Racing Media

[phystech]

I am amazed at what a kotex-sucking bunch the racing media is when it comes to calling out trainers like Jamie Ness.

Can't say anything because they might miss a chance to get a butt-snorkling interview for their paper column or radio show.

Unlike normal journalists who sniff out stories and beat the bushes to arrive at the truth, racing scribes cower at the thought of investigative journalism.... Why? Because they may not cash a bet? Or, because they might not get that elusive interview?

Bernstein and Woodward, who risked it all - they don't compare to racing scribes whose johnsons shrink at the thought of doing their job - just call the racing guys stumpy.

Whatsnottolike got an 81 Beyer for her effort Fri night. Previous best before Ness was a 58.

As a bettor, is that acceptable? As a horse owner, is that acceptable? As a trainer, is that acceptable? As a media person, is that explainable without questions? No journalist to date has the cojones to do an investigative report on it, though......just accept it, you bunch of pigs.

For one out of 4 questions mentioned, it's apparently acceptable for the media, especially if it enhances your paycheck.

I can't think of another sector of journalism that would let this crap fly. The racing media does, and embraces it..... especially if they got down for a score.

[Calzone Lord]

http://www.drf.com/news/beyer-tampa-...-its-ascension


http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...=2011307219865

[phystech]

OK, so you've got some nuts. Kudos to you. I love guys like you!! But where's the blood and guts of the real story? Where's the expose'? It doesn't stop with Ness simply saying, " Oh geez, I made a mistake..." That's not ok.

And where's the rest of these print, internet, tv/radio blow-hards? Oh yeah, cashing a Pick-4 ticket......and doing handicapping seminars at Pimlico prior to the Preakness.

In every historical event worth mentioning, the public benefits from the media doing investigative reporting. That term seems to be the anti-thesis of the racing media, though.......

Haskin, Crist, Sheinman, Magee, Byk, Beyer - just give us the us the fluff, right? And cash that paycheck.

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by phystech

Unlike normal journalists who sniff out stories and beat the bushes to arrive at the truth, racing scribes cower at the thought of investigative journalism.... Why? Because they may not cash a bet? Or, because they might not get that elusive interview?

Bernstein and Woodward, who risked it all - they don't compare to racing scribes whose johnsons shrink at the thought of doing their job

In what world are journalists of any kind still like that? Journalism in general is devoid of the Woodwards and Bernsteins, not just racing journalism. The scarcity of Watergate journalism in America is staggering.

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by phystech

And where's the rest of these print, internet, tv/radio blow-hards? Oh yeah, cashing a Pick-4 ticket......

I think you're overestimating a lot of these guys as handicappers and bettors.

The list of suspicous trainers out there goes well beyond Jamie Ness. I wrote a very rough and tumble column about Stephanie Beattie when she gave me the chance because she had a bunch of overages here.

General newspaper coverage of horse racing simply isn't very good anymore. I'm only being paid to also write occasional columns here because the general sports guys want no part of attempting to cover horse racing... even though a few of the writers do show up at the track quite a bit. Guys like Beyer, Crist, and Moss did great work covering horse racing for newspapers in the 80's.

As for the guys who write for the Daily Racing Form -- they take themselves very seriously. Other than Jay Hovdey anyway, but he does absolute clown work most of the time and wastes his writing ability.

It's not 1905 anymore, the DRF writers aren't going to pin their ears back and take people on and call people out anymore. They are a friendly and very kind bunch.

Bloodhorse and Thoroughbred Times every bit the same.

[phystech]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

In what world are journalists of any kind still like that? Journalism in general is devoid of the Woodwards and Bernsteins, not just racing journalism. The scarcity of Watergate journalism in America is staggering.

Don't detract from the issue at hand. You and I, as racing enthusiasts, deserve better. We need someone to look out for our interests. I expect more - do you?

[phystech]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

I think you're overestimating a lot of these guys as handicappers and bettors.

The list of suspicous trainers out there goes well beyond Jamie Ness. I wrote a very rough and tumble column about Stephanie Beattie when she gave me the chance because she had a bunch of overages here.

General newspaper coverage of horse racing simply isn't very good anymore. I'm only being paid to also write occasional columns here because the general sports guys want no part of attempting to cover horse racing... even though a few of the writers do show up at the track quite a bit. Guys like Beyer, Crist, and Moss did great work covering horse racing for newspapers in the 80's.

As for the guys who write for the Daily Racing Form -- they take themselves very seriously. Other than Jay Hovdey anyway, but he does absolute clown work most of the time and wastes his writing ability.

