the ones who make money when they ride a winning horse!! The man is seriously delusional to even think that is the main issue.
If they jocks were just money hungry, they would put their personal safety aside, and keep riding Gill’s horses.

I hope he gets it, and gets it good this time. Being ruled off of Penn would be just a start, as far as I’m concerned.

Can’t wait to see what the other publications come up with for stories… I wonder if Penn officials will actually grant an interview to anyone.[/QUOTE]

He knows what he is doing. He is using the old reverse phycology.