Hidden Agenda at the Jockey Club

[slewis]

As many racing fans know, there are some sweeping changes taking place in racing regarding steroids, whip use, and the types of horse shoe every runner will race in.
My view, and most fans/ owners view, that steroids should be controlled if not banned altogether.

But in regards to the other two rule changes, both are ridiculous and trump decades of history and tradition.
After reviewing the Jockey Club's recent ban on toe grabs and mud calks, I did some research on my own. After all, one might ask if there is sufficient data to substantiate the claims regarding the serious dangers of these shoes (mud calks and toe grabs).
Since I race, bet and follow the NYRA circuit, and since shoe implementation is something I track closely, I knew I had much more expertise in this field then the Jockey Club could ever dream of.
So I compliled a study dating back to 2001, detailing the use of mud calks vs plain shod horses and whether they (calks) posed additional danger.
I knew they didn't, since I have a database, raced my own horses in them, and spoke to many trainers who use them. But I compiled the study to show race track management, and anyone else, when I heard rumors of the ban back in June.
I posted some of this data on another thread, and anyone interested can evalutate it, (see: Goodbye mud calks at Meadowlands.)
After much thought, I realized what was taking place here, that there might be a Hidden Agenda, and after archiving who the decision makers were in the implementation of this silly rule, I'm convinced I 've hit the nail on the head.

Let's look at the "Players" :

The Jockey Club Chairman : Ogden Phipps

The Jockey Club Saftey Committee Chairman: Stuart Janney

(the safety committee pushed through the rule changes regarding toe grabs and mud calks (1/4 inch bends will be next to go).

Phipps and Janney are cousins. (Janney's mother was Barbara Phipps Janney and his father bred and raced Ruffian)

Both Phipps and Janney race royally bred horses, primarily in NY and KY.

Both almost exclusively (if not exclusively) use Shug McGaughey as their trainer. McGaughey has been known to cry about cheating and "perceived" edges other trainers have, and has never raced a horse in mud calks because he "thinks" they may cause injury.

Janney succeded Phipps as the chaiman of Bessemer Trust, a powerful wealth management firm managing client assets with 5 MILLION DOLLAR MINIMUMS.

To virtually guarantee enforcement of THEIR rules, the Jockey Club is using "strong arm tactics", by threatening to take GRADED STATUS of any graded race at a track that does not comply with THEIR rules.

Both Phipps and Janney are powerful and influential members of the NYRA bd of Directors, and although I haven't checked, maybe members of the BD of Directors of other tracks as well.

These guys obviously epitomize the term "eliteist", and their actions are affirm it. They have abused their power and influence for their own good.
They have taken the Eight Belles tragedy (who was not wearing toe grabs, mud calks, and was steroid free) and put their own spin on it for their own private agenda and boost their racing program.

MANY TRAINERS and owners who I've consulted with on this issue all agree that they have changed the rules to suit THEIR racing philosophy and boost their chances of succeeding. Trainers who beat them often, who's horses race with mud calks, are often horses with inferior pedigrees, and it must come a huge disapointment to the elite.
(I suppose the next move might be to have a separate starting gate 100 yds closer to the finish line for their runners)

What is sad is that they claim to have studied data to support these changes but have not produced anything that can be reasonably substantiated or verified, especially in NY where they race most frequently.

[DanG]

I don’t quite follow the borderline character assassinations of the gentlemen you mentioned.

Because their stance is “equal footing” (excuse the poor pun) for race horses, you take it as a personal attack on your stables edge and / or belief system.

Your study aside; I’ve been around the game all my life and have heard MANY respected trainers speak to the risk of running horses in grabs. This isn’t some conspiracy against blacksmiths, it’s a real concern from people who happen to disagree with yourself / and yet; are just as passionate about our sport.

As far as being pro-whip (I assume from your opening paragraph) I couldn’t disagree more. It’s absolutely barbaric / counterproductive to the potential new fan and has zero place in the modern game imo.

Thanks for the interesting subject.

