Paulick Report

View From The Eighth Pole: Take Action Now On Bisphosphonate Use

“I've been Tildrened.” That's what a consignor of 2-year-olds said recently to a leading owner about a horse he purchased at a yearling sale with the intention of putting it in training and... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for fu... Read More...

EPO: What We Know, And What We Don’t, About The Blood-Doping Threat

When Lance Armstrong confessed in 2013 to taking Epogen to boost production of oxygen-carrying red blood cells, horse racing fans began looking behind every tree for the boogeyman called... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full ... Read More...

Impasse With Horsemen Over Lasix Ban Delays Resumption Of Racing At Santa Anita

Racing at Santa Anita will not resume on March 22 as previously announced after officials with The Stronach Group – owners of the Arcadia, Calif., track – were unable to reach an agreement on a ban... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my websit... Read More...

The Friday Show: A Game-Changer For The Horse Racing Industry?

The owner of Santa Anita Park announced a list of unprecedented reform measures Thursday, in the wake of the 22nd equine fatality at the current meet. According to its proposal for Santa Anita and... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website... Read More...

Lamoreaux To ‘Industry Bigwigs’: Time To Stand Up, Unify And Be Counted

“I just like to be there when the charge begins, whether the horses emerge from the starting gate, walk up to a tape as they used to when I was a boy, or come bursting out of a clump of trees... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my websit... Read More...

‘Our Circle Keeps Shrinking’: An Open Letter To The Thoroughbred Industry

Erin O'Keefe is the customer relations manager for Millennium Farms in Lexington, Ky., serves as vice-president of aftercare placement for the National Thoroughbred Welfare Organization, and is an... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website... Read More...

PR Special OBS March: First 2-Year-Olds For Wicked Strong

For the second straight day, the Paulick Report offers a special print publication, available here and on the sales grounds at the OBS March Sale for 2-Year-Olds in Training. In this edition of the... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my websit... Read More...

PR Special OBS March: What Needles Did For Florida Racing, Breeding

The Paulick Report is pleased to present another special print publication, available here and on the sales grounds of the OBS March sale in Florida. In this edition of the PR Special, Joe Nevills... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website... Read More...

View From The Eighth Pole: Regulatory Fairness Left In Starting Gate In Minnesota

In her written decision recommending dismissal of any sanctions against the owner and trainer of a horse testing positive for minuscule levels of methamphetamine at Monmouth Park in 2017,... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full... Read More...

Hancock: Put Hubris Aside, Rethink Position On Medication In Horse Racing

I wonder just how long our wonderful sport can survive with our racehorses continuing to break down, causing them to be euthanized? The debate about the connection of these breakdowns on the tracks... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my websit... Read More...

Tim Ritvo Q&A: ‘There Are Things That Aren’t Acceptable Any More’

Tim Ritvo, chief operating officer of The Stronach Group's Racing and Gaming Division that owns Santa Anita Park, sat down with Paulick Report publisher Ray Paulick to discuss the current situation... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my websit... Read More...

Santa Anita Breakdowns: Your Questions, Answered

Throughout this week, our coverage of Santa Anita's spike in equine fatalities and subsequent indefinite closure has prompted all kinds of questions, comments, and theories from readers. Some are... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website ... Read More...

The Friday Show: The Bigger Picture From Santa Anita?

The shutdown of Santa Anita Park due to a rash of horse racing fatalities has been hard not only on all of the people who work at the Southern California racetrack but the racing industry as a whole.... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my webs... Read More...

Peterson: ‘Something We Don’t Understand’ Underlies Santa Anita Fatalities

Days after he declared the Santa Anita main track “100 percent ready” for racing and training and subsequently two more horses died, racing surfaces consultant Mick Peterson stands by his... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my webs... Read More...

When Official Results Aren’t Official: Delta Downs Judges Misread Photo Finish

There was a “Boo Boo” in the first race at Delta Downs last Saturday night and we're not talking about Kerwin Clark, the 58-year-old jockey who's been saddled with that nickname since childhood.... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website f... Read More...

Want To Become A Trainer? Start By Ponying Up

When Michael Bray walked away from a 20-year training career in 1998, it wasn't because he was sick of horses. It was because he'd gotten pretty sick of numbers. “[The problem was] mainly owners not... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my websi... Read More...

Owner Fined $2,500 At Oaklawn Park After Winning $30,000 Purse With Ineligible Horse

Things in racing don't always make sense. Consider the following: Stewards at Oaklawn Park have denied a protest from trainer Robertino Diodoro challenging the eligibility of Danny Caldwell's Chris... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my websit... Read More...

