...he and Pletcher both in my opinion.

by storm. Very attractive wife (that he quickly dumped for a hottie) and a very nice family. But my mentor who was in his early 90's and had been racing horses here since the track opened in 1934 took an immediate suspicion and dislike for him. Called him a cheat and poor trainer, but knew that all the deep pocket owners would give him the best stock.
For a while I thought there might just be professional jealousy of an old man at the end of his time, but as the years have gone by, I suspect the old man knew something back then, because it's turned out just like he said.

...about Baffert when he came out east for the BC at Belmont Park. Then I met him a couple of years ago at Santa Anita. Very charismatic and personable. Still, that story my friend told me kinda took the shine off of Baffert for me. It's funny to me how he had all those good horses winning all those TC races and none of them ever was a success at the stud.

...like Baffert and Lukas and Pletcher. They suck up all the good stock and win all the big races. The little guys can't make it anymore. I think about all the 2yos Baffert gets and just basically ruins trying to get to the Derby. For me. this game should be about the horses. It should be about getting the most from a horse no matter what their class, be it claimer, allowance or stakes horse. Breed to race not race to breed. I'm losing my love for the game. I'd love to hear your opinions.

Governing body's like CHRB are no more than "Sargent At Arms" for deep pocket owners and corporate entities like the
Stronich Group.
I was impressed w/ your correct observation about often drugged " champions" not being able to produce many winners.
there is a direct connection between the two, but it doesn't stop glory seeking people w/ some money to blow individually or in partnership groups from being steered to these mediocre animals by some trainer or flesh peddlers.

IMO, the urgency to get two year olds into training combined with the sophisticated performance enhancing drugs is the bane of the sport. 100 million dollar collective purses available to 3 year olds completely gives way to common sense and winds up breaking the spirit of the sport. We probably won't see another Cigar winning stakes at seven years old.

My late friend Bobby Frankel once said to me that " there was too much money on the table for the game too survive, because it left the 2 dollar bettor out of the fun."

I have been involved in the game since 1990 in various iterations and there was no trainer finer than Bobby. Who did you work for back in the day if I may ask?

I liked him a lot. It was like he was countering the old blue-bloods in the sport. Then as they years went by he became more and more arrogant and disrespectful.

Now in the last 10 years or so he's had an unusual number of positive tests, even in high level stakes races. Always an excuse, "it wsa contaminate feed, my assistant had a lidocaine patch on his back, etc., etc."

HE is responsible for everything that happens in his barn He's been at this for decades, he should know better by now. But they coddle him in California, and he acts like he can get away with it everywhere else, too.

...the CHRB should have to answer some questions on why they continue to protect him.

You'd think Baffert would be doing more to cover up his crimes but I guess its difficult when the blood that is on the hands will not come off!

This man sickens me so!

Really some eye opening info there. So disgusting that the horses have to pay the price for the greed of these bastards.

I wonder if the many recent deaths at Santa Anita are related to the drugs etc mentioned in the articles. I'd love to know the results of the necropsies on those horses.

...and are not released to the public. They should be.

I will post any reports I see on the issue here going forward.

For the first ten years of my life we lived a rocks throw from Hollywood Park, and my grandpa loved to play the ponies. So I spent some time there with him. Nothing more beautiful than to watch the thoroughbreds run. But over the years when I understood what the horses are put through, I watched it less and less. I do believe there are good owners/trainers etc, but more and more too much bad stuff due to greed. I never watch the 'big' races in real time anymore, I wait until I know that there were no casualties and catch then on replay. And I do hate to see Baffert's grinning mug when he has a winner. (And that was before I had read your links!)

Baffert needs to be thrown to the curb and banned from horse racing!

NOW!