New York trainer Greg Martin, owner Gerald Uvari, and 15 others were indicted Thursday on charges of fraud and conspiracy as part of a $200 million gambling ring. Martin and two others allegedly fixed a December 18, 2003 race at Aqueduct by dosing a horse named A One Rocket with a performance-enhancing substance just before running. The horse won by 10 lengths. “Cops say the bet-on-a-sure-thing gang also doped horses and tried to fix races at Belmont and other tracks nationwide, with most of the horses finishing in the money…. The Big A scam was part of a much bigger scheme in which 17 people, including three reputed Gambino associates, brokered millions in illegal sports and racing wagers, prosecutors said.” (New York Daily News)
More: “Greg Martin indicted” (Daily Racing Form), and “Attempt to fix race at Aqueduct alleged in sports gambling crackdown” (Blood-Horse)
Posted by JC in Misdeeds & Wrongdoing on 01/14/2005 @ 10:40 am / Follow @railbird on Twitter
– “After several drug-related suspensions, jockey Pat Valenzuela is set to resume riding,” writes Gary West, “and horse racing is set to resume its role as an enabler.” (ST)
– Racing fans will be treated to double stakes action in New York on Saturday, when the Count Fleet Stakes (rescheduled from last week) and the Affectionately Handicap are run. (NYDN)
– Kentucky racing officials reviewed a draft proposal on Thursday that would regulate logos and ads worn by jockeys during races in the state. (LHL)
– Send links, comments to railbird at jessicachapel dot com
Posted by JC in Miscellany on 01/14/2005 @ 10:35 am / Follow @railbird on Twitter
Call Me Mr. Vain was the winningest horse in North America in 2003 with 11 wins; he spent most of 2004 in his stall, recovering from a tendon injury. His owner/trainer called me this afternoon to let me know that Mr. Vain was running in the third at Charles Town tonight and that he was going to “run big.” I was skeptical — it’s a rare trainer who doesn’t think his horse will win every time it goes out — but a look at the third race, which was one of those messy cheap claiming affairs in which a lot of horses don’t make much sense, showed that Mr. Vain was easily one of the contenders, and so my racing companion and I ventured out to East Boston, arriving in time for the second race at Charles Town.
[Read more →]
Posted by JC in Suffolk Downs on 01/13/2005 @ 11:00 pm / Follow @railbird on Twitter
