A recent ruling (January) posted by the Texas Racing Commission. It fell under the heading, “Inhumane Treatment.” “On April 3, 2025, Yasmine Medina sent the horse ‘Oppenheimer’ with a groom to Retama Park for an official workout. The horse got…
Lasix is clearly one of U.S. Racing’s more controversial subjects. Some in the industry see it as but a performance-enhancer: A diuretic, Lasix helps shed water weight prior to a race – lighter equals faster – and as a system…
In a recent LTE to the Thoroughbred Daily News, founding board member of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and still active horseman Reiley McDonald further exposed the sham that is racing “aftercare.” Here is some of what the Kentucky-based McDonald had…
A video – here – has surfaced that appears to show jockeys (and brothers) Irad and Jose Ortiz collecting cash at a cockfight in Puerto Rico. Not that it matters, but it is unclear when the video was taken. (The…
The below report from NBC Chicago focuses on Hawthorne Race Course’s ongoing financial problems (e.g., bounced checks) and, relatedly, its failure to build a racino years after one was first approved by the state. Obviously, the racing people are growing…
A recent HISA ruling on trainer Zvi Kriple. (I have made slight edits in the interest of brevity and clarity, including substituting Kriple for “covered person” and Royal Honey for “covered horse.”) “Zvi Kriple was the responsible person for Royal…
Of all the daft, desperate arguments offered by the racing industry in defense of their massive, tax-payer-funded subsidization, nothing quite matches the “preservation of open spaces.” I recently found this from the “Pennsylvania Horse Racing Association”: “Pennsylvania is home to…
Horseracing’s finest (all emphases mine): Northfield Park, Aug 9: “Russell Thomas falsified his 2025 license application by failing to list his prior arrest record. Mr. Thomas waived his right to a hearing and is hereby fined $500.” But: “The penalty…
According to a new lawsuit brought by racehorse owners Bill and Roberta Fekkes, this happened to Heart On the Run at Grants Pass on Sep 3, 2023: “As Hearts [sic] broke from her stall when the bell rang and the…
From the this-should-make-you-sick department: As I previously relayed, the weather in the Saratoga region Wednesday was oppressive – temps 90 degrees and up. That, of course, didn’t stop the exploiters – or oppressors, if you like – as all nine…
Some recent rulings from harness world… Among the many violations for “excessive or indiscriminate use of the whip,” were these: Barry County Fair (Michigan), Jul 12: “While driving Super Girl Power, Mr. David Lake caused visible injury to the stifle…
In Jul 2022, I wrote the following on trainer Juan C. Vazquez: Back in Nov [2021], I reported on the death of Ekhtibaar: “found DOA [inside] van at Belmont…cause of death unknown.” Ekhtibaar was being shipped from Parx. His trainer:…
