An Open Letter To The Ohio State Racing Commission

[LVGaryD]

Dear commissioners,

I was at Delaware fair today and heard once again all about how it was the idea of the racing commission and not Tim Schmitz who wanted drivers to refrain from leaning back in the sulky. Yes I heard it, no I am not buying it. This is one of many ridiculous pet peeves of Schmitz, and has been for many years.


Drivers lean back today! Get over it. I never sat in one of today's bikes that naturally make drivers lean back, but in the old days when I was in the business (pre-1991), many drivers laid straight back in the bike to help with aerodynamics. They also felt that by getting the weight behind the wheels, it negated the effects of heavier drivers.


In the 1980s, there were under-slung sulkies that helped take weight off the front end of a horse. The under-slung bikes were great for a horse with front end problems, but they tended to make them sore in the rear end. They quickly fell out of favor with horsemen. In today's bikes, you have to lean back, period.


Now please let me educate you folks about "kicking" horses in a race, because apparently none of you know what it really is. 90% of "kicking" horses by drivers is simply touching a horse with your shoe or even your leg. It scares them a little bit and tends to make one go forward longer and possibly a tad faster. Touching a horse with your foot does not harm the animal at all, and isfar less brutal on a horse than hitting them with a whip. Yes it is against the rules, but that is because the rule is outdated.


Get over these two violations-they are like going 55.5 mph in a 55 mph zone.


Now on to Tim Schmitz. I sincerely apologize to Mr. Schmitz for blaming him if he truly is/was not at fault. And he is possibly not the worst judge in the business and I apologize for calling him that as well. The guys who set John Campbell down last year at Lexington are probably slightly worse than Schmitz. However I do not apologize for calling him a dictatorial prick, a douchebag, and an asshole in my opinion. I am a Christian/Buddhist man but yes, I have indeed called Tim Schmitz far worse to his face. And I truly feel he should never judge a race again.


This site is generally very positive about harness racing. I do not charge any track for posting their press releases-we are free advertising for racetracks and betting in general. We see the tremendous possibilities in Ohio racing in the future. Scioto Downs on the Night Of Champions is what the sport is all about! This is what Ohio harness racing can become once again.


The racing commission should worry about things like rampant hidden ownership, serious drugs (and I do not mean baking soda), the well being of horses, drivers, and trainers. Get over the dumb stuff like marijuana suspensions just because someone has it in their system and is not under the influence at the time of the test, leaning back, and "kicking" horses. Worry about it when you see blood coming out of a stifle, or when some moron beats the hell out of a horse that cannot get a check anyway. Worry about people who have been suspended countless times, yet continue to race 150+ horses in the state.


Don't sweat the small stuff-in other words, get into the 21st century!


Sincerely,

Old Gary D.

[beans and weenies]

  Thank you Gary for the facts.  Just the facts. 

[pezz97]

And by reading your letter, which was pretty good, you wonder why horses skip the jug!?   

[BretHanover]

Gary-I have no opinion on this either way, but I can tell you he was under direct order to issue the fines for leaning back.  That's a fact.

Other than that, preach on.

[Just Saying]

He loves to hand out the "leaning back" fines at Hoosier and Indy, ask Trace Tetrick.

Tim's a petty little tyrant.

[LVGaryD]

By the way, the cover of today's Little Brown Jug program has a picture of Scott Zeron leaning back while winning the Jug last year.

 

[TW]

I just noticed Tetrick's picture on the USTA webpage, winning the Jugette, leaning back.

[careless hal]

If they don't want you to lean back, simply require a high-backed seat be put on the sulky. Will TonyB still be allowed to bet on Leanback Coco?  Next thing you know LVGD will come out in favor of heating your bowling balls in the oven, stop me from using WD40 on my golf clubs, and allowing the spit ball in baseball. Alsi, alcohol should not be served at the fairgrounds.  It takes away from the family atmosphere.  Also, no pot!  If they want to speedball, that's OK though.

[beans and weenies]

If they don't want you to lean back, simply require a high-backed seat be put on the sulky. Will TonyB still be allowed to bet on Leanback Coco?  Next thing you know LVGD will come out in favor of heating your bowling balls in the oven, stop me from using WD40 on my golf clubs, and allowing the spit ball in baseball. Alsi, alcohol should not be served at the fairgrounds.  It takes away from the family atmosphere.  Also, no pot!  If they want to speedball, that's OK though.

   

Is TS under direct orders for the same stupid calls  at Hoosier Park too   

[Just Saying]

I just noticed Tetrick's picture on the USTA webpage, winning the Jugette, leaning back.
[/quoteS
TT said this morning that TS fined him $500 for leaning back in the Jugette.

[pope of vegas]

   Boy O Boy!!!!   Give a person a soapbox and some weed and this is the result !!!!!!

  Agreed ,the stewards are acting as though its 1963 again 

[The Giss]

"I don't tell you how to sit in your office chair, don't tell me how to sit in mine." Tim Tetrick

"Personally, I have no problem with leaning back in the bike. The sulkies today are designed that way. I lean back much more now than I did (years ago)." Mr Diplomatic, aka, John Campbell

"i f-d up your dad and now i got you, A-hole." Tim Schmitts

"Brett (Miller), I'm glad your here tonight, It will get that a-hole Schmitts off my @$$ tonight." Pete Wrenn

One of these quote is not true. One may be paraphrased.
Please post your guesses.

[beans and weenies]

"I don't tell you how to sit in your office chair, don't tell me how to sit in mine." Tim Tetrick

"Personally, I have no problem with leaning back in the bike. The sulkies today are designed that way. I lean back much more now than I did (years ago)." Mr Diplomatic, aka, John Campbell

"i f-d up your dad and now i got you, A-hole." Tim Schmitts

"Brett (Miller), I'm glad your here tonight, It will get that a-hole Schmitts off my @$$ tonight." Pete Wrenn

One of these quote is not true. One may be paraphrased.
Please post your guesses.

I'm dying here.   

[LVGaryD]

"I don't tell you how to sit in your office chair, don't tell me how to sit in mine." Tim Tetrick

"Personally, I have no problem with leaning back in the bike. The sulkies today are designed that way. I lean back much more now than I did (years ago)." Mr Diplomatic, aka, John Campbell

"i f-d up your dad and now i got you, A-hole." Tim Schmitts

"Brett (Miller), I'm glad your here tonight, It will get that a-hole Schmitts off my @$$ tonight." Pete Wrenn

One of these quote is not true. One may be paraphrased.
Please post your guesses.

I'm going to guess, "i f-d up your dad and now i got you, A-hole." Tim Schmitts

[Just Saying]

I personally got a thrill out of the entire interview tent erupting into applause when TT went up Tim Schmitz's arse. Priceless!