A Black Mark on the Racing World

[Carole Hanson]

FYI Maximum Security is officially going to Bob Baffert and the Wests are removing all their horses from Servis’ barn.

[Louise Bayou]

FYI Maximum Security is officially going to Bob Baffert and the Wests are removing all their horses from Servis’ barn.

Good thing they picked a trainer that doesn't have a reputation of shady issues... oh wait. What a HUGE missed opportunity to send the horse to someone like Mott, Motion, Mandella etc who are well known horsemen who have wonderful reputations for sound horses.

[Carole Hanson]

FYI Maximum Security is officially going to Bob Baffert and the Wests are removing all their horses from Servis’ barn.

Good thing they picked a trainer that doesn't have a reputation of shady issues... oh wait. What a HUGE missed opportunity to send the horse to someone like Mott, Motion, Mandella etc who are well known horsemen who have wonderful reputations for sound horses.

Well it would be incredibly ironic if they sent him to Mott. But I agree, it’s not the smartest choice and frankly I’m surprised Baffert agreed to take the horse on, all eyes will be on him now more so than ever.

[Willowcreek Farms]

I do feel I need to add, for all you SIMsters that are not deeply involved in the TB industry that it isn't all bad. Yes, there is a sinister element in the industry that casts a really dark shadow over the whole sport. But in my experience the backstretch is also awonderful place....full of a lot of great people and brilliant horsemen and women who love their horses absolutely. It is a real community amd family of likeminded people. (Yes, there are jerks and knobs, but you will find those anywhere). I absolutely recommend that anyone interested in the racing industry go to a track for a summer stint. You will all find a job in two seconds as there is always desperate need for warm bodies. Just go to the front gate of any backstretch and get security to announce on the PA that there is someone looking for work. I guarantee there should be people come running to grab you. (Some of you will never leave ) It's not all bad. Just sucks that knobs like this give the industry such a bad rap. (BUT, there is definitely need for drug reform, that includes the legal ones)

[Alyssa Lapa]

I read in TDN that Trainer Cox refused any of the horses Servis wanted to send to him, and the only two he is keeping are ones he was already working with.

Firenze Fire is going to Kelley along with some of the other Dubbs horses.

The racing industry has a big opportunity to not only make it absolutely clear that this is not tolerated, and to bring in a centralized group that basically does what the NYRA and the others seem to fail at doing and that is to make sure humans and horses are being held to the highest standards the sport has to offer.

https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/o ... n-liebman/ Very nice op-ed makes one think.

https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/l ... uckols-jr/

I agree with his statement that since the states cannot be counted on to regulate their racing operations its something I've been thinking about a lot recently and I am just not savvy enough to get something like that realized.

[Dawn Palka]

I guess I'll nver really trust horse racing again.

Can't trust anything it seems.

[Alyssa Lapa]

I guess I'll nver really trust horse racing again.

Can't trust anything it seems.

Don't let a few bad apples spoil the bushel. There are more good people in the racing industry than there are bad. The problem is many of the good people do not want to seem like a snitch because humans have this mentality that telling the authorities about wrongdoings is somehow a bad thing and could create issues later on. Remember there are more who care for the wellbeing of both horse and human than just making a buck.

I haven't heard anything new recently. I am curious about what is going to come out next. Will they arrest others? So curious.

[LA Pepper]

