In The Sulky Forum
General Category => General Harness Racing Discussion => Topic started by: LVGaryD on December 16, 2014, 12:33:36 PM
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Drivers may be disqualified from participation due to any infractions
East Rutherford, NJ (December 16th) - Effective immediately, The Meadowlands, Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs will be enforcing a “zero-tolerance” policy when it comes to drivers violating rules associated with the “kicking or nudging” of a horse.
This past Saturday, Meadowlands C.E.O and General Manager, Jason Settlemoir along with Presiding Judge John Tomasello met with the drivers and informed them of this policy.
Any driver that is cited for an infraction pertaining to “kicking or nudging a horse,” will be suspended for seven (7) days by the judges at The Meadowlands. In addition, the management at The Meadowlands, Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs will reserve the right to disqualify that driver from participation at all three racetracks.
The rule exists in the New Jersey Racing Commission Rule Book and can be found in 13:71-20.15:
“The brutal use of a whip or blunt spur, kicking a horse with a foot, striking a horse with the whip under the seat of the sulky or indiscriminate use of a whip may be considered a violation.”
Furthermore, if a driver is cited for a “kicking or nudging” violation at any racetrack other than three properties operated by Jeff Gural, the management at The Meadowlands, Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs will reserve the right to disqualify that driver from participation at all three racetracks.
“We have a responsibility to our horses and to the public that we are putting forth the most integrity-driven and safest product possible,” said Meadowlands Chairman Jeff Gural. “Regardless of the debate that has been ongoing related to this issue, as far as we are concerned, perception is reality and it looks terrible, therefore we will not tolerate it. I hope our having to take action on this issue will not be required to demonstrate how serious we are about this subject.”
This policy will be in effect when The Meadowlands resumes racing on Friday, December 19th.
By: Darin Zoccali
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This guy thinks he's God.. He doesn't know shit about abusing a horse if "nudging" one is abusing it.Too bad he didn't own tracks 30 years ago... He wouldn't have any drivers left.
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This guy thinks he is Barack Obama. rflmao1 rflmao1 rflmao1 rflmao1
Perception does not equal reality. That is the stupidest thing I have ever read in my life. My perception is, I am happy that I no longer race horses with people like that having any power whatsoever. I wonder if Gural ever even sat behind a horse?
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I think it's a bit too much if a penalty, but if the rules state that both feet must remain in the footholds, than I am all for penalties being assessed to keep drivers from doing it. All games must have rules, and no one is above the rules, and I hate seeing horses win if some rule was broken.
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I think it's a bit too much if a penalty, but if the rules state that both feet must remain in the footholds, than I am all for penalties being assessed to keep drivers from doing it. All games must have rules, and no one is above the rules, and I hate seeing horses win if some rule was broken.
You are right Mr. B. Even Gural stated that perception is reality, and in this case he may be right. Even flaming liberals might be right about something on occasion. We here may know that the horse isn't really being harmed, but it sure looks that way to the uninformed. Let me kick you in the leg and we'll see how you like it. That is what they are thinking. nononono nononono nononono
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The perception in Ferguson, MO was that that police officer would be indicted for shooting a criminal who tried wrestling away the officer's gun. The reality is, it was a clean kill.
The perception of the cop in Cleveland was that the 12 year-old kid because he was black, not because he was pulling a real weapon. The reality is, the kid is dead because he was an idiot, not because he was black.
The perception was that OJ killed Nicole. He would go to jail forever. The reality is the jury let him off the hook.
The perception was that I would walk into the Palms and win some serious money. I lost my ass.
The perception is when I buy a lottery ticket I am going to win. The reality...well reality sucks, like this dumbass statement that perception equals reality. And that is real reality, laddies.
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Another thing: anyone who drives over the speed limit is breaking a law too. Are we going to take away their license for 7 days?
So many times one particular left handed whipping driver would have to enter and exit the winner's circle with the horse's left side facing the grandstand because the horses' stifles were bleeding like a stuck hog. He was a great driver, but in my opinion he truly abused horses to win a race.
I will say to my dying breath this is simply ignorant. I really hope the judges start fining guys for lack of effort up there.
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Gural is a total clown !!
What if a driver from Canada or another track comes to drive in the Hambo or Pace and kicks the f**k out of the horse and wins , do you think they will really care about being suspended for 7 days at his tracks ?
It's getting to the point where people are hoping that Gural and his tracks fail .
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The perception of the cop in Cleveland was that the 12 year-old kid because he was black, not because he was pulling a real weapon. The reality is, the kid is dead because he was an idiot, not because he was black.
The cop killed the kid because he and his partner are lousy cops. No way should they ever just drive up to a suspect like that. He was even kicked off a different police force for being incompetent
The Ferguson cop needs to be given a lifetime pension and a house wherever he chooses to make a new life.
