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

[Kasept]

Lenny Shulman approproiately excoriates the ongoing attempt by KHRC's Lisa Underwood to turn the Life at Ten affair into an opportunity to destroy widely respected John Veitch. It's a grotesque abuse of position by Underwood to continue the persecution of Veitch. Enough already.

[Kasept]

Scapegoat (Full column at B-H)
By Lenny Shulman

As thousands of visitors from around the continent and the world descend on Kentucky for Keeneland’s September yearling sale and October race meeting and the November Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs, they may smell the odor of scapegoat emanating from the office of chief racing steward John Veitch.

After a nearly one-year investigation the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has concluded that Veitch and jockey John Velazquez acted inappropriately during last year’s Life At Ten Breeders’ Cup fiasco—charging Veitch with five violations of state regulations.

Velazquez accepted a $10,000 fine after admitting that mistakes were made—but not necessarily by him. Inconveniently for the commission, Veitch has denied wrongdoing, and state law gives stewards broad latitude in decision-making.

[MaTH716]

There were 11 KHRC and Breeders’ Cup vets on the racetrack, in addition to several on-call vets on the grounds. According to testimony given in the KHRC investigation, at least seven of them knew, before the race, about the Velazquez interview, or of a “rumor” that there were concerns about a horse. None took any action regarding the filly. After observing her on the track, none thought she was unfit to race.

So the vets decide to bury their heads in the sand (not that they would have found anything wrong with her) and Veitch continues to take crap from it.

At this point does anyone really care? I'll start caring when the disscussion begins about refunding all the money she burned that day. Otherwise they should just move on. It was a black eye on the sport and the probably lost some bettors over it. Finding a scapegoat now isn't going to bring those lost bettors back. Let's just move on.

[Cannon Shell]

Always nice to work for people who have your best interests at heart. This is what happens when a political operative is named head of the racing commission and is given a to do list by the same people who blame lasix for all evil in the world.

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by MaTH716

t this point does anyone really care? I'll start caring when the disscussion begins about refunding all the money she burned that day. Otherwise they should just move on. It was a black eye on the sport and the probably lost some bettors over it. Finding a scapegoat now isn't going to bring those lost bettors back. Let's just move on.

Yep, thankfully she was OK so the bettors are the ones who paid the price. As usual.

[analyizethis]

Scape goating aside, what procedures are now in place that would ensure that this type of theft of the bettors/customers money doesn't happen again?

Does Kentucky have different steps than other jurisdictions, have changes been implemented or do the ruler makers feel that the in place procedures are adequate but were just not adhered to?

The fact is that when the gate opened the filly was never given an opportunity to compete in the race and no one knows why. When was the decision made by the jock not to engage the field; prior to the start of the race or based on the filly's reaction to encouragement after the race began?

Take a look for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOTo5KGjMUo

[MaTH716]

Originally Posted by analyizethis

Scape goating aside, what procedures are now in place that would ensure that this type of theft of the bettors/customers money doesn't happen again?
Does Kentucky have different steps than other jurisdictions, have changes been implemented or do the ruler makers feel that the in place procedures are adequate but were just not adhered to?

The fact is that when the gate opened the filly was never given an opportunity to compete in the race and no one knows why. When was the decision made by the jock not to engage the field; prior to the start of the race or based on the filly's reaction to encouragement after the race began?

Take a look for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOTo5KGjMUo

Nothing, because jocks don't give interviews 99.9% before races.

I would think that this happens a lot more than you think, but like I said the jockey isn't telling a national audience before a 25k claiming race that his mount is not warming up well.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by analyizethis

Scape goating aside, what procedures are now in place that would ensure that this type of theft of the bettors/customers money doesn't happen again?

Does Kentucky have different steps than other jurisdictions, have changes been implemented or do the ruler makers feel that the in place procedures are adequate but were just not adhered to?

The fact is that when the gate opened the filly was never given an opportunity to compete in the race and no one knows why. When was the decision made by the jock not to engage the field; prior to the start of the race or based on the filly's reaction to encouragement after the race began?

Take a look for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOTo5KGjMUo

I just don't know what can be done? Any suggestions?

[trackrat59]

Anyone have any thoughts? I was surprised to see this.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...no-cause-given

[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?

[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.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

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.

it just seemed to me from comments pletcher made that she wasn't herself and he knew it..
i guess my main beef is that they went after veitch, when pletcher,imo, knew more about the situation. did they assume veitch was watching tv and saw the interview??

and yes, no doubt there'd have been an uproar had they scratched her. look at the trainer, jock, etc when they scratched that euro horse this year-and she had a physical injury.


but i guess captain hindsight strikes again, this time in kentucky.

[Merlinsky]

Listening to ATR today, I couldn't help but go "preach it, brother Steve!" Love it when he gets riled up about injustice. Some people need to be torn a new one.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Danzig

it just seemed to me from comments pletcher made that she wasn't herself and he knew it..
i guess my main beef is that they went after veitch, when pletcher,imo, knew more about the situation. did they assume veitch was watching tv and saw the interview??

and yes, no doubt there'd have been an uproar had they scratched her. look at the trainer, jock, etc when they scratched that euro horse this year-and she had a physical injury.


but i guess captain hindsight strikes again, this time in kentucky.

They went after Veitch because they wanted to scapegoat him to get rid of him. There is nothing to really go after Pletcher about.

[OldDog]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

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.

Good people seldom are. They're too busy doing their job.

[Riot]

Former Kentucky chief state racing steward John Veitch failed in his duties in his handling of Life At Ten at the 2010 Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs, according to a hearing officer's 31-page report released Wednesday.

Hearing officer Robert Layton agreed with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission's vote that Veitch violated state rules in five instances.

Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2011/12/14/1...#ixzz1gXqpVC9m

[Alan07]

So Vietch is the one that get reprimanded for it - while the others get away scoot free?

[cmorioles]

Originally Posted by Alan07

So Vietch is the one that get reprimanded for it - while the others get away scoot free?

The boss usually takes the hit.

[Bigsmc]

Originally Posted by cmorioles

The boss usually takes the hit.

Not where I work, the **** rolls downhill and the bosses are teflon.

[cmorioles]

Originally Posted by Bigsmc

Not where I work, the **** rolls downhill and the bosses are teflon.

Military guy here, and while it did indeed roll downhill, it hit those at the top hardest.