Doug O'Neill

[Danzig]

yeah, poor doug o'neill.....people just trying to tear him down for no reason.


"O'Neill's week, on the other hand, was mostly uneventful until stories of his run-ins with racing officials on the milkshaking charges - his third in California and fourth in a career that has spanned 25 years - began making the rounds. O'Neill isn't the first trainer in the Triple Crown chase to have to answer questions about possible performance-enhancing - both Rick Dutrow, who won the 2008 Derby and Preakness and Jeff Mullins, who trained the 2009 morning-line favorite, got asked plenty of those - and he won't be the last. He understands scrutiny is part of the bargain.

Asked whether winning the Derby was validation for his career, which began taking off in 2005 yet remained confined largely to the West Coast, O'Neill answered evenly: ''I've never thought of it that way.''

''All those guys - the Bafferts, the (Nick) Zitos and (D. Wayne) Lukas - they've all battled their negative press days. You win the big one and people kind of want to go after you,'' he said. ''It has validated, to our team, that if we get a top 2-year-old we can turn him into a Derby winner. Hopefully it's the first of a few.''


shut up meg.