sonnyp
06-13-2011, 06:34 PM
putting this here because i think it is reflective of all horseracing.
i met ray and larry remmen the week before the meadowlands opened. 2 brothers from western canada who had been racing the detroit/windsor circuit and came to the big M with hopes of greater opportunities.
you could NOT meet 2 more friendly, honest, hard working and talented guys if your life depended on it. true horsemen who have won a hambletonian and a meadowlands pace.
at one time, some of their owners complained about ray's driving.....not quite up to the likes of campbell and o'donell ....so ray put the hotshots up to drive to keep the owners happy. this cut his income in half, cause he lost the driving %.
they never bullshit-d an owner, never abused or juiced horses, never made a "big show".....just worked hard and won more of their share of races and made money every year for their owners. i have NEVER heard a negative word about ray or larry remmen.
tomorrow, they're selling 4 horses at harrington, and that will leave the remmens with a total of 8 in training. it saddens me that this could happen in this industry (harness and t-bred) where the 60%, juicing, super trainers have owners knocking their doors down to jump on the "glory train" and solid guys like remmens, with their resume and integrity, get swept aside.
i realize this happens in life, but it's killing the racing industry. the backstretch used to be a great place.....not so much any more.
i met ray and larry remmen the week before the meadowlands opened. 2 brothers from western canada who had been racing the detroit/windsor circuit and came to the big M with hopes of greater opportunities.
you could NOT meet 2 more friendly, honest, hard working and talented guys if your life depended on it. true horsemen who have won a hambletonian and a meadowlands pace.
at one time, some of their owners complained about ray's driving.....not quite up to the likes of campbell and o'donell ....so ray put the hotshots up to drive to keep the owners happy. this cut his income in half, cause he lost the driving %.
they never bullshit-d an owner, never abused or juiced horses, never made a "big show".....just worked hard and won more of their share of races and made money every year for their owners. i have NEVER heard a negative word about ray or larry remmen.
tomorrow, they're selling 4 horses at harrington, and that will leave the remmens with a total of 8 in training. it saddens me that this could happen in this industry (harness and t-bred) where the 60%, juicing, super trainers have owners knocking their doors down to jump on the "glory train" and solid guys like remmens, with their resume and integrity, get swept aside.
i realize this happens in life, but it's killing the racing industry. the backstretch used to be a great place.....not so much any more.