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This has absolutely nothing to do with preserving integrity and safety. In fact, it works against racing integrity because as bettors we expect drivers to get the most out of their drives. What they are saying is that the drivers are not allowed to "encourage" horses to go faster. Next thing they'll say is that you can't whip a horse past the 3/4 marker.
I can't say that I've heard a single person complain about this so called kicking. Drivers, owners, trainers, PETA...no one has discouraged it.
I think the idiots at M1 are trying to pass themselves off as industry leaders by coming up with such absurd rules. This also puts them on the map with free press.
I'm about ready to boycott them altogether.
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If they want to address safety, maybe they should rethink these garbage 12-horse fields at 1-1/8 miles. That's a disaster waiting to happen.
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The perception in Ferguson, MO was that that police officer would be indicted for shooting a criminal who tried wrestling away the officer's gun. The reality is, it was a clean kill.
The perception of the cop in Cleveland was that the 12 year-old kid because he was black, not because he was pulling a real weapon. The reality is, the kid is dead because he was an idiot, not because he was black.
The perception was that OJ killed Nicole. He would go to jail forever. The reality is the jury let him off the hook.
The perception was that I would walk into the Palms and win some serious money. I lost my ass.
The perception is when I buy a lottery ticket I am going to win. The reality...well reality sucks, like this dumbass statement that perception equals reality. And that is real reality, laddies.
None of your points are valid. I would call them all expectations, not perceptions.
I am glad about one thing When Gural first burst on the scene, I didn't like him and his heavy handed methods from the start. I was severely castigated by many for this. Now , it looks like more and more people are coming around to my way of thinking on this issue. thumbsup
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Amen CH! You nailed it. thumbsup
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If they want to address safety, maybe they should rethink these garbage 12-horse fields at 1-1/8 miles. That's a disaster waiting to happen.
thumbsup thumbsup
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If they want to address safety, maybe they should rethink these garbage 12-horse fields at 1-1/8 miles. That's a disaster waiting to happen.
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Now instead of it being the last race of the night, Friday, they throw it in as the 5th race!!! No one likes betting that stupid ass race and now they throw it right in the early pick 4 and to end the pick 5. Another "great" idea by the biggest idiot in harness racing......
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thumbsup
Now instead of it being the last race of the night, Friday, they throw it in as the 5th race!!! No one likes betting that stupid ass race and now they throw it right in the early pick 4 and to end the pick 5. Another "great" idea by the biggest idiot in harness racing......
Aren't you glad you get Woodbine programs every week...
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Now instead of it being the last race of the night, Friday, they throw it in as the 5th race!!! No one likes betting that stupid ass race and now they throw it right in the early pick 4 and to end the pick 5. Another "great" idea by the biggest idiot in harness racing......
It actually is worse then you thought...
Meadowlands Adds Jackpot Super Hi-5
Officials with the Meadowlands Racetrack have announced that starting this Friday (December 19) the track will be adding a second Jackpot Super Hi-5 Wager to its wagering format.
The wager will be added to the fifth-race wagering menu, and the fifth race each night will feature a 12-horse field and will be contested at a distance of one and one-eighth miles.
The 13th race will continue to offer a Jackpot Super Hi-5, but will feature a 10-horse field and the race will be contested at the standard one-mile distance.
The two pools will be kept completely separate from one another. Any carryover from the fifth-race Jackpot Super Hi-5 will carry over to the fifth race on the next racing program. Any carryover from the 13th race Jackpot Super Hi-5 will carry over to the 13th race on the next racing program.
“The bettors have responded well to the implementation of this wager,” said the track’s director of racing operations, Darin Zoccali. “We believe providing a second opportunity for our customers to bet into this low takeout wager is great for the betting public and it will also give us an opportunity to see how the wager performs in slightly different environments.
“The 12-horse field makes it much more likely that there could be one winner, as the jackpot was hit three times in the first eight nights, returning $40,502, $15,608 and $15,527. We believe the 10-horse field will make hitting the jackpot more difficult, which will result in building up a larger carryover pool which adds to the excitement of the racing card. By offering two separate wagers, with different size fields, we can accommodate the player that is looking to hit the jackpot every night and the player who is looking to bet into the massive carryover pool.”
Both Jackpot Super Hi-5 wagers will feature the reduced eight per cent takeout and will be offered with a 20-cent minimum.
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It actually is worse then you thought...
Meadowlands Adds Jackpot Super Hi-5
Officials with the Meadowlands Racetrack have announced that starting this Friday (December 19) the track will be adding a second Jackpot Super Hi-5 Wager to its wagering format.
The wager will be added to the fifth-race wagering menu, and the fifth race each night will feature a 12-horse field and will be contested at a distance of one and one-eighth miles.
