Read It And Weep

[canuck]

Wed, June 25, 2003


Trainer: I helped fix races

He tells Sun he was in on 400 rigged heats

By ALAN CAIRNS, TORONTO SUN




A horse trainer who claimed to police he did cocaine with five Toronto officers and made cops money in fixed horse races told The Toronto Sun in an exclusive interview that he took part in 400 fixed races. The man said the races were fixed through payoffs to grooms and trainers to hold their horses back, while the chosen winners would secretly be given cocaine before the race to enhance their performance.

"By the time they reached the three-quarters mark they would feel they didn't have legs ... wings," the horse trainer said.

He said the cocaine was put into tongue ties that keep horses tongues from going over the bit during the heat of the race. The drug acted as a performance enhancer.

"When it goes in, the horse licks the tie ... they are constantly ingesting the drug," he said.

The 31-year-old trainer is the star prosecution witness in the case against 14-year veteran and drug cop Robert Kelly. The trainer, who has a criminal record and knows key underworld figures, is lying low while he reassures mobsters he did not fink anyone out.

Police officers on the case have told The Toronto Sun they believe his concerns are legitimate and ask that his name not be used to ensure his safety.

"It was between me and Rob. I had no beef with the others," he said. "If Rob Kelly didn't threaten me I wouldn't be here."

Kelly, 36, a well-liked and dedicated cop with an exemplary police record, pleaded guilty to two counts of cocaine possession on Monday. He has pleaded not guilty to two trafficking counts and they will be withdrawn.

SUSPENDED WITH PAY

The trainer has said in police statements that he did cocaine with five different officers. He said in the statements that Kelly and a former drug-squad officer provided the drugs.

Kelly has been suspended with pay since his arrest 19 months ago. The other cops are still on the job. Toronto Police brass have confirmed they face neither criminal nor Police Services Act charges. He said about half a dozen cops on the drug squad and another elite unit placed bets on 20 fixed races.

"I made thousands of dollars for the cops. They knew it was fixed," he said.

An agreed statement of facts submitted to Justice Ian Cowan in Brampton Monday said the agent provided Kelly with "tips on horse races ... The agent claimed to have 'inside information' that certain horse races were likely fixed and Kelly was aware that the tips were the result of 'inside information' the agent had received."

"The way it looks, he was supplying me coke for my tips, but I never, ever said he supplied coke for my tips ... but that's the way it played out."

The trainer was introduced to Kelly by another undercover drug cop three years ago. He had set up bit dealers for the drug cop and in return got protection from other cops and criminals. "(The officer) knew of my connection to the track," he said.

'FIVE OR SIX BETS'

After the officer moved to another unit, some cops from that unit "really pressured" him to place bets. The officer told him Kelly was "solid ... a buddy of his."

"I did five or six bets with Rob Kelly," he said. And the pair did cocaine as many times, he said.

On one occasion, he and Kelly were doing cocaine in Kelly's car when undercover Peel cops interrupted them.

"He showed his badge and said 'I'm on the job too.'"

Kelly, a congenial man who is described as a proud and brave cop who became addicted to cocaine on the job, tried three times to leave the drug squad but was denied.

Kelly once told the horse trainer: "I trust you more than I trust anyone in my own unit."

Kelly will be sentenced in the fall. His lawyer Peter Brauti has reserved four days for sentencing evidence he says will show Kelly's sterling service.

