JC / Railbird

Misdeeds & Wrongdoing Archive

On Bellyaching

I’ve been accused of late, in emails and comments, of not being properly enthusiastic about Big Brown, so let me give the horse his due: Big Brown is a phenomenal talent, a freak, and he would be coming out of any barn. He’s dominated every start, he’s shown that he can rate or lead, that he can break from the inside or the outside. He accelerates effortlessly, and he displays qualities exhibited by past great racehorses — he makes every race look like his own and every horse he beats look second-rate.

I hope he wins the Triple Crown. It’s been 30 years; racing fans deserve a superstar.

Apparently, that’s all I’m supposed to say. Anything else is “bellyaching.”

You know, over the past two weeks, we’ve heard endlessly that racing is in crisis, that racing must change, that the sport has to deal with its drug problem and breed more durable horses.

Last Saturday, both ESPN and NBC dedicated panels to discussing these and other issues and everyone involved earnestly agreed to the necessity of reform.

Not 10 minutes after the NBC segment wrapped, Bob Costas was announcing a stud deal for lightly-raced Big Brown.

A few minutes later, NTRA president Alex Waldrop appeared and, among other things, promised that racing would be steroids free by 2009, without even giving a nod to the fact that the Preakness favorite — and more than likely, half the field — was on steroids as a matter of course.

And yet all that, as well as trainer Rick Dutrow’s lengthy record and questionable character, should be put aside.

Well, I’m not interested in doing that. Big Brown, on the verge of a historic achievement, embodies racing’s rot. I watch his races and feel the transcendence that great horses offer — I really meant it when I said he’s phenomenal — but then the disenchantment comes on.

To stop talking now about Dutrow’s career and methods, or IEAH’s rush to stud and its business plan and what it all means, is to give the racing establishment a pass on the problems corroding our game.

Racing is compromised, its future success threatened, and to refuse to grapple with the contradictions and questions that surround Big Brown is to willingly put on blinkers.

But I guess desperately wanting to celebrate a Triple Crown winner nullifies any claims integrity or intellectual honesty make on our consciences. As David Brooks wrote of the unsavory Melmotte, “Dishonesty becomes acceptable so long as it contributes to success.”

Posted in Misdeeds & Wrongdoing, Triple Crown on May 21, 2008

Biancone Suspended

The Kentucky Horse Racing Authority has slapped trainer Patrick Biancone with a one year suspension for possession of three vials of cobra venom (DRF). Scheduled to start on October 15, the suspension won’t impede Biancone’s saddling of likely favorite Irish Smoke in today’s Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland, where Biancone was leading trainer last spring. And according to attorney Frank Becker, Biancone plans to appeal the suspension, which means horses could be running under his name in the Breeders’ Cup. Well, that’ll look terrific on World Championship Day.
Biancone was issued additional suspensions, which KHRA will allow him to serve concurrently, for possessing other illegal substances, not properly labeling medications, and not reporting that his veterinarian, Dr. Rod Stewart, possessed cobra venom. (Stewart was given a five year suspension for that violation in September.) Among the other illegal substances and improperly labeled medications mentioned in the full KHRA ruling (PDF) were sodium bicarbonate and one “injectable bottle of unknown brown honey-colored liquid marked ‘For Mythical Echo Only’ …”
When Biancone does start his suspension, he won’t be able to transfer horses to an assistant trainer or a relative for training or derive any income from his barn, as often happens in these cases, in accordance with Kentucky’s tough new medication rules (KHRA).
Update 10/11/07: Biancone has been granted a stay of suspension until his appeal can be heard (ESPN).

Posted in Misdeeds & Wrongdoing, Trainers/Training on October 5, 2007

This Is Maddening

Reports the Herald-Leader:

KHRA officials searched Biancone’s Keeneland barns in June; DRF reported cobra venom was found during the search. The Form also reported on August 9 that a hearing into the matter had been scheduled, although that no longer seems to be the case. Meanwhile, Biancone continues to run horses, the alleged allegations against him neither cleared nor confirmed. As Ray Paulick wrote of the situation a month ago: “Talk about a laughingstock.”
8/30 Addendum: KHRA hands Biancone a 15-day suspension after one of his horses tests positive for caffeine and theophylline; the investigation into the matter mentioned above is ongoing (Blood-Horse).

Posted in Misdeeds & Wrongdoing on August 28, 2007

Biancone Hearing Set

For sometime, somewhere: “A hearing has been scheduled in regard to a search of the Keeneland barns of trainer Patrick Biancone, Kentucky state steward John Veitch said Thursday, although Veitch said he was not at liberty to name the time or location of the hearing” (DRF). Details are being withheld until after the hearing’s conclusion, per KHRA director Lisa Underwood’s reading of Kentucky regulations.

Posted in Misdeeds & Wrongdoing on August 11, 2007