The Michael Gill/Penn National Riders Saga

[ARyan]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

He had a thousand starts at Penn National last year alone.

Whenever you claim the types he does - very cheap horses with speed and often more proven ability than the level he claims them from .. you're going to get a whole lot of cripples.

And with the purses the way they are at Penn .. it's that much harder to kid gloves a cripple.

I guess he could always look to claim slower and sounder horses ... and win a whole lot fewer races and lose a tremendous pile of more money.

Or he could instruct his trainers to handle his army of many cripples like they're Ghostzapper .. and nurse them through four races a year campaigns .. while the fewer starts result in him losing more money and getting a lot less action.

I am sure this type of thinking will comfort the jock in the hospital when one of Gill's horses breaksdown and takes his mount down too.

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by ARyan

I am sure this type of thinking will comfort the jock in the hospital when one of Gill's horses breaksdown and takes his mount down too.

Well said.

[Scav]

Originally Posted by ARyan

I am sure this type of thinking will comfort the jock in the hospital when one of Gill's horses breaksdown and takes his mount down too.

You don't think the jocks know what is going on? They wouldn't have done what they did if they didn't know.

Never have I heard of jocks coming together, staying together, to NOT RIDE for a specific owner.

Hell, the jocks were united for about 32 minutes at Arlington when the whole surface issue came about, and the beat played on..

[The Indomitable DrugS]

If they don't want to ride his horses ... all they have to do is tell their agent that.

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

If they don't want to ride his horses ... all they have to do is tell their agent that.

Unless it's Vic.

[richard]

What about health insurance for jockeys ? Do insurance premiums go up if they ride for high risk owners ?

[GBBob]

Originally Posted by richard

What about health insurance for jockeys ? Do insurance premiums go up if they ride for high risk owners ?

There is no such classification as a high risk owner

[Duvalier]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

If they don't want to ride his horses ... all they have to do is tell their agent that.

They don't want to ride in any race which has a Gill horse running in it. Doesn't matter if they are riding that horse or not...they are afraid of being behind a horse of his that breaks down and becoming part of it.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by Duvalier

They don't want to ride in any race which has a Gill horse running in it. Doesn't matter if they are riding that horse or not...they are afraid of being behind a horse of his that breaks down and becoming part of it.

They know how hated Gill is by other horseman they ride for.

It's calculated handwringing.

[the_fat_man]

Sounds like the track vets, that are passing all of these horses, are doing a bang up job.

Maybe if they step it up a bit, this would be a NON issue.

[Duvalier]

Originally Posted by the_fat_man

Sounds like the track vets, that are passing all of these horses, are doing a bang up job.

Maybe if they step it up a bit, this would be a NON issue.

What exactly are they supposed to see if a trainer or vet block a horse prior to prerace inspection?

[philcski]

Originally Posted by the_fat_man

Sounds like the track vets, that are passing all of these horses, are doing a bang up job.

Maybe if they step it up a bit, this would be a NON issue.

Agree with this, but part of the problem is he has a private farm and ships them in- and somehow he's skirting part of the prerace vet rules because of it. Don't know the laws on how that works in PA but that seems to be the rumor.

[Thoroughbred Fan]

This thread is a bunch of misguided animal lovers not understanding two very fundamental things about horse racing.

1. The sport is all about money. Period. If there wasn't money to be won, hardly anyone would want to race horses. Only the already rich would be involved at all.

2. This is not a hobby. This is a business when you own the horses. Period. At the end of the month the owner can't tell the trainer, vet, dentist, etc that I shouldn't pay this month because I am a great person who didn't start my horse who has a slightly sore ankle. It doesn't work well, I've tried.

Gill is not the greatest person in the world, but he is running his stable like a business and if animal lovers don't like it, then don't support horse racing until they change all the rules to suit you. Period.

I've owned horses. It is a tough business in every aspect. Posting a bunch of crap about a guy or his practices (the same practices as many other but on a larger scale) is much easier.

[Riot]

Originally Posted by the_fat_man

Sounds like the track vets, that are passing all of these horses, are doing a bang up job.

Maybe if they step it up a bit, this would be a NON issue.

If a horse is (successfully) given something (like cobra venom injection on the farm before the horse ships in to race) to hide a lameness, the lameness is hidden.

How do you think the vet is supposed to identify that?

I believe the article said they were looking into 'some' vets (probably those that vet Gill's horses). Not the track vets.

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Thoroughbred Fan
This thread is a bunch of misguided animal lovers not understanding two very fundamental things about horse racing.

1. The sport is all about money. Period. If there wasn't money to be won, hardly anyone would want to race horses. Only the already rich would be involved at all.

2. This is not a hobby. This is a business when you own the horses. Period. At the end of the month the owner can't tell the trainer, vet, dentist, etc that I shouldn't pay this month because I am a great person who didn't start my horse who has a slightly sore ankle. It doesn't work well, I've tried.

1. If you are not rich enough as an owner to race horses and not abuse them in an attempt to earn money, you don't need to be in the business.

2. If you think money trumps the lives of horses, you don't need to be in the business.

3. If you want to consciously abuse animals in the name of business, by racing them when they should not be raced, just to make money, you need to not be in the sport.

4. If "It doesn't work well, I've tried" is your excuse, that other people force you to abuse your own animals to make money to pay your bills, then you need not only to not be in the sport, you need a spine transplant.

5. If the above post defining "two fundamental things" is truely how you think of horses and horse racing, you need to not be in the sport.

[richard]

What owner would want one of theirs in a race with a Gill ?

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

They know how hated Gill is by other horseman they ride for.

It's calculated handwringing.

Actually its genuine fear.. A lot of kids are getting hurt

[ARyan]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

If they don't want to ride his horses ... all they have to do is tell their agent that.

I'm not talking about jocks that ride for Gill, I am talking about all the other jocks and horses in a race with Gill.

The guy/gal taking the call on the Gill horse knows the risk, win at 20% or get put in the dirt 12%.

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by ARyan

The guy/gal taking the call on the Gill horse knows the risk, win at 20% or get put in the dirt 12%.

12%?

So 120 times a jockey has hit the dirt on a Gill horse at Penn National over the last year?

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

12%?

So 120 times a jockey has hit the dirt on a Gill horse at Penn National over the last year?

DrugS, you're watching more races than anyone, have you seen any barn turn out 14 horses that have either pulled up, DNF or completely broke down in 3 months? While the quoted poster's percentage may be off this is a ridiculous amount.