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[canuck]

Heres another heart warming story
-----------------------------------
Friday, December 12, 1997

COLUMN: Jay Richards
Convicted fixer Sklar says he'll talk





Convicted horse race fixer Richard Sklar, who has admitted fixing over 1,000 thoroughbred, quarter horse, Arabian and harness races at virtually every California track between 1983-95, said he will soon be going public with the entire story.
He said he would give detailed accounts of many of the fixed races and identify nearly 100 jockeys and harness drivers whom he said were his partners in the widespread scandal.
Sklar, 44, is looking to strike a deal with the highest bidder for the rights to his story, and said the TV tabloid program Hard Copy had expressed considerable interest in it, asking for the right of first refusal if and when other offers were made.
Along with jockey Richard Pfau, Sklar was convicted earlier of fixing a race at Los Alamitos in September 1995.
Pfau was sentenced to three years' probation and had his license suspended indefinitely.
On Monday, Sklar was sentenced to six months in federal prison beginning Jan. 21, fined $5,000, given three years' probation and 100 hours of community service.
He also must pay $6,600 in restitution to owners whose horses he paid to have held back in the race, the amount the owners would have received if their horses had won.
Sklar said two of the biggest players of what he called "my team" were the late Ron Hansen, a Northern California jockey who died under mysterious circumstances four years ago, and a high roller at Caesars Palace whom Sklar declined to identify.
He offered as a textbook example of his illegal trade a race that was run on Feb. 3, 1989, at Golden Gate Fields.
Many horse players will recall that race because of its unique finish that was photographed in newspapers and replayed on TV news programs nationwide.
In that race, jockey Nate Hubbard, riding the runner-up, Sweetwater Oak, clipped the heels of the eventual winner, Current Lady, in the final sixteenth-mile.
Sweetwater Lady stumbled badly and nearly fell, jerking Hubbard out of the stirrup irons. In desperation, the falling jockey managed to throw his arms around the horse's neck and was holding on for dear life as the horse completed the course with Hubbard dangling alongside.
"That race was fixed," Sklar said, although neither Hubbard nor winning jockey Tom Chapman were aware of it.
"We never told them, we just bet on them. There was no need for them to know," Sklar said.
"The key to it was Ronnie (Hansen) going dead (holding back his mount) on the even-money favorite (Boss' Bid) in a seven-horse race.
"With him and one other rider out (who was also paid to hold his mount), it was a piece of cake to box Chapman, Hubbard and one other horse."
Sklar said he contacted his man at Caesars Palace, "a high roller who was allowed to bet as much as he wanted.
"We bet Hubbard's horse separately, 10-and-10 (thousand to win and place), most of it at Caesars. We also made an $8,000 quinella box (a $24,000 investment).
"Hubbard's horse ran second and paid $6.20 to place, so we made $11,000 profit on the win and place. The (house) quinella paid $14.85. We cleared another $35,200 on that (deducting the $24,000 bet from the $59,200 payoff)," he said.
How much did Hansen profit?
"Ronnie never took his money up front, like a lot of other riders did. He always wanted me to bet for him instead," Sklar said.
"On that race, as I recall, I bet a thousand to win for him on Hubbard's horse, which lost, and bet a $200 quinella box, which returned him $1,485."
The $1,485 Hansen allegedly was paid was nearly three times the amount ($522) Chapman received for the winning jockey's share of the purse.
"Hansen was a character. I loved the guy. He had so many great one-liners. We made so much money together, he used to tell me, `When I win, I low-five. When I lose, I high-five,' " Sklar said.
The California Horse Racing Board has downplayed the race-fixing claims, to which Sklar replied:
"You tell the CHRB, `Fasten your seat belts. What you're going to find out will make your heads spin.' "

[freeneasy]

thanks for the juice err, err, story. c'mon this crap has got to be taking place on a scale that just hasnt been fully realized yet. maybe not so much at the major tracks like SA, HW, DM ect. but at the smaller less attractive/noticed tracks like GG, BM and such.
I'll be waiting with anticipation to here what all else this guys going to spill. and you know that ron hansens death werent no accident

[canuck]

Free--

neither was Dan Beckons

----------------------------------------
On July 2, 1987, well known Canadian horse jockey Dan Beckon's dead body was found at a farm in Bolton, Ontario. The police ruled the matter as a suicide. The family and their lawyers called in William C. Deer of Dallas, Texas, known (arguably) to be the best Investigator in North America. The family maintained Beckon had been murdered.

