Barbaro Press Conference is Tomorrow at 11am

[Kasept]

I'm leaving for Florida in 9 hours and have to write up the BEL P6 yet and just looked at this thread... I almost don't know where to start..

I'll say to Tao though, unless you've won several thousand races as a trainer, you have not an iota of authority to impinge on where anyone's training career was or is... That comment is such an incredible insult to thousands of hard working people in the sport as to be beyond belief. In other words, according to you, Dale Baird and King Leatherbury are losers too. Well done.. You're "in the game" on the sulky side, so I guess by your above-stated insight that every driver and trainer at Pompano and Maywood and such are all nothings as well.. I guess if you don't win the Little Brown Jug or race at the Meadowlands your life's work is worthless?

I was sick this afternoon and only spent the last 30 min. on the show and have yet to hear the earlier segments and don't have time to do so now... JJ may very well have been adding his opinion to the WIDESPREAD SPECULATION in the racing media that was going on earlier today that Barbaro may have been put down... I can't comment on anything he said until I hear it and know the context.

In the meantime, what I will say is that JJ Graci and Anita St. Clair have spent hundreds of thousands of their own dollars to create a radio show that now reaches all of N. America on Sirius and the world on the Internet. They worked for years and years BUYING airtime in Philly and Florida to keep the show going until John Perrotta helped them get on Sirius with the support of Mike Francesa and Bill Parcells.

The show is a forum for the industry as no where else is 3 hours of horse racing being offered five days a week. The show has done a lot of good for helping new fans learn more about the game, and brings the sport's top personalities into your car, home or office like nothing else available anywhere, including the racing networks. We bring more trainers and industry personalities to the air than ANYONE and have been vocal supporters of the slaughter ban, after career placement of runners, backstretch employee assistance and every other conceivable cause associated with racing.

Say what you want about JJ's style and personna, but NO ONE can question his dedication or commitment to horse racing and its' success after the 40+ years he's given to the sport.

JJ has the right to speculate. It is pretty classless, but he has that right. It doesn't mean he lacks class, but just did in this instance. I hope you guys have the crow ready for him tomorrow. I will be sure to be listening.

Kasept : I will make this reply now so you see it before you leave . My Opinon of JJ is that he was a subpar trainer. I did not attack the man personally say anything about his personal life or his family . I stated imo and thats for me to say . Lets face what he said which was classless. While I respect what you do and are doing for all of racing , I will not condone or play nice with an opinion I have of someone and thats my right to say . I do not curse , I do not say anything that is not formed in the opinion catagory. Im sure you have opinions and maybe you state them to friends or colleague's I dont know because I do not know you personally . Im sure JJ could make a post on this thread and explain what it is he was trying to get across to a National audience? That would take what maybe 2 minutes of his time? If not and they have or do put the horse down then what will he come on tommorw and say I TOLD YOU SO? Either way defend his life's work I certainly do not argue he was good for the sport or the show . What I did say is personally I do not listen to him .

[Downthestretch55]

I'll just put out good wishes for Barbaro...cause that's what I thought this thread was about.
No comment on the Tao controversy, other than it takes the focus away from what the intent of this thread seemed.

Ok : TAO DISCLAIMER FROM LAST NIGHTS POST'S

No I am not the saratoga harness announcer . As far as durkin goes I guess I got off to the wrong step on this board . I just hated that call and I had to say something about it on this board . Why this board well because this is the best and most passionate and informative racing board on the web . I know this because I belong to them all. The only reason I do not say what track I announce at is because I can get very argumentative and brash at times about certain opinion's I have (durkin example) and I would not want it to come back and bite me some day . I respect everybody's opinion on this board and hope that I can make good contribution's to the group.