(Paulick Report) Pennsylvania: The FBI Agent And The Trainer

[PaceAdvantage]

An interesting read:

http://www.paulickreport.com/news/ra...agent-trainer/

[whodoyoulike]

Hopefully, Paulick stays on top of this since similar allegations in Pennsylvania have been bouncing around for years now.

Originally Posted by from article

... He (Hamelback, of the HBPA from the article) also said in the radio interview that the National HBPA is not necessarily defending Rojas but trying to protect other horsemen from a possible precedent-setting case in which violations of state regulatory rules on medication could be considered a federal crime – not just in Pennsylvania, but in any racing state. ...

... This is the statement Judge Rambo said is inadmissible at trial because the question Doupe asked was too vague and could have referred to instances that were 10 or 20 years ago.

Behe: “And did she say anything about that type of practice going on at that track or elsewhere?”

“She did,” said Doupe. “She said, it goes on every day, and it goes on everywhere, she said, every track.”

Doupe repeated that assertion from Rojas under cross examination by the trainer's attorney, Robert E. Goldman.

“She like to justify her criminal misconduct by stating that this happens everywhere,” said Doupe. “She says everybody does it, I don't see the big deal. She would often tell me that.” ...

If these quotes are true, she should get banned for a number of years, IMO.

[EMD4ME]

I guess you could say my old name used to be : Penn4ME


I live 160 miles from PENN but would drag friends, family, signifigant other etc to Penn on a monthly basis.

It's sad that there is SO much coorruption and apathy for the cheating in PA.

It's been almost a decade since I stopped betting Penn fulltime (like every card). Once in a blue moon, they get a nickel from me (like twice a year) but other than that, they're just like most ex's. They are dead to me.

To think I grew up there, makes me even sadder.

[proximity]

i remember YEARS ago at pen i had a five length pace advantage horse trained by the then murray quezada (sp?) and i excitedly ventured out to the paddock to get a close up look at such a rare specimen.

it was great standing there in the cool night air with my pace figures neatly penned onto my drf. it's a safe bet that they were probably the ONLY pace figures on the grounds!!

i was never a jockey man like emd. if robert hastie would have five wins on the year, i'd pride myself on having four of the horses. the only jockey that ever gave me cause for concern was fabio quezada, who never seemed to get my speed horses out of the gate.

it's a nice night though and how can even fabio eff up a horse with such a superior advantage?

then murray greets fabio by the horse.

murray: "try to come from off the pace with him."

the HORSE did win though and i really miss those old days of live racing and i'm sure all of you do too.

[EMD4ME]

Originally Posted by proximity

i remember YEARS ago at pen i had a five length pace advantage horse trained by the then murray quezada (sp?) and i excitedly ventured out to the paddock to get a close up look at such a rare specimen.

it was great standing there in the cool night air with my pace figures neatly penned onto my drf. it's a safe bet that they were probably the ONLY pace figures on the grounds!!

i was never a jockey man like emd. if robert hastie would have five wins on the year, i'd pride myself on having four of the horses. the only jockey that ever gave me cause for concern was fabio quezada, who never seemed to get my speed horses out of the gate.

it's a nice night though and how can even fabio eff up a horse with such a superior advantage?

then murray greets fabio by the horse.

murray: "try to come from off the pace with him."

the HORSE did win though and i really miss those old days of live racing and i'm sure all of you do too.

To me, there's only 1 jockey that ever could be called a "jockey" in the last decade. Ramon. The rest are called anything else

Now, with that said, I FRIEKEN loved the smell of horse shit at Penn. Loved that 2nd floor overview of the paddock, the soft ice cream, the lights going out, the red bucket seats, the announcer's predictable THEY'RE OFF and THEY MOVE TO THE TOP OF THE STREEEEEEETCH.

I too remember being at Penn when that demonic structure was being put up. We were in that special tent or whatever by the 1/8 pole. I loved this 1 horse. Was there with a pal. We walked out to the paddock. My friend heard the trainer tell the jock: Ride em lak ya own him boy!

He crushed.


They tore down paradise and put up a ra ci noooooooo

[cj]

My biggest memory of Penn was sneaking away from the inlaws during a Thanksgiving weekend to make what at the time was the biggest bet of my life on Answer Do in a stakes race at Santa Anita. There was live racing going on but I never even watched a race. I was screaming like an idiot as he charged down the lane, knowing I'd be cutting it close on gas if I had to drive back without him winning!