[slewis]

Originally Posted by DanG

I don’t quite follow the borderline character assassinations of the gentlemen you mentioned.

Because their stance is “equal footing” (excuse the poor pun) for race horses, you take it as a personal attack on your stables edge and / or belief system.

Your study aside; I’ve been around the game all my life and have heard MANY respected trainers speak to the risk of running horses in grabs. This isn’t some conspiracy against blacksmiths, it’s a real concern from people who happen to disagree with yourself / and yet; are just as passionate about our sport.

As far as being pro-whip (I assume from your opening paragraph) I couldn’t disagree more. It’s absolutely barbaric / counterproductive to the potential new fan and has zero place in the modern game imo.

Thanks for the interesting subject.

Fine,

Just show legitimate stats and studies to substantiate these changes.
I've provided the mud calks data (and 1/4 inch bend data)
I know horses will race SOUNDER and I have stats to back it up.
You, yourself said you've "talked" to those that say grabs are dangerous, (I might make a case for toe grabs except they're so small they will only hurt a horse if they are hitting hard base, and if that should occur, racing should be cancelled that day)
I want proof and data and substantiation, dont you?

[saratoga guy]

The Thoroughbred Safety Committee was formed in 2008.

They based much of their work and decisions on the two Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summits that took place earlier.

The toe-grab issue was brought up in the first report issued by the Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit in October 2006 -- well before the Thoroughbred Safety Committee was even formed.

That report (in pdf format) can be found here: http://www.grayson-jockeyclub.org/re...fareSummit.pdf

It lists "Participants"... Phipps and/or Janney are not among them.

[toetoe]

slewis,

It sounds very plausible to me. I will watch closely to see whether it joins Astrodirt and global whining on the roster for the Hyper Bole.

With these gentlemen protecting the public, who will protect me from the protectors ?

[slewis]

I've provided in another thread a complete 8 yr study proving how horses wearing mud calks are LESS likely to break down then plain shod.

I've heard testimonials from some of the greatest trainers in the game, including Nick Zito and Allen Jerkens, who race 95 % of their dirt runners in Mud Calks.

Mack Miller used Mud calks, Woody Stephens won the Belmont with Danzig Connection wearing mud calks, as did Bobby Frankel, who uses them on occasion, with Empire Maker in his Belmont win.

This group is a who's who of hall of fame trainers. Each one will defend their use, (I've spoke to several personally).

What additional proof do you need??????

And if your foolish enough not to make the connection between Phipps and Janney and what they're motives are, your very very naive.

Of course I remember you have defended NYRA in the past so it wouldn't surprise me one bit if you either work for them, or have some association with the organization.
I've been shouting from the days of the franchise battle, my feelings that they are nothing more then an eliteist, rich boy club, interested in their own agenda, controling and dominating racing .

[Pace Cap'n]

Several decades ago Al Illich (!) referred to The Jockey Club as the most exclusive club on earth, as it was/is composed of twenty individuals who set the rules for all of horseracing. Does that remain the structure yet today?

[saratoga guy]

Originally Posted by slewis

Of course I remember you have defended NYRA in the past so it wouldn't surprise me one bit if you either work for them, or have some association with the organization.

I'm assuming this is aimed at me -- Oy. What a lame way to try to knock an argument. And haven't I put this to bed already -- any number of times?!? I don't work for NYRA. Never have.

By your logic -- since you knocked NYRA during the franchise debate -- should we assume you work for one of the competing entities?

...Anyhow, I'm not necessarily supporting the ban on toe grabs. I just think your logic that it's some conspiracy by Phipps/Janney is far-fetched. And unnecessary -- if you have the facts to support your argument.

I'm not sure you do. The "study" you quote in the other thread could be flawed in a number of ways. For instance, it concentrates only on the NYRA circuit, and it could be argued that NY racing has higher class horses, better track maintenance, and horsemen with owners that offer more money for hoof care than other jurisdictions.

