KHRC scapegoating of John Veitch (Multiple thread merge; Update)

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Danzig

so the sacrificial lamb has finally been 'slaughtered'. i have yet to understand why the responsibility wasn't on the trainer in this situation in addition the jock-who paid a fine.


'Sent off at odds of 7-2, Life at Ten, owned by Candy DeBartolo, was discovered to be lethargic in the saddling area and again on a the racetrack warming up. That observation was relayed to ESPN on live television by jockey John Velazquez, who never persevered with the filly once the gates opened.'


since when is a trainer not responsible for his horse?

What can the trainer do? I have never seen a horse scratched for being lethargic in the paddock, ever. Once she went to the track the trainer can't really do anything. I'm not quite sure what the Stewrds were supposed to do either because according to all reports there were no lameness issues and there is very little chance that the vets suggest a scratch for a horse that is sound behind the gate. Obviously we have the luxury of knowing how it turns out but imagine the uproar from people had they scratched a horse who was one of the choices in a 3 million dollar race who nothing was found wrong with afterwards? I dont know the pick3 or pick 4 rules in KY but the post time fav lost the race so there would have been a lot of handwringing over tht especially when the next day Pletcher announced that she was fine.

Veitch simply wasn't politically skilled enough to survive in the KHRA run by political operatives who are tasked with a mission by the ivory tower crowd. Supposedly the biggest beef is he wouldnt bury the hatchet in Bernie Flint who had a positive test at Ellis Park because there was some mitigating evidence that the positive wasnt valid. Underwood wanted Veitch to drop the hammer on Flint anyway and Veitch wouldnt do it.