The 13th race will continue to offer a Jackpot Super Hi-5, but will feature a 10-horse field and the race will be contested at the standard one-mile distance.
The two pools will be kept completely separate from one another. Any carryover from the fifth-race Jackpot Super Hi-5 will carry over to the fifth race on the next racing program. Any carryover from the 13th race Jackpot Super Hi-5 will carry over to the 13th race on the next racing program.
“The bettors have responded well to the implementation of this wager,” said the track’s director of racing operations, Darin Zoccali. “We believe providing a second opportunity for our customers to bet into this low takeout wager is great for the betting public and it will also give us an opportunity to see how the wager performs in slightly different environments.
“The 12-horse field makes it much more likely that there could be one winner, as the jackpot was hit three times in the first eight nights, returning $40,502, $15,608 and $15,527. We believe the 10-horse field will make hitting the jackpot more difficult, which will result in building up a larger carryover pool which adds to the excitement of the racing card. By offering two separate wagers, with different size fields, we can accommodate the player that is looking to hit the jackpot every night and the player who is looking to bet into the massive carryover pool.”
Both Jackpot Super Hi-5 wagers will feature the reduced eight per cent takeout and will be offered with a 20-cent minimum.
SMDH!!!
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And you wonder why Woodbine gets all my money now while I occasionally make a spot play here or there at the Meadowlands on certain horses I follow. nononono
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And you wonder why Woodbine gets all my money now while I occasionally make a spot play here or there at the Meadowlands on certain horses I follow. nononono
Yup and they are going to get way more of mine now.
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If they want to address safety, maybe they should rethink these garbage 12-horse fields at 1-1/8 miles. That's a disaster waiting to happen.
thumbsup thumbsup thumbsup
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If I want to make a bet that, although it could potentially offer a large payout, I have no shot of winning I'll go buy a lottery ticket. This is not for the serious gambler but instead a bet for 1) someone throwing darts and hoping to get lucky or 2) rich people/syndicate players that can cover a lot of numbers once the pool gets large. Nothing here for the serious handicapper because even if you do hit the numbers you only get paid accordingly if you are the only winner. DUMB with a capital D.
4pezz2
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If I want to make a bet that, although it could potentially offer a large payout, I have no shot of winning I'll go buy a lottery ticket. This is not for the serious gambler but instead a bet for 1) someone throwing darts and hoping to get lucky or 2) rich people/syndicate players that can cover a lot of numbers once the pool gets large. Nothing here for the serious handicapper because even if you do hit the numbers you only get paid accordingly if you are the only winner. DUMB with a capital D.
4pezz2
I don't see why anyone would bet that until mandatory payout day.
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Perception or reality, if you truly want to eliminate "kicking", the tracks and racing commissions should write a rule that states if a driver does it, the horse gets disqualified. With no one getting paid, that would stop it.
Of course unless the USTA mandates it, while one state may agree others may not. That could influence some drivers to avoid certain tracks.
Personally, if a driver thinks brushing or nudging a horse with his foot gives him an edge, I don't see anything wrong with it because it doesn't look like a kick to me. When my money is on the line, I want the driver or drivers doing everything they can to legally win the race.
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If I want to make a bet that, although it could potentially offer a large payout, I have no shot of winning I'll go buy a lottery ticket. This is not for the serious gambler but instead a bet for 1) someone throwing darts and hoping to get lucky or 2) rich people/syndicate players that can cover a lot of numbers once the pool gets large. Nothing here for the serious handicapper because even if you do hit the numbers you only get paid accordingly if you are the only winner. DUMB with a capital D.
4pezz2
I think # 2 would be the correct answer. ;)
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Was not going to write this until Dave Miller's Foot out of the Stirrup became a year-end issue with Mr. Finley.
http://www.drf.com/news/gisser-consistency-needed-horse-kicking-issues
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Nicely written, Mr. Giss. thumbsup
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When Doctor Butch won the FFA last Saturday, Tetrick's left foot was in motion just before they reached the 3/4's pole. A kick, a nudge, or did it slip due to the rain?
Must have been the rain since he's down to drive.
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When Doctor Butch won the FFA last Saturday, Tetrick's left foot was in motion just before they reached the 3/4's pole. A kick, a nudge, or did it slip due to the rain?
Must have been the rain since he's down to drive.
Watch it again, he was pulling the ear plugs.
Nice Article Giss. Prime example right here.
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Was not going to write this until Dave Miller's Foot out of the Stirrup became a year-end issue with Mr. Finley.
http://www.drf.com/news/gisser-consistency-needed-horse-kicking-issues
thumbsup thumbsup thumbsup
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Was not going to write this until Dave Miller's Foot out of the Stirrup became a year-end issue with Mr. Finley.
http://www.drf.com/news/gisser-consistency-needed-horse-kicking-issues
thumbsup