Luckily he got up in the last few strides and paid 10 or 11 bucks and all was right in Grantville that night. I had been to Penn several times before, but I don't think I've ever been back.

[Rise Over Run]

Originally Posted by cj

My biggest memory of Penn was sneaking away from the inlaws during a Thanksgiving weekend to make what at the time was the biggest bet of my life on Answer Do in a stakes race at Santa Anita. There was live racing going on but I never even watched a race. I was screaming like an idiot as he charged down the lane, knowing I'd be cutting it close on gas if I had to drive back without him winning!

Luckily he got up in the last few strides and paid 10 or 11 bucks and all was right in Grantville that night. I had been to Penn several times before, but I don't think I've ever been back.

He closed to win the Cal Cup Sprint at Santa Anita on November 7, 1992 and paid $11 even, but that's not over Thanksgiving. He won the Hollywood Turf Sprint twice right around Thanksgiving 1991 and 1992, but that was as Hollywood Park and he didn't pay close to $10.

Memories...http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Res...istry=T&rbt=TB

[Spalding No!]

Originally Posted by Rise Over Run

He closed to win the Cal Cup Sprint at Santa Anita on November 7, 1992 and paid $11 even, but that's not over Thanksgiving. He won the Hollywood Turf Sprint twice right around Thanksgiving 1991 and 1992, but that was as Hollywood Park and he didn't pay close to $10.

Memories...http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Res...istry=T&rbt=TB

$9.80 is not close to $10?

[cj]

Originally Posted by Rise Over Run

He closed to win the Cal Cup Sprint at Santa Anita on November 7, 1992 and paid $11 even, but that's not over Thanksgiving. He won the Hollywood Turf Sprint twice right around Thanksgiving 1991 and 1992, but that was as Hollywood Park and he didn't pay close to $10.

Memories...http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Res...istry=T&rbt=TB

It was the SA race on dirt. It may not have been Thanksgiving weekend, but that is why I was there. We'd do one weekend in PA and one in Baltimore, alternate each year for the holidays. Moving to Texas was a blessing!

[HuggingTheRail]

Originally Posted by Spalding No!

$9.80 is not close to $10?

The most important part of the story is he got away from his inlaws for a while....

[cj]

Originally Posted by HuggingTheRail

The most important part of the story is he got away from his inlaws for a while....

I have an Atlantic City trip that didn't turn out nearly so well that I'll share some day.

[Track Phantom]

Originally Posted by cj

My biggest memory of Penn was sneaking away from the inlaws during a Thanksgiving weekend to make what at the time was the biggest bet of my life on Answer Do in a stakes race at Santa Anita. There was live racing going on but I never even watched a race. I was screaming like an idiot as he charged down the lane, knowing I'd be cutting it close on gas if I had to drive back without him winning!

Luckily he got up in the last few strides and paid 10 or 11 bucks and all was right in Grantville that night. I had been to Penn several times before, but I don't think I've ever been back.

I think Answer Do was a Turf Paradise or Aksarben horse. Think he ran with Who Doctor Who in those days.

[Rise Over Run]

Originally Posted by Spalding No!

$9.80 is not close to $10?

You're right. I must have opened up the chart for the 1991 race twice.

[onefast99]

I had several horses with Rojas. One died on the track after his race at Penn(October 2009), Banque Royale and the other one Western Bluff Murray bought from me after a few races. At the time we had horses with her she was a good solid trainer, and a pleasure to speak with.
No one wants to hear how many trainers are cheating and especially because every one is doing it and they have to do it to stay competitive.

[Ian Meyers]

It's pretty obvious that both she (and the sport to a lesser extent) are in big trouble:

Murray Rojas Attorney: If everyone at PENN is cheating w/race day medications, it's a level playing field, isn't it?

State Vet: Yes

It's about 1/5 she gets convicted, 'the every one else does it isn't typically a winning defense.'

I'm hearing if she is convicted she will give up management at Penn National (she hasn't really talked yet). Also hearing it's likely Pennsylvania legislature will introduce de-coupling legislation in the next session. Whether or not that passes is anyone's guess but it's not the long shot it was in the past.

I'm hoping that this will eventually mean national oversight for the sport and REAL drug regulations. It's really the only way this game can forward.