Vinman
08-07-2011, 08:34 PM
Article on pg 7 of Sunday's NY Post.....Trainer Lou Pena has been told he is no longer welcome to race his horses at Yonkers Raceway. According to the article, Pena received the news via a July 29th phone call from YR Racing Secretary Steve Starr, who told him "For the best interests of the Sport, you must leave"
Pena, who came east in 2009, has racked up an astounding 39% win percentage at Yonkers this year. His 282 victories at YR are TRIPLE the next highest total of 82.
"Officials told me 'Slow down, don't win so much' I'm like, you've got to be kidding me", says Pena.
Yonkers is a private operation that reserves the right to bar anyone for any reason. YR officials refused to answer a reporter's questions and instead issued a statement "At this time, we do not feel it is in our best interest to have Mr. Pena participate at Yonkers Raceway", said track VP Bob Galterio.
The article continues...."Pena's numbers are unprecedented. He's been the top trainer the last two years at both Yonkers and The Meadowlands, having won more than $13 million in purses. His horses finished in the money 44% of the time".
Pena's response...."I'm crushing the competition - it's totally technique training - and these people are crying; they're not happy. I've become the most hated man on earth. If you're good, you must be bad."
A picture accompanying the article shows the 42 year old Pena, wearing a Superman shirt, posing with his $500,000 winner, Flirt Iscape, a 7 year old mare who's won about half of her 100 races.
My $.02.....If the likes of Hall of Fame Harness horesmen, Billy Haughton, Stanley Dancer, Del Miller, Joe O'Brien, Howard Beissinger, Jim Harrison (trainer of Albatross, who wrote the training chapter in the book "Care and Training of the Trotter & Pacer) and all top horsemen who came later could not achieve anything close to a 39% win average, then how is Pena doing it?
Nothing more than "superior training techniques?" Yeah, right.
Next question is....will Pena's 100 Manalapan NJ based horses be welcome at "slot purse tracks" such as Chester & Dover/Harrington. I'd be surprised if The Meadowlands welcomes him back when they reopen in January under the Big M's new leaseholder Jeff Gural's stewardship.
Vinman
Pena, who came east in 2009, has racked up an astounding 39% win percentage at Yonkers this year. His 282 victories at YR are TRIPLE the next highest total of 82.
"Officials told me 'Slow down, don't win so much' I'm like, you've got to be kidding me", says Pena.
Yonkers is a private operation that reserves the right to bar anyone for any reason. YR officials refused to answer a reporter's questions and instead issued a statement "At this time, we do not feel it is in our best interest to have Mr. Pena participate at Yonkers Raceway", said track VP Bob Galterio.
The article continues...."Pena's numbers are unprecedented. He's been the top trainer the last two years at both Yonkers and The Meadowlands, having won more than $13 million in purses. His horses finished in the money 44% of the time".
Pena's response...."I'm crushing the competition - it's totally technique training - and these people are crying; they're not happy. I've become the most hated man on earth. If you're good, you must be bad."
A picture accompanying the article shows the 42 year old Pena, wearing a Superman shirt, posing with his $500,000 winner, Flirt Iscape, a 7 year old mare who's won about half of her 100 races.
My $.02.....If the likes of Hall of Fame Harness horesmen, Billy Haughton, Stanley Dancer, Del Miller, Joe O'Brien, Howard Beissinger, Jim Harrison (trainer of Albatross, who wrote the training chapter in the book "Care and Training of the Trotter & Pacer) and all top horsemen who came later could not achieve anything close to a 39% win average, then how is Pena doing it?
Nothing more than "superior training techniques?" Yeah, right.
Next question is....will Pena's 100 Manalapan NJ based horses be welcome at "slot purse tracks" such as Chester & Dover/Harrington. I'd be surprised if The Meadowlands welcomes him back when they reopen in January under the Big M's new leaseholder Jeff Gural's stewardship.
Vinman