[QUOTE=hitchinmygetalong;4078762]
I repeat my earlier question: Has anyone heard of any mares in foal to Curlin?[/QUOTE]
Just saw this and since the question was asked twice, I figured I might as well answer it, even after the fact. Yes, I know people who have mares in foal to Curlin. Is there any reason you would suspect otherwise?
[QUOTE=LaurieB;4080233]
Ever noticed that all the Assmussen bashers have never met him? Never had a horse with him? Never been up-close-and-personal and watched him train? It’s pretty easy to denigrate someone from afar on the internet.[/QUOTE]
I posted earlier on the thread wanting to know why so many people hate Asmussen. One person said that he has had drug violations. No one else has said anything and I haven’t gotten any PM’s about it, either. This surprised me since so many people have such strong feelings about him. I was just curious and wanted to know why and I still don’t really know why.
Asmussen isn’t one of my favorites, but I don’t have a problem with him either. From what I have seen in interviews and read in articles, I think he seems okay. He’s not bubbly and outgoing like Bob Baffert, but so what? Asmussen’s horses seem to be well trained and well cared for. I’m really sorry Hal Wiggins lost Rachel Alexandra, but I can think of worse trainers she could have gone to.
When push comes to shove this latest move was all about securing control of RA’s hoo hah. Jackson stands to gain from that. Any benefit that may or may not have to racing is purely incidental.
That’s a pretty significant reason.
[QUOTE=LaurieB;4081278]
Just saw this and since the question was asked twice, I figured I might as well answer it, even after the fact. Yes, I know people who have mares in foal to Curlin. Is there any reason you would suspect otherwise?[/QUOTE]
The only reason I would “suspect otherwise” would be because I have not read a single word in print of him getting any mares in foal. It has been customary to have that kind of news shouted from the rooftops when it involves a horse half the stature of Curlin.
[QUOTE=Mara;4079927]
… Yes, he ruffled a lot of feathers by jumping in and loudly proclaiming the things he thinks are wrong with racing. No one likes the new person who jumps in the pool and splashes everyone. It takes time to gain respect and influence, and I do think perhaps he thought he would gain both automatically by spending, spending, spending.
I’m willing to see where he’s headed. And just because he has cash to burn doesn’t make it right to rip him off with artificially inflated prices.
The last thing racing needs to do right now is chase off someone like Jackson, who, at least for now, appears to really want to help save racing. That’s the equivalent of eating your own young, something this sport can ill afford right now.[/QUOTE]
Yes. The days when respect and acceptance had to wait for your second generation are over. Racing can’t afford that mindset in the future.
a history lesson…
If I remember reading correctly, Warren Wright came on to the scene in Lexington by storm also. Was not well liked or respected for a long time by other “racers” but in the long run he built a wonderful dynasty of a breeder who raced the horses he bred not sold them…
Is Jess Jackson along those lines?
An acqaintance of mine works for Jess Jackson’s racing operation in upper management and she thinks very highly of him. This girl is very straight laced and my impression from her is that he really does want what’s best for racing. Maybe he is just lacking patience.
As for SA, I haven’t really kept up with his medication violations, but I am going to assume that most of the are threshold violations, not necessarily banned substance violations?
From the Paulick Report in Feb 09, listing of Asmussen’s 74 rulings (2 more than Rick Dutrow) linked within:
According to the Association of Racing Commissioners International database, Steve Asmussen has a total of 74 rulings involving him, including several medication violations, dating back to 1990. He served a six-month suspension in late 2006-early 2007 for a mepivacaine positive in one of his horses racing in Louisiana. Interestingly, the chemist who helped suspend him on that charge was Steven Barker, who was set to testify in Asmussen’s defense on Tuesday.
Is Asmussen really the best choice of trainer for someone concerned with what’s best for racing? shrugs
Certainly not unexpected - another razer sharp workout now under “new management” at Churchill Downs this Mother’s Day:
In her first workout since her smashing Kentucky Oaks victory and since being purchased by a partnership headed by Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables, Rachel Alexandra came onto the track with exercise rider Dominic Terry aboard at about 6:25 a.m. Eastern. Entering the backstretch, she was full of energy, and by the time she passed the half-mile pole, she was in full flight.
She proceeded through fractions of 12.40 and 24.40 seconds, and down the stretch her ears were pricked with Terry high and virtually motionless in the saddle. She galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.
Thanks for posting Barnfairy. So, I only scrolled down through half of them and most seemed to be fines for being late to the paddock and not having foal papers on file. A few others for unlicensed help. The only meds I saw were for lidocaine, bute and clenbuterol. Again I didn’t look at all of them. So, nothing major in my mind. I’ve given all three of those to broodmares for various reasons over the years and consider them therapeutic, but I wasn’t planning on running my broodies anytime soon ;). I couldn’t tell if some of them were theshold violations or banned substances and I don’t know the medication rules at most tracks as I’ve only raced in KY.