On March 22, 1988, William Deer and Corpa's President, Kevin Bousquet and a team of other investigators reenacted Beckon's death.

The police investigation maintained that Beckon shot himself in the head with a Winchester .22 rifle. The spent .22 casing was measured metres away from the body. The investigative team reenacted the scene several times, both as a murder and a suicide. When reenacted as a suicide, the casings fell no further than one metre. However, when reenacted as a murder the casings landed approximately the same distance as measured by police. The conclusion of the video taped reenactment gave every indication th at Beckon could not possibly have shot himself, as the casings were found too far from the body at the crime scene.

[canuck]

A jockey bites the dust
Chris Antley was one of the greatest and best known jockeys in the world. By December 2000, he had 3,480 career wins, including two Kentucky Derby victories, and a child on the way.

But the 34-year-old Antley was also a recovering drug addict. He was arrested twice in 2000, and his houseguest, Timothy Tyler, a man he’d met in rehab and often fought with over money, told police Antley had threatened to kill his own wife.

On December 2, 2000, police found Antley dead in his California apartment; his bedroom door was kicked in from the outside, and blood covered the walls. His death was ruled a homicide, and Tyler was questioned. Then things got weird.

In their investigation, police found that prior to his death, Antley had deteriorated into a fog of alcohol and drugs. He hadn’t spoken to his wife, living in New York, in days and had become a complete shut-in.

Then, just as his friends and family were learning the depths to which he’d sunk, the police changed the official cause of death to “accidental.” Tyler was a free man.

“This is an absolute cover-up,” said jockey Vladimir Cerin. “Somebody [murdered] Chris.”

Cathy Park, Antley’s closest friend and the woman who found his body, told police she saw Tyler wielding a crowbar outside Antley’s house around the time of his death. But police refused to reopen the homicide investigation.

The final autopsy revealed substantial wounds on Antley’s neck, head, and arms. But on January 11, 2001, his death was ruled the result of an overdose.

Just hours later Antley’s first child, Violet Grace, was born.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Can you say coverup?

[PaceAdvantage]

I have a naive question. Didn't the cocaine show up in the post-race tests?? Guess not....

[Shacopate]

What is this? Open mic night at the morgue?

[ranchwest]

Originally posted by PaceAdvantage
I have a naive question. Didn't the cocaine show up in the post-race tests?? Guess not....

When some trainers at DeD asked for a second test of some samples, the tests came back showing nicotine and caffeine. Had the horses been smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee? Nope, further examination determined it was human urine. All of the proposed suspensions (quite a few) were dropped.

Better know what's in those samples before you test 'em too much!

[Suff]

Did you hear the one about Pinocchio ? He found out he was made of wood when his Hand caught fire.


In the news: New study says 43% of all statisics are useless.

What is a Yankee?
The same as a quickie, but a guy can do it alone.


Ba Da Bing.

[ranchwest]

Originally posted by Sufferindowns
In the news: New study says 43% of all statisics are useless.

That figure fluctuates. lol

[Suff]

There's three types of Lies.


Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics.

Shakesphere said this...or he would have if he thought of it first.

[Derek2U]

LOL ... good 1 ... yeah Jay Leno's limo is waiting 4 u.

[Suff]

Jack and Jill went up the Hill.

Each with a buck and a quarter.


Jill came down with two fifty.

[VetScratch]

From Canuck's Post:
He offered as a textbook example of his illegal trade a race that was run on Feb. 3, 1989, at Golden Gate Fields.
---
We bet Hubbard's horse separately, 10-and-10 (thousand to win and place), most of it at Caesars. We also made an $8,000 quinella box (a $24,000 investment).
---
Hubbard's horse ran second and paid $6.20 to place, so we made $11,000 profit on the win and place. The (house) quinella paid $14.85. We cleared another $35,200 on that (deducting the $24,000 bet from the $59,200 payoff)," he said.