It's not 1905 anymore, the DRF writers aren't going to pin their ears back and take people on and call people out anymore. They are a friendly and very kind bunch.

Bloodhorse and Thoroughbred Times every bit the same.

So, who does the $hit work and holds these guys accountable? Obviously, I'm on a rampage two days after the fact but what ear do I have? Maybe 102 people might read what I write, 57 of which will simply dismiss me as a whiner, while the another 30 will worship Ness and accept what he does while getting beat 70% of the time on their 2/5 tickets.

Who does the $hit work? The media used to dig stuff like this, but not this current bunch of cowards we have in the racing media.....

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by phystech

Who does the $hit work? The media used to dig stuff like this, but not this current bunch of cowards we have in the racing media.....

Believe it or not -- the DRF of the 1970's and 1980's was like Blood-Horse ICE.

Blaming the media for a Jamie Ness isn't the most logical thing. Ness was a sports writer himself and worked in the press box at Canterbury. He doesn't care what anyone writes about him.

You can make jokes in front of other people with him listening about the Jamie Ness move where horses re-break, he'll laugh about it. You can go up to a TV screen he's watching and yell "kick in with the juice! kick in with the Ness JUICE!" as his horse is closing to win a race. He'll smile or act like he doesn't hear it.

The stewards, track managment, and racing officals are where the blame should start. Look at when Ness ran the wrong horse here, a KY bred in a PA Bred race no less, not only did they not suspend him... but the fine was only like $500.

[phystech]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

Believe it or not -- the DRF of the 1970's and 1980's was like Blood-Horse ICE.

Blaming the media for a Jamie Ness isn't the most logical thing. Ness was a sports writer himself and worked in the press box at Canterbury. He doesn't care what anyone writes about him.

You can make jokes in front of other people with him listening about the Jamie Ness move where horses re-break, he'll laugh about it. You can go up to a TV screen he's watching and yell "kick in with the juice! kick in with the Ness JUICE!" as his horse is closing to win a race. He'll smile or act like he doesn't hear it.

The stewards, track managment, and racing officals are where the blame should start. Look at when Ness ran the wrong horse here, a KY bred in a PA Bred race no less, not only did they not suspend him... but the fine was only like $500.

Completely agree - ultimately it's the racetrack management that should be held accountable. But how do I do that? Reality, I can't. Used to be that the press could hold them accountable.......and I never claimed to be logical.... 8-)

It fries my ass to see a racing secretary give 50, 60, 70 and more stalls to guys like Ness. The claim is - "...they fill races...". Couldn't be more short-sighted and untrue. Ness/ Midwest bring nothing to the table but other owner's horses they have claimed. Instead of 7 different owners running their horses in a $10k claimer at Laurel, Ness will have 2 entered, and then claim another one out of the race. Next time the race goes with 1 less horse, Ness has 2 more entered, and claims another one. Next time the race doesn't go with 5 entered and management doesn't understand why. It's because Ness has half the horses, stupid - but give him 10 more stalls.... Ness/Midwest kills races, just like Gill did back in the day. The middle claiming races all but disappeared years ago in MD. Why? Because Gill claimed all the horses at the level and then moved 'em out of town when races didn't go. It's like deja vu' all over again..... Give him 10 more stalls.

Why does the racing media not stand up and make this an issue? Oh yeah - there's a Pick 6 carry-over at Hollywood.....gotta get down....

[Calzone Lord]

In New York, they tried to go very hard after Rick Dutrow Jr. They found a way to snipe Juan Carlos Guerrero at Parx. They ran Gill out of town.

Those three are realtive choir boys compared to someone like a Scooter Davis who has stayed at minor leauge slots tracks despite a lundry list of major violations, major move-ups, and repeated 29th chances to stay out of trouble.

Write a letter to the stewards and other racing officals...or just give in and use those guys as trainers.

[Dahoss]

So the media is to blame for Ness moving up a horse you used to own?

Laughable....

[phystech]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

So the media is to blame for Ness moving up a horse you used to own?

Laughable....

Clown answer, bro.....you can do better.

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by Cardus

This reminds me of sitting in the Equestris Restaurant at Aqueduct a few years ago and hearing a table yell in unison, "JUICE, JUICE, JUICE" to root home a Scott Lake-trained horse running at Laurel. (They cheered as the horses crossed the wire, so it wasn't hard to figure out that they had the winner.)

That probably would have confused the waitresses in the clubhouse here.

