Justify DQ, SA Derby

[Fairmount1]

https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/court-orders-disqualification-of-justifys-santa-anita-derby-win/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CToday\'s%20decision%20supports%20the%20longstanding,the%20ruling%2C%20which%20appears%20here.

[Roman]

What a mess, would not have started in the derby, since his only points came from the SA derby win.

[johnnym]

If they take the Derby away and the triple crown away that for sure must mess with his stud value.
Do they un retire him?
I mean it’s probably what’s best for the horse!

[Tavasco]

johnnym Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If they take the Derby away and the triple crown
> away that for sure must mess with his stud value.
> Do they un retire him?
> I mean it’s probably what’s best for the
> horse!

I\'m a bit confused but only because I can\'t get my little residential power washer to start. So I\'m not sure whether the comment above qualifies as sarcasm or as mocking or both, But it is pretty funny imo.

[ajkreider]

Speaking of his stud career, they really are gaga over him on the other side of the Pond.  Foals seem especially precocious.

[Fairmount1]

I\'m just gutted for Bob.  A horse of a lifetime and someone has tarnished the horse\'s undefeated record.    

Meanwhile, he filed a lawsuit against two gamblers who essentially teased him I\'d guess on X/Twitter resulting in alleged harm to his reputation.  LOLOLOL.  You can\'t make this stuff up!!!

[Roman]

I wasted my time and read the complaint for the lawsuit against two gamblers/hose players/fans because I thought it was a really foolish to sue somebody for allegations of doping, but I found that there is some evidence of extortion in the filing.

Don\'t know those two fellas. but according to the press reports,  they sound like some trolls that just make some noise.

Like I said , what a mess.

[pip4126]

The New York State Gaming Commission on Monday upheld the disqualification of Forte from the Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga in 2022 and the 10-day suspension and $1,000 fine issued to trainer Todd Pletcher for the horse testing positive for a prohibited non-steroidal anti-inflammatory after the race.
What is going on? It makes it tough to trust any of them.

[Roman]

Vinnie Viola takes the fall for meloxicam, story says that he was the one prescribed the drug,
scolpamine positive from jimson weed, lidocaine positive from pain patch worn by humans, heat in the foot and it is only a shoe pulled, so boring, actually was lame & broken leg, still enters the horse, and talks to the fans like we are idiots, meetings behind closed doors, trying to sweep positives under the rug.

And what do we do for recourse, still bet & support the product. Repole wants to be commish of something, the other liar is an ambassador for DRF, can\'t trust a word from any of them.

[pip4126]

Well written Roman. If the positive test wasn\'t hidden would Forte have been two year old champ? How do you get the Baffert\'s, Viola\'s and Repole types out of the game?

[Roman]

Sorry for the rant, unfortunately money is there only motivator.
I know this is an extreme idea, but if the bettors would boycott the races they ran in, and they stuck with it, that would bring some needed attention & maybe some change & accountability.

The bad part is that the honest folk will get harmed in that scenario.

Also conflicts of interest should be mandatory reason for a recusal. Mr. Viola is on the Jockey Club board, the \"Medication was mine\" excuse does not pass the smell test. Was he trying to wield some influence over the matter.

The perception alone of a conflict of interest is enough for judges to recuse themselves from cases, actual conflicts should be a no brainer.

All this industry gets are Op-Eds with great ideas, and no action on them.

For instance, I no I am a small fish in this game. I have supported it with my disposable income for over 36 years. Some years ,I will put a low 5 figure amount into the game , and with churn , probably 5 times that. Everyone loves to hit a ticket & be up for the year, but if it costs me a few grand to play every year, I  truly do not mind, I love the sport that much.


Besides hurting the sport more with boycotts, which is not going to happen, I truly do not know what can be done.

[TMW]

The problem is there is never a consequence. 10-day suspension for a Grade 1 DQ -- WOW. $1,000 fine -- OH MY! Ridiculous. At least Repole forfeits $192,500. Pletcher forfeits 10% of that. Forte loses Grade 1 off his resume. More than a little justice even though the stewards ruling on top of the purse losses are nothing. Bettors get nothing. At least there is finally some justice. Some... .

[pip4126]

To Viola and Repole it\'s not about the money. This ruling hurts their ego because this is all that they care about.
Does anyone on this platform believe that if Natalia Lynch trained for Viola and Repole she would have received a 4-year suspension and a $50,000.00 fine?
Pletcher gets 10 days and a $1,000.00 fine. Now with the Gulfstream Championship Meet underway, we have the privilege of watching the Pletcher horses run downhill.

[TMW]

\"Adversity builds greatness.\"

Repole quote when Forte was scratched before the Derby. I knew the horse was going to be scratched days before the Derby (a friend is a jockey agent). Why they kept it under wraps until the Derby only Repole knows. I guess in addition to his apparent love for adversity he enjoys the ego driven...last minute...front page shock factor. A shame these mega-rich guys with their mega-famous trainers are allowed to put a stain on the sport. They think they are smarter than everyone but they just are not. Just common con men.

A joy when they are caught even though as you say, the financial penalties are inconsequential.

[pip4126]

In this case it\'s their narcissistic personality that has been tarnished. They want people to look at them as though they are horse racing royality. Pletcher is no better than Natalia Lynch but will walk around the paddock and grandstand as though nothing happened. Beware Todd nothing lasts forever.