That said however, the Thoroughbred Safety Committee shoe and hoof recommenations from June 2008 (http://www.bloodhorse.com/pdf/Thorou...es%20final.pdf) are "based on published research" which the footnotes indicate is a magazine article from 1996. Which, to me anyway, also leaves some doubts about the strength of their conclusions as well.

I have no problem requiring facts to support drastic changes in the industry (I wrote about just that this summer: http://www.equidaily.com/bestbet/opi...08/080703.html) -- particularly in the frenzied atmosphere that gripped the racing game this spring.

And that -- the wild, knee-jerk reaction to the Eight Belles fatality -- is probably more to blame for these changes, warranted or not, than any conspiracy by Phipps and/or Janney.

[slewis]

Then you obviously missed my point regarding the "strong arm tactics" Janney and Phipps are imposing, YES get this straight, IMPOSING on all racetracks...
Do what WE say, or we'll take graded status away on ANY and EVERY graded race you run at your racetrack.

Now, do you really think if Barry Schwartz or Kenny Noe were CEO of NYRA they would get away with a threat like this? But what you fail to understand here is that PHIPPS RUNS NYRA now..... not Charlie Haywood, not Duncker, get it??

It's like hiring the wolf to guard the hen house.

I'll now address your statement regarding my study being flawed.

Yes, my study is at NYRA tracks. Dont give me BS regarding cost, better footware, blacksmiths, etc, because I race at other tracks and that's not a major issue.
If someone kept stats and a database like this at other tracks they would probably find, depending on how cheap the horses were that raced there, a similar percentage comparision, with the cheaper tracks having higher breakdown percentages then the major tracks.
After all, more risk is taken with a cheaper horse, (racing when not completly sound) then with a stakes horse. Agreed? (I know we all dont want to admit that, but it's true)
If ANY track is not safe, mud calks are NOT going make anymore a negative difference, unless a track is VERY HARD, like one of the studies (as you pointed out 1996, how ridiculous) was done I believe in California. Those tracks are rock hard out there. And guess what??? They now have Poly shit, which is a whole new problem.
The powers that be in this business SHOULD BE LOOKING AT MY STUDY VERY CAREFULLY. It can be validated VERY easily. The horses names were included in the study I presented to several trainers along with the dates the horses raced and the subsequent date they raced AFTER A DNF along with ALL shoe data.
If the powers that be in this sport were diligent, they would ask for MY COMPLETE DATABASE, and get vet records of the horses that DNF and check the problems from that point.
They can also do a RANDOM query of horses that wear mud calks, check the vet records, and see if there is a correlation of injury compared to plain shod horses.
But, you see my friend, (I got that from Mccain), they really dont want to, because they have an AGENDA. I would start posting trainers names who I've discussed this with, and they ALL agree on AGENDA.
So I'll ask you again, would Allen Jerkens, Bobby Frankel, Nick Zito, etc risk injury to TOP HORSES such as SKY BEAUTY, GhOSTZAPPER, EMPIRE MAKER, COMMENTATOR, ALBERT THE GREAT....shall I continue???
Oh and F Y I... I quickly did a Steeplechase study on horses VANNED OFF, not DNF, Vanned off, in the last 5 yrs at Saratoga.....
4.2% vanned off... (you dont van a horse off unless they are hurt)
That's about 700% greater chance then a flat runner....

Think the Grayson foundation will force Phipps and Janney to stop steeplechase racing next yr at the SPA????

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Your so gullible, you probably think they're doing a great job in Washington these days too!

[bettheoverlay]

Originally Posted by slewis

I've heard testimonials from some of the greatest trainers in the game, including Nick Zito and Allen Jerkens, who race 95 % of their dirt runners in Mud Calks.

So are Zito and Jerkens and all the other prominent trainers you have mentioned protesting this ruling? Have they had anything to say about the ruling publically?

