Jesus Castanon/Race Fixing Allegations

[Agastache]

Recently, a probe was opened up here in Kentucky concerning a ride by Jesus Castanon aboard Tizthedream in the 4th race at Ellis Park on July 2nd. (I believe that\'s opening day.)  Castanon was aboard the prohibitive favorite and raced last and wide throughout the race.  As the horse looked like he was going to rally into a trifecta/super position potentially, Castanon took him up abruptly and the horse finished 5th of 6.  This race is now public knowledge.

I ask anybody with free time to go back and also watch the 9th race at Churchill Downs on June 5th at Churchill. Castanon was aboard Purim\'s Danawa. The filly appeared headstrong as she vied for the lead. Castanon restrained her and she drifts wide onto the track. At no point does Castanon aggressively hand ride the horse as she continues to drift into the middle of the track, yet she still finishes well enough to get into the superfecta in a 7 horse field.

The race was won by a Baffert filly- Faithfully, who went off at 3-5. The 2nd horse was 21-1 and the 3rd horse 3.60-1.  $2 Exacta was $30 and the $2 Trifecta was $30. $1 Super was $98.90.

I\'m not saying that Castanon fixed this race or the Ellis race, but if you watch the races back to back- it\'s curious.

[Fairmount1]

If you are interested, here is an excerpt of a July 4th email I received from a good friend of mine at Fairmount about a late June race at Churchill Downs.  If you are curious the horse won her next start at another track and paid over $50.00 to win with a different jock.  Here you go (I\'ve redacted details concerning the identity of the horse):

What we witnessed in race #X on June XX was difficult to comprehend. XXXXX broke from the #XX post with the first flight of horses, but after the first 1/4 mile she was inexplicably pulled to the back of the pack and trailed by 6 1/4 lengths. Still last after a 1/2 mile, now by 14 lengths, our filly had no chance and finished a disappointing 9th as a non factor in the race. While walking with jockey, Jesus Castanon, on the dirt track back to the runway, I questioned him about what had occurred. His excuse was that XXXX pulled back because she did not like the kickback dirt in her face and she was uncomfortable in getting her footing on the track.
 
A man approached me and asked if I owned the #XX horse then relayed this unsolicited story. He said he rehabbed a potential Derby colt and had Jesus Castanon aboard in a recent race. He said the whip went up at the start and remained there like a flag pole. The jockey never gave an effort or encouraged his colt. After the race he told him to get off his horse and he would never ride him again. The owner told me that he was an iron worker and former Marine and could not stomach such a lack of effort. \"If a jockey cannot work hard for a minute and twelve seconds he does not deserve to be on a horse,\" he bellowed. This man said he felt compelled to come over and offer his story because the ride Castanon gave xxxxx was very similar to the one he gave his colt.
 
xxxxx likes the deep smooth dirt at Churchill and has even run well on \"off tracks.\" Our filly is a veteran of XX starts and has experienced kickback in the past. It is hard to know if our jockey was injured, afraid or uninterested. This race was a disaster but after locating the \'black box\" we have determined it was due to pilot error!  XXXX had no more than a fitness work at Churchill and we will look for a fair race and honest effort at either Ellis Park, Arlington Park or Indiana Grand. Stay focused XX you will eventually get the chance to show your true form.

[CA12891289]

The ride Fairmount1 references (I won\'t mention the horses name as he didn\'t but if you follow the circuit you could figure it out) is fascinating in that its almost a carbon copy of the Ellis ride save for the fact that the pull back happens slightly later and this horse doesn\'t make up the ground. It would be interesting to study other rides and see if this really is a pattern.

[Agastache]

Just curious, was the horse in question a short price or a longshot (without giving away the exact odds)? Also, was it a big field or a small field?

The Churchill race had 7 horses and the Ellis race had 6. Easier to cover the potential combos in those types of races than a big field.

[CA12891289]

The race Fairmount1 referenced did have a slightly bigger field and he was on a middle price, not a favorite. But the action definitely has some similarities.

[Boscar Obarra]

It was a small field and a small pool. How much do you think you could win before the payoff would start to smell like  rotting fish?

 I guess they could limit the gain to a few thousand and not skew the odds too much , but that\'s a lot of potential trouble for small money.  Local 7-11 probably a better target with less risk.

 Who knows, people do crazy things.