On February 4th, whoever was holding the supervisory override key at Caesars on Friday evening, February 3rd, should have been canvassing up and down the strip for a busboy's job or a mortuary! Taking an $8,000 box on a "house" Q for Golden Gate is certainly not going to slide under very many rugs at Vegas racebooks!

[freeneasy]

this is the first of any detailed account that ive really heard concerning beckons death, but i never heard much about why or the speculation about why the murder, if it was murder, took place. I mean was he being connected with pulling races for some heavy hitters, mob betting ect.?
and the thing with Antley, what motive would the policehave for anykind of a coverup unless theres something real scary going on. i mean you got an ex? drug addict staying at another ex drug addicts home, forced entry, substancial wounds on the head, neck and arms, arguing an such reasonable evidence to suspect a murder, what reason was it that the police gave that made them change their mind?

[superfecta]

Originally posted by Sufferindowns
There's three types of Lies.


Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics.

Shakesphere said this...or he would have if he thought of it first. But Sam Clemens said it first...:D.. This pusbag Sklar fixes a thousand races and has to pay 6000 dollars restitution for the money the losing owners would have won?What they were racing for, $6 a race?And he only gets a 5000 dollar fine?Something ain't right.But his story doesn't add up either.Sounds like a guy who wants to be a bigshot in the can ,so he doesn't get a bigshot in the can...

[ranchwest]

what reason was it that the police gave that made them change their mind?

Police don't make very much money. They don't need much of a reason. Maybe they didn't want to fill out the paperwork that day.

I once tried to tell the police my side of my family being victimized and they told me that my story was not advantageous for insurance purposes, so they wrote down a lie. The chief of police didn't care and the mayor didn't, either.

[Kentucky Bred]

This scum does not even get jail time????? He gets "community service????" Where at, a rape clinic???

I'm sickened and disgusted. Whenever the integrity of this game is questioned and excused we all suffer greatly.

Where is the outrage from the racetracks???

When Sin City Las Vegas REFUSED to accept bets on Northern California tracks back in the 80's before common pool betting, do you think you would get a hint that something is wrong?

Back in 80's, I was thrilled to learn that we got Ron Hansen, the Russell Baze of that time, to ride our So Cal shipper in a very good stakes race on the Friday Evening card. When we arrive there we learn that Ron has no other mounts that night but ours in the 8th race. Lucky us.

When Hansen came out to the saddling area to get on this quick filly he was so wired his pupils were the size of matchsticks!! He came out of that gate and jerked back on that filly so hard he almost came out of his irons. Dead last by 10 lengths all the way around. This filly just ran through her allowance races in 4 races!

And, after his disapearance, they find him six months later washed up on the San Francisco Bay.

I would guess you would call that the ultimate "community service"

Kentucky Bred

[freeneasy]

ohh man, thats the funniest liner ive heard in a long time, " trying to be a big shot in the can so he doesnt get the big shot in the can" yeah then he can be the cancan manman
your a rich man sup

[VetScratch]

Kentucky Bred,
When Sin City Las Vegas REFUSED to accept bets on Northern California tracks back in the 80's before common pool betting, do you think you would get a hint that something is wrong?

Why are so many ready to accept Sklar's story? As you imply above, and as I pointed out earlier, how likely is it that Caesars in early 1989 really took an $8000 box on a "house" Q (which is not a pooled pari-mutuel wager) at Golden Gate?

I don't buy Sklar's account of his big score at Caasars. In a seven horse field, accepting $24,000 to box three when the house Q will pay the win-mutuel X 1/2-of-the-place-mutuel is an unthinkable proposition for the racebook unless Sklar and company were already down maybe as much as $150,000 out-of-pocket from previous races.

[kenwoodall]

The figure is probably under 1,000!
I do believe they must rub coke on a certain part of some stallions to turn out crops as large as they do!!!