Asmussen is a good guy. He runs a massive operation and some of the operation falls into the hands of assistants and foremen. All of which are human and make errors. He does not over see every horse every day. That is why he pays good money for help. IF someone screws up, they need to have enough balls to step up and inform Steve and take the butt chewing and scratch the horse. I’ve done it. I’ve taken my beating when my for man and I miscommunication. Personally I would rather take a beating for the immediate problem rather than taking a beating for the repercussions of my silence.
I worked for a guy that got a bad test for tranq. The dentist had sedated a horse just prior to running. someone forgot to mention it and a fine followed. I don’t know if I can call that an honest mistake, but it is a mistake all the same. One just has to man up. It is easy to scratch any day!
Don’t just judge a trainer by the short coming’s of his help. Those people aren’t worth employing
Maybe it’s time to pull in the reins a bit and rethink the hiring & managing process?
74 rulings ranging from mouthing off to racing officials and parking lot attendants to drug violations to a ton of housekeeping errors (lack of papers, etc.): I’m just sayin’, if I (or people working on my behalf) screwed up half that many times on my jobs you can be damn sure word would spread and no one would hire me…
Not to take away from RA --this is her thread after all-- but I’m curious how the RCI reports on other trainers of similar stature would compare.
I am rather surprised that people would go to such lengths to keep her out. Even though I am rooting for MTB, may the best horse win…The Preakness is not MTB’s type of race anyway…Isn’t this like almost trying to fix a race legally?
Let me start by saying that the two-week turnaround between the Derby and the Preakness is proving to be a tough test for the modern-day Thoroughbred, no matter the gender.
To add to that, I want to say that to me there doesn’t appear to be any reason to push this good horse into this race. She can’t be a TC winner. There are PLENTY of very prestigious filly and mare races in the coming months. The owner certainly doesn’t need the purse money. So, why are they doing it? Can anyone give me a good reason for this, other than to prove some point that I for one already am taking for a fact - that she is certainly a phenomenal racehorse and arguably the best three-year-old in the country?
If they want to run her with the colts, look to the BC Classic. But I’m very nervous about the decision to toss her into the Preakness. That’s just my personal opinion. If the original trainer and owners were doing this exact same thing, I would feel the exact same way.
I couldn’t agree with you more. Your entire post has my thoughts in it.
I am not sure if this is still the Rachel Alexandra thread, but there has been a change in plans for Zayat:
from:
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/50705/zayat-reconsiders-wont-keep-rachel-out
After being besieged with unfavorable comments regarding his earlier decision to enter enough horses to prevent Rachel Alexandra from running in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I), Ahmed Zayat, owner of Pioneerof the Nile, said on TVG that he has decided to reconsider and will not enter any other horses.
Zayat said he had been contacted by Mine That Bird’s co-owner Mark Allen informing him he will be entering another horse in the second leg of the Triple Crown in order to keep Rachel Alexandra out of the race, and asked Zayat to join him, which he initially agreed to do.
Zayat had earlier told HRTV: "I got a phone call earlier today that I wasn’t familiar with the phone number of that particular person, and that person kept calling and, lo and behold, it was the owner of the Derby winner, Mine That Bird, and he said, ‘Mr. Zayat, you don’t know me, I’m Mark Allen. Listen I have a request for you. I think this race is between me and you. You’d have been the favorite if Rachel Alexandra is not in the field and I’m looking for vindication that my colt was not a fluke and I’m sure you are looking to beat us also. I think this match is between us, it’s a rivalry. I’m going to be entering a colt, an A.P. Indy colt, to fill the field. I understand you are the number one owner in number of nominations — 22 colts — can you please help us. It’s good for the game.’
See the rest of the article at the above Blood Horse link. 
[LIST=1]
Honestly, “good for the game” is attracting as many spectators as possible and getting them betting. Put as many big names in there as possible and you draw the crowd. Squeeze out a mare like RA, and you’re feeding conspiracy theorists and disillusionment. And you know what? I kinda would feel they’d be justified for their negativity in such an instance.
TVG late Sunday night (5/10) for their live weekly recap show aired the call-in exchange with Zayat and earlier analyst Bob Baedeker (a/k/a Mr B) from earlier that afternoon.
Zayat in his own rambling words indeed said, IMHO, some of the dumbest things to try and “justify” why she souldn’t run. Example - that she didn’t have to run in graded stakes races and accumulate graded money like the stallions. WTF? (She did accumulate graded money! The only issue was being nominated to the TC)
Bob Baedeker to his credit without hesitation said point blank on the air to Zayat on the line that trying to block her would be a mistake. That it was not good for the game.
It’s good to see that Zayat’s trial balloon failed as did Mark Allen’s illfated attempt with entering another as was both fools trying to drag in Marylou Whitney with her “Luv Gov” horse. Citing her as a would-be instigator and co-conspirator is about the dumbest thing anyone could do in racing!
The only thing better than Zayat saying he was trying to keep her out, was when he tried to justify it - ROTFLMAO!!!
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