Lambo...whats the story with Marcus Vitali?

[onefast99]

Turned in his trainers license last night at Gulfstream. Said he was headed to Maryland. Looks as if there is a lot to this breaking story...fill us in!

[foregoforever]

Paulick has a write-up on it ...

http://www.paulickreport.com/news/ray-s-paddock/vitali-case-gives-congressional-horse-caucus-real-life-example-broken-system/

[Donttellmeshowme]

Turned in his trainers license last night at Gulfstream. Said he was headed to Maryland. Looks as if there is a lot to this breaking story...fill us in!




What do you mean by turning in his trainers license? Did he quit all together?

[onefast99]

What do you mean by turning in his trainers license? Did he quit all together?Based on instructions from his legal counsel if you don't have a trainers license you cant be charged with any infractions, so he turned the license in never to return to Florida to train.
"Vitali voluntarily relinquished his Florida license before Florida regulators could sanction him for seven alleged medication violations from October 2015 through January 2016. The Maryland Racing Commission has no reason to take action against him or deny him a license because his license has not been suspended in Florida"

[EMD4ME]

Based on instructions from his legal counsel if you don't have a trainers license you cant be charged with any infractions, so he turned the license in never to return to Florida to train.
"Vitali voluntarily relinquished his Florida license before Florida regulators could sanction him for seven alleged medication violations from October 2015 through January 2016. The Maryland Racing Commission has no reason to take action against him or deny him a license because his license has not been suspended in Florida"


Another INSANE loophole to allow a bum to continue operating elsewhere.

Here's something refreshing: How about MD enforce the common sense rule and ban his ass from entering MD?

[cj]

Another INSANE loophole to allow a bum to continue operating elsewhere.

Here's something refreshing: How about MD enforce the common sense rule and ban his ass from entering MD?

With every passing day I come closer and closer to being an Uber driver rather than stay in this game. Lets see how Maryland handles it I guess before condemning everyone, though they do have an unpleasant history with guys banned from Florida if memory serves.

[cj]

Yep, I thought so:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/29/AR2010012903992.html

[whodoyoulike]

I wonder if the Congressional Horse Caucus members read the Paulick report?

Someone should send them a copy of this article.

I recently read that there are currently 40 TB tracks operating so, he still has 38 tracks to move to if this one catches on. There's always something which makes me want to find another "hobby". After all I've been saying probably for 40+ years, I can stop any time.

[Robert Fischer]

Another INSANE loophole to allow a bum to continue operating elsewhere.

Here's something refreshing: How about MD enforce the common sense rule and ban his ass from entering MD?

Most trainers would sooner get a 'beard' trainer than move to Maryland...

[Donttellmeshowme]

What was the infractions for?

[upthecreek]

With every passing day I come closer and closer to being an Uber driver rather than stay in this game. Lets see how Maryland handles it I guess before condemning everyone, though they do have an unpleasant history with guys banned from Florida if memory serves.
And what if your first passenger wants a ride to the track or OTB? :lol:

[MonmouthParkJoe]

Nothing surprises me anymore. However, this latest "egg in the face" will blow up all over social media and perhaps serve as the catalyst towards universal reform. Call me the eternal optimist.

On a side note, brilliant legal move.

[MonmouthParkJoe]

http://www.paulickreport.com/news/ray-s-paddock/report-vitali-cant-run-horses-maryland-jockey-club-tracks/

Maybe not! Lets see if Monmouth does the right thing

[fiznow]

http://www.paulickreport.com/news/ray-s-paddock/report-vitali-cant-run-horses-maryland-jockey-club-tracks/

Maybe not! Lets see if Monmouth does the right thing

Thanks for the good news. Especially because Laurel Park is one of the tracks I like to play.

[Robert Fischer]

If he's already up this way , may as well go over to Philly Parx

[onefast99]

If he's already up this way , may as well go over to Philly Parx
Quarantine alone will keep him out through May.

[onefast99]

http://www.paulickreport.com/news/ray-s-paddock/report-vitali-cant-run-horses-maryland-jockey-club-tracks/

Maybe not! Lets see if Monmouth does the right thing
Good question, purse wise he has other choices.

[Donttellmeshowme]

what were the infractions for?

[onefast99]

what were the infractions for?Not disclosed thus far.

[Donttellmeshowme]

Not disclosed thus far.



Just wondering if his lawyer told him to turn in the license for minor infractions and were they serious infractions?

[Citation1947]

If he's already up this way , may as well go over to Philly Parx


No stalls available.