[Shenanigans]

These attacks (and they are attacks) on these prominent gentlemen in racing sounds like it is coming from someone that is extremely jealous of their achievements and positions in the industry. No where in the banning of these shoes does it specify that the Phipps and Janney horses are the only ones allowed to wear these shoes. There is no "agenda" to be had.
Shug McGaughey "thinks" that mud calks are not good for a horses leg but the fact that Frankel, Zito, and Jerkins "think" otherwise there is a conspiracy going on. I hate to break it to you Slewis, but none of those trainers train their horses the same. I promise you there are plenty subjects that they agree and disagree on how to train a horse.
This conspiracy is a product of the rumors milled about on the backside of a track or two and infused with just a tinsy insy bit of jealousy from Slewis.

[slewis]

Originally Posted by bettheoverlay

So are Zito and Jerkens and all the other prominent trainers you have mentioned protesting this ruling? Have they had anything to say about the ruling publically?

Yes, they are up in arms.. but from what I'm being told they are getting the response of NYRA brass: "If we dont comply, they will take the graded status away of all graded races in NY, and we couldn't allow that".

Haywood has seen the study... he's discarded it.

But then, it is the opinion of many, myself included, he's in on and part of the gig.

Do you see the "game" that's being played here? Well thought out and all bases covered.

[slewis]

Originally Posted by Pace Cap'n

Several decades ago Al Illich (!) referred to The Jockey Club as the most exclusive club on earth, as it was/is composed of twenty individuals who set the rules for all of horseracing. Does that remain the structure yet today?

Go check it's board of directors and check the NYRA board and Keeneland board.

[PaceAdvantage]

Originally Posted by slewis

Yes, they are up in arms.. but from what I'm being told they are getting the response of NYRA brass: "If we dont comply, they will take the graded status away of all graded races in NY, and we couldn't allow that".

That's total and complete baloney.

Do you HONESTLY think for ONE SECOND Phipps or anyone remotely powerful and connected with NY racing would allow the graded status OF ALL GRADED RACES IN NY to be stripped away?

This is the most unbelievable thing I've read on this website in quite some time, and that's saying a lot!

[slewis]

PA,

You need to go back and read everything I posted VERY carefully because you obviously are missing something.

I'll give you a quick recap because I know your a busy guy....

Phipps and Janneyrun the Jockey Club , and head the Safety committee formed by the Jockey Club.

Phipps and Janney use the same trainer.

That trainer does not want to "risk" using mud calks on their horses, but feels horses perform better with them and feels their horses are racing with a "disadvantage".

Phipps runs racing in NY (NYRA)

Eight Belles breaks down.... congress calls for a "clean up".

Although Eight Belles is both Steroid free, and not wearing any kind of "traction shoe" as Janney calls them(which is in itself a hypocracy, after all, why would we want to shoe a horse to get better traction?), Phipps and Janney orchestrate sweeping reform. Including ban on steroids, whip use, and a ban on THE TYPES OF SHOES THEIR TRAINER WONT USE, but complains about others having an edge.... Mud calks and toe grabs.

They find a 12 yr old study done in California where the tracks are rock hard, to use as the criteria for banning shoes that have used and are used by some of the greatest trainers (old and young) in the history of the sport.

They, realizing that their is going to be an outcry from those trainers who race in these shoes, implement a rule at the JOckey Club to take graded status away if tracks fail to comply with their rules.
This gives ALL track management, at every track an out.....
They could easily say (as Charlie Haywood explained to a friend of mine who races 500 starters per year, some with trainers like Levine and Arroyo who race virtually every horse with calks). " We had no choice but to follow their (Jockey Club ) mandate, we can't have Graded Status taken away".

But Haywood does not run NYRA, Phipps does, the same guys IMPLEMENTING the changes are the same guys making the changes.
BUT, in this case, and in the case of MUD CALKS and toe grabs, it's to SUIT THEIR RACING AGENDA.

Look PA.. you know me and you know people their who know me......

I'm not saying you have to agree with this theory.. but anytime you want me to waltz you over to some of the trainers I've mentioned in posts on this thread and the other thread I posted (I hope you saw the 8 yr study of shoe injury I posted).. you let me know..I'll call your bluff in a second.. and they will tell you EXACTLY what I've posted.

Some of these guys are PISSED!!!!