The Friday Show: Still Seeking Answers To Racing Fatalities

The recent rash of horse racing deaths at Santa Anita Park in Southern California has captured national attention. It is, of course, not the first time the Thoroughbred racing industry has faced... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website f... Read More...

Arizona: After Spike In Equine Fatalities, Voluntary Reforms Seem Too Little Too Late

All eyes have been on California racing this week, where a recent rash of breakdowns at Santa Anita has drawn attention from national media. Overall though, California's record on fatal injuries each... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my webs... Read More...

Crowder’s Quiet Presence Makes Him ‘One Of Those Masters Of A Wild Horse’

He'll pull up to the barn in his old green SUV, nodding a greeting and fetching his gear from the tack room. The way he walks, heavy saddle on one hip, bridle in his other hand, is perfectly... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for f... Read More...

The Friday Show Presented By Indiana Racing & Breeding: A Maryland Melee?

Within the last few days, Baltimore's mayor put up the dukes against the Stronach Group over the status of Pimlico Race Course and the second leg of the Triple Crown. In this edition of The Friday... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website... Read More...

Spike In Corticosteroid Tests Highlights Growing Pains In New Mexico

Change is never easy, even when it's for the better. Horsemen and officials in New Mexico have been learning that the hard way over the past few months. In June 2018, the New Mexico Racing Commission... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my webs... Read More...

Winning Without Lasix In 2018: McPeek, Rivelli Top All U.S. Trainers

In 2018, according to records maintained by The Jockey Club, 10,146 starts were made by horses without Lasix in the U.S. out of a total of 279,774. That equates to only 3.6%. Lasix is the commonly... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website... Read More...

Optimism, Forgiveness Prevail As Carmouche Eyes Return To The Saddle

Noted orthopaedic trauma surgeon Philip Kregor was blunt when he met with jockey Kendrick Carmouche and his wife, Whitney, following a horrific accident at Kentucky Downs last Sept. 8. According to... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my websit... Read More...

‘Deja Vu All Over Again’; TOBA Drops Ball On Sales Integrity Website…Again

Oops. They did it again. In August 2014, I discovered that the website formerly devoted to the Sales Integrity Program, an initiative designed to protect Thoroughbred buyers at public auction, was... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website... Read More...

The Friday Show Presented By Indiana Racing & Breeding: The Future Looks Green?

The New York Racing Association announced a couple of new initiatives this week, including a $5 million-plus Triple Crown-like series for 3-year-olds colts and fillies racing on the turf. In today's... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my websi... Read More...

How He Did It: NHC Champion Coles Focused On Picking Winners Through Technology

Scott Coles wasn't born yet when Andy Beyer wrote his breakthrough book “Picking Winners” in 1975, but that's the mantra the 34-year-old Illinois resident followed last weekend when he defeated some... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my websi... Read More...

The Friday Show Presented By Indiana Racing & Breeding: Do Battle With Sports Betting?

The Thoroughbred Idea Foundation recently released its latest white paper on an issue that's all the talk in the racing industry: What to do about the legalization of sports betting? In today's... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website fo... Read More...

View From The Eighth Pole: Do Test Barn Thefts Expose Louisiana Lab Deficiency?

My phone lit up Wednesday morning after the Paulick Report published an article about the theft of post-race urine and blood samples from a locked freezer inside the test barn at Louisiana Downs. The... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my webs... Read More...

Renowned Surgeon Bramlage Isn’t Done Learning From His Four-Legged ‘Puzzles’

Few equine veterinarians have the clout of Dr. Larry Bramlage. In the Thoroughbred world, he is the expert eye trainers trust to get to the bottom of a horse's difficult lameness. When he sits on a... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my websit... Read More...

The Friday Show Presented By Indiana Racing And Breeding: Let’s Make A Deal?

A recent development in Oregon could lead to a new option for horse racing bettors throughout North America. In today's edition of The Friday Show, Scott Jagow and Ray Paulick discuss the potential... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my websit... Read More...

‘Bring Rick Back’? Years Later, Dutrow’s Ban Still Divides

One sunny afternoon last August, patrons approaching the front gates of Saratoga Race Course were met with a series of protestors waving signs with red lettering demanding: “BRING RICK BACK.” “Who's... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my websi... Read More...

Pegasus Concept (And Horse Racing) A Great Outlet For Owners’ Competitive Fires

At last Tuesday's post position draw for the $9-million Pegasus World Cup, William Warren Jr., co-owner of City of Light with wife Suzanne, went out of his way to wish John Sadler good luck with... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website f... Read More...

The Friday Show Presented By Indiana Racing & Breeding: An Inside Job?