[whodoyoulike]

Not disclosed thus far.


I thought it was for this.

... Vitali, according to MyFloridaLicense.com, has been charged with 24 medication violations since 2011, including nine in 2015 and two so far in 2016. ...

Why doesn't Florida go after both the owners and vets involved and let them settle with Vitali in Civil Court?

Unless he is the horse's owner, he is acting as an agent of the owner. I'm guessing these medication violations may have resulted in his horse winning or beating another owner's horse for purse monies.

In general, the penalties should be in line with the amount of WPS bets made on the horses involved. The penalties should then be applied to a takeout reduction fund since the losing bettors and other owners won't get any of it.

Everybody wins. Purses won't have to be lowered and the bettors will get better odds. And, individuals who want to cheat will have to pay for it.

[eqitec]

Upon reading this thread, I looked into my Training Practices Research Database currently containing 6,870 winners by trainer to see if I could detect anything unusual about Marcus Vitali’s training practices leading up to his horses’ victories.

Here’s some data to ponder for winners which had at least one workout preceding the wins and had at least one race within 90 days prior to the win.

Out of the 6,870 winners, 4,092 (60%) had at least one workout prior to the win (and at least one prior race within 90 days.)

Out of the 4,092 winners, 530 (13%) had that last workout at 3F.

Out of the 530 winners, 5 trainers accounted for 10 or more of those winners, as shown below:

David Jacobson – 57 (10.7%)
Marcus Vitali – 31 (5.8%)
Gerald Bennett – 21 (4%)
Jason Servis – 20 (3.8%)
Steve Assmussen – 10 (2%)

Looking more closely at Marcus Vitali:

Out of 21 wins at GP for Vitali with at least one workout prior to the win, 76.2% of those workouts were at 3F.
Out of 904 total # winners at GP for all trainers with at least one workout prior to the win, 11% were at 3F.

Out of 17 wins at MTH for Vitali with at least one workout prior to the win, 70.6% of those workouts were at 3F.
Out of 370 total # winners at MTH for all trainers with at least one workout prior to the win, 17.8% were at 3F.

Granted that there has been a time-honored training tradition of giving a horse a 3F “blowout” workout prior to a race, that tradition now seem to apply only to certain kinds of horses, such as 1st-time starters and higher class horses.

Similar to most research, more questions are raised than answered as the research proceeds. My 1st one after observing this data was – are the training practices of these 5 “outliers” trainers simply superior to the other trainers in my research database, or are there other invisible factors in play compelling them to give the 3F workouts at a rate so much higher than their peers?

More research is needed with a larger sample. Since I am self-funding this research, I have limitations to how much personal $ and time I can commit to the project.

[onefast99]

I thought it was for this.



Why doesn't Florida go after both the owners and vets involved and let them settle with Vitali in Civil Court?

Unless he is the horse's owner, he is acting as an agent of the owner. I'm guessing these medication violations may have resulted in his horse winning or beating another owner's horse for purse monies.

In general, the penalties should be in line with the amount of WPS bets made on the horses involved. The penalties should then be applied to a takeout reduction fund since the losing bettors and other owners won't get any of it.

Everybody wins. Purses won't have to be lowered and the bettors will get better odds. And, individuals who want to cheat will have to pay for it.If proven that the horse had a positive and won any purse monies the owner of that horse has to give the purse monies back. Many owners don't research what the vets are giving the horses, as it is 99.9% of all vet work is approved by the trainer and the work is done and 30 days or so later you get a vet bill as an owner.

[whodoyoulike]

If proven that the horse had a positive and won any purse monies the owner of that horse has to give the purse monies back. Many owners don't research what the vets are giving the horses, as it is 99.9% of all vet work is approved by the trainer and the work is done and 30 days or so later you get a vet bill as an owner.

I guess I was just looking at it from the POV that Florida apparently feels it has no recourse since Vitali is now out of their jurisdiction. As the trainer, they are acting as an agent of the owners who should be ultimately responsible as in most business transactions.

An example which comes to mind, e.g., you hire a tax preparer who "fudges" on certain deductions for you and you pay them and you then sign your return. Whether you were aware or not, the IRS will come after you and the preparer not just the preparer or just you. I would think you can then go after the preparer for damages in Civil Court.

I've mentioned this before that I'm surprised after these incidents are identified and these trainers/veterinarians are assessed penalties they're not sued in Civil Court or at least in Small Claims by the owners and/or losing bettors and/or the other losing owners. This may deter a lot of people of intentionally cheating.