[Duvalier]

Originally Posted by phystech

Completely agree - ultimately it's the racetrack management that should be held accountable. But how do I do that? Reality, I can't. Used to be that the press could hold them accountable.......and I never claimed to be logical.... 8-)

It fries my ass to see Georgeanne Hale give 50, 60, 70 and more stalls to guys like Ness. The claim is - "...they fill races...". Couldn't be more short-sighted and untrue. Ness/ Midwest bring nothing to the table but other owner's horses they have claimed. Instead of 7 different owners running their horses in a $10k claimer at Laurel, Ness will have 2 entered, and then claim another one out of the race. Next time the race goes with 1 less horse, Ness has 2 more entered, and claims another one. Next time the race doesn't go with 5 entered and management doesn't understand why. It's because Ness has half the horses, stupid - but give him 10 more stalls.... Ness/Midwest kills races, just like Gill did back in the day. The middle claiming races all but disappeared years ago in MD. Why? Because Gill claimed all the horses at the level and then moved 'em out of town when races didn't go. It's like deja vu' all over again..... Give him 10 more stalls.

Why does the racing media not stand up and make this an issue? Oh yeah - there's a Pick 6 carry-over at Hollywood.....gotta get down....

Why didn't you just claim the horse back?

[Dahoss]

Originally Posted by phystech

Clown answer, bro.....you can do better.

Arguably the biggest name in horse racing media (Beyer, not DrugS ) writes an article talking about everything you mention here, and you're going on (day two) about a horse getting claimed from you.

Who's the clown, bro?

No one likes what Ness does. You're preaching to the choir here. The media isn't going to change this IMO. It's up to the tracks. And when Ness is gone, another five are going to pop up in his place.

If you are looking towards the media to help clean up the game, you're wasting your time.

[Calzone Lord]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

Arguably the biggest name in horse racing media (Beyer, not DrugS )

In terms of name recognition, I'm in about a dead heat with that Ellen Parker lady that voted for Drosselmeyer as champion turf horse.

[phystech]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

Arguably the biggest name in horse racing media (Beyer, not DrugS ) writes an article talking about everything you mention here, and you're going on (day two) about a horse getting claimed from you.

Who's the clown, bro?

No one likes what Ness does. You're preaching to the choir here. The media isn't going to change this IMO. It's up to the tracks. And when Ness is gone, another five are going to pop up in his place.

If you are looking towards the media to help clean up the game, you're wasting your time.

Try again - happy to have the horse claimed from me. I'm a claiming owner and can't think of one in 15 years I wish didn't get claimed, including this one. That isn't the issue. I made my money and the profit check cashed nicely from the private purchase. Ever done that?

Filly got an 81 Beyer Fri night off a previous non-Ness best of 58 at Parx. Check the split times for her race - she never slowed down under a hand ride. Freak performance for a horse I owned, know, touched, saw radiographs of, etc. Simply wasn't a better horsemen's training effort, better placement, better jock - as an owner and bettor, what happened isn't acceptable or explainable.

But I respect your suggestion that the racing media won't do anything. I completely agree..... guess that's the saddest part of all and the point of my rant.

[cmorioles]

Originally Posted by phystech

But I respect your suggestion that the racing media won't do anything. I completely agree..... guess that's the saddest part of all and the point of my rant.

I think the point here is the racing media can't do anything. Sure, they can write the articles, but it doesn't do any good. They have all been written many times. Just insert the latest super trainer name. One misinformed article in the NYT was given more press than any 100 articles in the DRF, Bloodhorse, and Thoroughbred Times combined.

I understand the frustration. We all have it. But you are barking up the wrong tree. The people that can do something don't care.

[Calzone Lord]

Getting off the Ness subject...

here is a cut from an old DRF column that shows the amusing gossip and entertaining stories they would routinely write.

This is from a piece about horses who were expensive purchases and flopped. $20,000 in the 1890's is close to about $500,000 today adjusted for inflation. James R. Keene was one of the most powerful men on Wall Street, he owned several Hall of Fame horses, owned the winner of six different Belmont Stakes, and died worth a staggering $15 million in 1913.

Here is an amusing story about how an illiterate, black, 2nd string trainer of his got him to pay $20,000 for a horse he owned after he scared him into thinking he would beat "The Black Whirlwind" Domino. Domino was a Hall of Famer who racked up $193,550 in earnings in the 1890's.

[Scav]

1) I think its a slippery slope when you believe Penn National numbers, its like believing Lone Star #s

2) like Cm said, the people that we need to care dont, and horseman are trying, look at that match race last night at Penn, think that was coincidence