I do feel I need to add, for all you SIMsters that are not deeply involved in the TB industry that it isn't all bad. Yes, there is a sinister element in the industry that casts a really dark shadow over the whole sport. But in my experience the backstretch is also awonderful place....full of a lot of great people and brilliant horsemen and women who love their horses absolutely. It is a real community amd family of likeminded people. (Yes, there are jerks and knobs, but you will find those anywhere). I absolutely recommend that anyone interested in the racing industry go to a track for a summer stint. You will all find a job in two seconds as there is always desperate need for warm bodies. Just go to the front gate of any backstretch and get security to announce on the PA that there is someone looking for work. I guarantee there should be people come running to grab you. (Some of you will never leave ) It's not all bad. Just sucks that knobs like this give the industry such a bad rap. (BUT, there is definitely need for drug reform, that includes the legal ones)

but, ya know, even in the Mafia (I'm told) they still have family dinners and baseball games. Doesn't make you like or trust them.
I have had an occasional racehorse in the past. My very best experience was a maiden filly of which not much was expected of her, and she ran and won the most incredible race her 2nd time out. I have been sooo proud of her since then even tho she never won again. No w that has been taken away from me because I now realize she prob was juiced, my trainer prob used her as an experiment to try something out. At least I'll never know.

[Louise Bayou]

I guess I'll nver really trust horse racing again.

Can't trust anything it seems.

Don't let a few bad apples spoil the bushel. There are more good people in the racing industry than there are bad. The problem is many of the good people do not want to seem like a snitch because humans have this mentality that telling the authorities about wrongdoings is somehow a bad thing and could create issues later on. Remember there are more who care for the wellbeing of both horse and human than just making a buck.

I haven't heard anything new recently. I am curious about what is going to come out next. Will they arrest others? So curious.

Well the problem mostly was that the people that said anything were told they were jealous. Many many times that was the case.

I'm hoping that these people that have been arrested will tell on the owners and others that knew what was going on! While I do think that there are owners that only show up to pet the pretty horse on race day there are others that are VERY deeply involved with their horses and damn well knew something was up. You can't tell me people like the West haven't heard the roars of Servis being a dirty trainer. Same with the owners that used Navarro. I mean hell he said ON CAMERA that he juiced horses for goodness sakes!

[Dylan Christensen]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions ... utType=amp

[Erin Erskine]

I guess I'll nver really trust horse racing again.

Can't trust anything it seems.

Don't let a few bad apples spoil the bushel. There are more good people in the racing industry than there are bad. The problem is many of the good people do not want to seem like a snitch because humans have this mentality that telling the authorities about wrongdoings is somehow a bad thing and could create issues later on. Remember there are more who care for the wellbeing of both horse and human than just making a buck.

I haven't heard anything new recently. I am curious about what is going to come out next. Will they arrest others? So curious.

I believe Navarro has been arrested, and Servis will be once he returns to the United States

[Mara Jade Vess]

Can't trust anything it seems.

Don't let a few bad apples spoil the bushel. There are more good people in the racing industry than there are bad. The problem is many of the good people do not want to seem like a snitch because humans have this mentality that telling the authorities about wrongdoings is somehow a bad thing and could create issues later on. Remember there are more who care for the wellbeing of both horse and human than just making a buck.

I haven't heard anything new recently. I am curious about what is going to come out next. Will they arrest others? So curious.

I believe Navarro has been arrested, and Servis will be once he returns to the United States

Both Servis and Navarro were arrested the day of in Miami. Both are currently out on bail.

Source

[Tom Lin]

I have had an occasional racehorse in the past. My very best experience was a maiden filly of which not much was expected of her, and she ran and won the most incredible race her 2nd time out. I have been sooo proud of her since then even tho she never won again. No w that has been taken away from me because I now realize she prob was juiced, my trainer prob used her as an experiment to try something out. At least I'll never know.

I wouldn't think that way Pepper. Your filly probably ran the race of her life that day. People who cheat seldom cheat just once, especially when they don't get caught.

[LA Pepper]

I am unfortuneately still suspicious because the trainer very oddly changed all her equipment around - added blinkers and a tongue tie, and changed jockeys. He seemed almost embarrased she ran so well and paid $100 on a $2 win tkt. He told me she must have been scared of the other horses and thats why she ran so good- and yet her ears were pricked forward and she looked like she had the time of her life and wanted to do it all again (to me). She ran only twice more, very badly, before a tragic accident took her life.