Or, require jockeys, trainers, vets and owners to carry a bond or malpractice insurance. I'm just tired of reading about these incidents with no real solutions.

[whodoyoulike]

BloodHorse update (almost breaking news as TMZ would say):

... If Vitali receives a suspension, he will need to serve the time before he can enter horses anywhere.

"He's barred until he gets the process going," Ritvo said. "To us, (surrendering his Florida license) wasn't satisfactory—it was running away from his obligation. (But if he regains his Florida license), we're going to treat him like any other guy that caught a positive and is looking at an appeal or days."

Vitali said his attorney had already begun the process outlined by Ritvo.

"Nobody has done (anything) wrong," Vitali said. "We're facing the facts. The truth always wins in the end."

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/211371/vitali-seeks-to-get-florida-license-restored?source=rss

[gheuks]

No entries in Maryland in at least 2 weeks since pimlico closed and no published workouts at laurel In a few weeks. Had one entered in a stakes at Suffolk this weekend, but that's it?? Anyone know if something is up???

[lamboguy]

he sent all his horses to Gulfstream to serve out his suspension. Alan Hunter is training all the horses

[gheuks]

Thanks for the info. Short stay in Maryland!

[CryingForTheHorses]

What really sucks,Is this guy gets the infractions,Keeps his purse money..Not fair..Glad he is gone,I called him out on the rail a little over a year ago telling him he was a cheat..Racing is better off without him..He thinks he is slick.I cant wait to see him banned everywhere. I had employees working for me, That had worked for him Telling me his antics..

[lamboguy]

What really sucks,Is this guy gets the infractions,Keeps his purse money..Not fair..Glad he is gone,I called him out on the rail a little over a year ago telling him he was a cheat..Racing is better off without him..He thinks he is slick.I cant wait to see him banned everywhere. I had employees working for me, That had worked for him Telling me his antics..
he's not any different than the other high roster trainer's all over who control the condition books and make good trainer's like yourself look bad.

[johnhannibalsmith]

Licensed again, but suspended, training, maybe, but not as a trainer. Or something. Seems like a peach.

http://www.paulickreport.com/news/ray-s-paddock/vitali-license-reinstated-despite-record-includes-complaint-cruelty/

[cj]

Florida is the worst. Trainers running the place like the wild, wild west.

[cj]

Banned by Stronach.

http://www.paulickreport.com/news/ray-s-paddock/ritvo-stronach-tracks-bar-vitali-hunter-entry-box/

[johnhannibalsmith]

Banned by Stronach.

http://www.paulickreport.com/news/ray-s-paddock/ritvo-stronach-tracks-bar-vitali-hunter-entry-box/

...
“We called in Vitali and Hunter and said to Hunter, ‘Are these your horses or are they Marcus's horses,'” said Ritvo. “Allan Hunter was cooperative. He did not deny it (being a program trainer for Vitali), said he was doing the guy a favor and didn't want any trouble. We made it clear we could have done an audit to find out who was paying worker's compensation and who is paying the bills.”

He added that all Stronach Group tracks are going to make a “much more exerted effort” to prevent program trainers taking over a stable when trainers are suspended for a prolonged period.
...

Well, this is nice to see for a change. I guess once again we have the lone real journalistic source in racing and in particular, one of their best in Voss, to thank for actually asking questions and painting a clear picture rather than just disseminating glorified press releases. This is really one of the things that shouldn't be nearly so hard to rein in and take one (a really glaring, laughable, in-your-face one) of many strikes against the sport's credibility off the board.

[no breathalyzer]

instructed trainer Luis Ramirez to claim the filly Tiz Mariand off Vitali for Calabrese in a $15,000 claiming race. Tiz Mariand finished sixth as the heavy favorite, more than three dozen lengths behind the winner. According to documents Stone filed with the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering, Vitali told Stone after the race that Tiz Mariand had a slab fracture in her knee, and later provided Stone with X-rays taken a few weeks earlier by veterinarian Dr. George Burch, showing a third carpal bone sagittal fracture.

Knowingly running a horse with a broken leg might not constitute a violation of Florida's rules concerning horse racing, but the state processed Stone's complaint as a possible case of animal cruelty.



:( SCUMBAG

[horses4courses]

Marcus Vitali can no longer enter horses at Gulfstream or Tampa.
This now includes his surrogate conditioner, Allan Hunter.

http://www.paulickreport.com/news/ray-s-paddock/vitali-barred-entry-box-tampa-bay-downs-hunter-ordered-vacate-gulfstream-barn-area/#.WDoxnHn7_aw.twitter