The Thoroughbred industry learned this week that Chris Kay's term as CEO of the New York Racing Association is over. After 5 1/2 years in the position, Kay resigned amid reports that he used NYRA... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website ... Read More...

In The Hot Seat: Succession Plans Seldom In Play For CEO Job At NYRA

Being the head of the New York Racing Association is a lot like managing a Major League Baseball team: you seldom leave on your own terms. Chris Kay's sudden departure on Wednesday marks the latest... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my websit... Read More...

Uruguayans’ Passion For Racing On Full Display On Ramirez Day

I spent a few days in Montevideo, Uruguay, earlier this month to see the G1 Gran Premio José Pedro Ramírez, contested at the historic Hipódromo de Maroñas.  Held each year on Jan. 6, the Ramírez is... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my websit... Read More...

The Friday Show Presented By Indiana Racing & Breeding: How Do You Decide?

The first wave of major events in horse racing for 2019 takes place next week at Gulfstream Park, with the Pegasus World Cup Invitational and the annual Eclipse Awards, honoring the best in racing... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website... Read More...

‘I Want To Save The World’: Love Her Or Hate Her, Papp Is Determined To Change Horse Racing For The Better

Veterinarian Dr. Kate Papp is one of those people whose brain is always on overdrive, as if it has its own direct infusion of caffeine. She sometimes has to gulp for air mid-sentence because although... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my webs... Read More...

Waldrop: Online Betting On Horse Racing Still Legal Despite Justice Department Reversal On Wire Act

Legal online wagering on horse racing will not be directly affected by a new U.S. government Department of Justice opinion on the Wire Act but could have an indirect impact on the willingness of... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website f... Read More...

The Friday Show Presented By The PHBA Stallion Auction: Fun With Futures

The Road to the Kentucky Derby is starting to heat up. This week, a well-known Derby futures expert unveiled his odds for a pool of nearly 300 horses, 20 of which will wind up in the starting gates... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my websit... Read More...

Artificial Insemination, Embryo Transfer At Heart Of Jockey Club’s Revocation Of Stud Book Privileges To California Breeder

Earlier this month, The Jockey Club announced it has permanently revoked all stud book privileges of owner/breeder Nadine Anderson based upon its determination she “knowingly misrepresented and/or... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website... Read More...

Kentucky Farm Time Capsule: Castleton’s Prowess Touched Three Breeds

Many subjects of our Kentucky Farm Time Capsule series thus far have seen their development mirror that of Lexington as the top Thoroughbred nursery in the country. The oldest Thoroughbred farms may... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my websi... Read More...

PR Special Keeneland January: Yes, This TIme

Book 2 of the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale gets underway Wednesday at 10 a.m., and the Paulick Report once again offers a print publication online and on the sales grounds. In this... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website fo... Read More...

Kentucky Farm Time Capsule: Hertz’s Influence Felt Beyond Stoner Creek’s Paddocks

The debate over John D. Hertz's greatest impact on the Thoroughbred industry typically falls on one of two sides. On one hand, the master of Stoner Creek Stud in Paris, Ky., campaigned a pair of... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website f... Read More...

PR Special Keeneland January: ‘Always Loved A Fighter, Man Or Horse’

The first session of the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale opens Monday at 10 a.m., and the Paulick Report once again offers a print publication online and on the sales grounds. In the... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for... Read More...

The Friday Show: What Should Happen In Horse Racing This Year?

A new year is upon us, and with it comes a combination of new challenges and old ones for the business of Thoroughbred racing. In our first Friday Show of 2019, Scott Jagow and Ray Paulick discuss... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website... Read More...

Seven Months Later, No Consequences For Oklahoma Horsemen Violating 24-Hour Medication Rule

There's an old saying in politics, originating I think in the Watergate scandal, that the cover-up is always worse than the crime. It's a phrase that may as well have evolved in horse racing. When I... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my websi... Read More...

One To One: Q & A With Woodbine Entertainment CEO Jim Lawson

Jim Lawson in 2015 was named chief executive officer of Woodbine Entertainment – Canada's largest racetrack company, which owns and operates Woodbine near Toronto and Woodbine Mohawk Park, a harness... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my websi... Read More...

What Did You Read? Top Stories Of 2018

As 2018 comes to a close, we're taking a look back at some of our most popular stories of the year. We've done this for the past several years at the Paulick Report. Find previous editions here,... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website f... Read More...

A Very Muddy Christmas: Working Through A Kentucky Winter

I started leasing my own property in July of this year, with a delightfully old-fashioned four stall barn and two spacious paddocks just outside of Louisville. I have two horses of my own, a big... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website f... Read More...