Assistant trainer James Anthony Tracy, named in a stewards ruling as the occupant of an allegedly contraband-filled Delta Downs tack room assigned to his brother, trainer Gregory John Tracy, was licensed by the Louisiana State Racing Commission while under suspension in Pennsylvania, according to the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission.
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Both Tracy brothers have numerous medication violations in the ARCI database. Under the name Gregory John Tracy, ARCI lists 11 rulings; under Gregory J. Tracy, 62 rulings. While some rulings may be for not having foal papers in the racing office or other minor violations, Gregory Tracy has been sanctioned at least three times previously for possession of medication, unlabeled drugs, or hypodermic needles and injectables.
There are 89 rulings in the ARCI database for Jim A. Tracy, including a previous sanction for possession of hypodermic needles and medication and multiple positive drug tests. A separate listing for James Anthony Tracy shows two violations: the 2015 indefinite suspension in Pennsylvania and the recent suspension for possession of contraband at Delta Downs.
Phil has a question:
Why is the ARCI rulings information not available to the general public.
Did the Louisiana Commission check James Tracy’s status on ARCI prior to giving him a license.
Trainer Greg Tracy and his brother and assistant, James “Jim” Tracy, have been issued six-month suspensions after a routine search by Louisiana State Police at Delta Downs turned up the following in their tack room: 59 bottles of injectable medications, 352 hypodermic needles, 256 syringes, and 75 packs of Albuterol Sulfate inhalation solution. Nine syringes with clear liquid were sent to Louisiana State University for testing.
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Each was granted an appeal on March 9, and Greg Tracy started two horses at the Fair Grounds on Sunday, March 12, finishing third and fourth in the first and fifth races, respectively.
Phil has a question:
Is anything more required to explain horse racing’s problems than the numbers – 59, 352, 256 and 75.
Will the stewards and commissions ever win the whack-a-mole competition.
Will their excuse be that they got used to the lax enforcement standards in Alberta.
Where can you bet the futures on the length of suspension when this hits the Louisiana commission.
What’s the over under on the length of suspension when this hits the Louisiana commission.
Who gets the Century Mile stalls.
In a closed society where everybody’s guilty, the only crime is getting caught. In a world of thieves, the only final sin is stupidity.
Hunter S. Thompson
I have to give Landry credit for one thing. He is correct that Louisiana racing has maintained a “unique identity.” Unique is not necessarily good.
I do take issue with his statement that Louisiana’s horse racing industry “effectively policed itself for over 200 years.”
That is laugh out loud funny.
Is it really effective policing to allow licensees who allegedly were caught with 742 items the stewards referred to as “contraband” to continue to conduct business as usual? I can’t imagine any state racing commission staying a suspension over alleged violations that serious. There are reasons summary suspensions are issued in matters like this.
TDN – Jeff Landry – Letters To The Editor: Jeff Landry
May you live in interesting times.
Often attributed, never proven.
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Phil has a question:
Did you hear the collective sigh of relief from the New York thoroughbred industry.
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TDN – Over 100 New Yorkers Rally In Support Of Belmont Modernization
Phil has a question:
Is anything more required to explain horse racing’s problems than the number: over 100.
Time to Douse NY’s Horse Racing Burning Pit
Bloodhorse – Pennsylvania Stakeholders Praise Governor’s Budget
Next Week’s Stops on the Road to the 2023 Kentucky Derby 149
Mar 25, 2023
Meydan Racecourse
UAE Derby 100-40-30-20-10
Fair Grounds
Louisiana Derby 100-40-30-20-10
Turfway Park
Jeff Ruby Steaks 100-40-30-20-10
Mar 26, 2023
Sunland Park
Sunland Derby 50-20-15-10-5
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Things are going so well in fact, that Diodoro could have a horse on the Kentucky Derby trail. That would be Airtime, a son of American Freedom who is pointed to the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby after going 2-for-2 this year at Oaklawn.
“We’re pretty excited about him,” Diodoro said.” It’s one step at a time, but he ran a big race and the horse just seems better and better. Ran a big number the other day” in a Feb. 18 optional-claiming allowance he won by 1 1/4 lengths. “Again, one step at a time. But I’m not sure if I’ve been this excited about a horse we claimed in quite a while. So hopefully we can, and got lucky and continue to get a little lucky with him here in the near future.”
Diodoro claimed Airtime for $50,000 for owner Randy Howg after his previous start, a 10 1/4-length win in an optional-claiming starter race at Oaklawn on Jan. 29.
“We’re taking a big swing, but I think the horse deserves it,” Diodoro said. “And we’ve still got another work or two to go before. But the way he worked this past weekend, he’s definitely showing all the signs of deserving another shot at it for sure.”
Horse Racing Nation – Greer – Barn Tour: Diodoro looks to make another Kentucky Derby run
DRF – Hersh – Two Phil’s headed to Turfway for Jeff Ruby
Phil’s Drink ‘n a Flick
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TDN – Secretariat’s Legacy Available Online
Bloodhorse – Byron King – Tapit Trice Advances to Third in Derby Dozen
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Horse Racing Nation – De Rosa – Kentucky Derby 2023: DeRosa’s Fair odds for Forte, 18 rivals
Horse Racing Nation – Kentucky Derby 2023 Contenders
TDN – Bill Finley – Kentucky Oaks Top 10: Strange Year Continues
FiveThirtyEight – Defense Might Win Championships. But These No. 1 Seeds Need More Offense.
The Ringer – The Ringer Staff’s 2023 March Madness Brackets
The Ringer – Sherman – The 2023 March Madness Cinderella Guide
Garden and Gun – Vote Now: The South’s Most Unforgettable College Sports Moments
Sports Business Journal – NCAA Tournament Selection Show on CBS sees uptick in viewers
Front Office Sports – Greenberg – 68M Bettors Expected to Wager $15.5B in Bets for March Madness
The Ringer – Ruiz – The Big-Man Revolution Is Coming for March Madness
Phil has an answer:
FiveThirtyEight – Planos and Neckar – How To Fill Out Your Men’s NCAA Tournament Bracket Like A Pro
Sports Illustrated – Forde – Ten Takeaways From the Men’s NCAA Tournament Bracket
ESPN – Tournament Challenge guide to team mascots, school colors and famous alumni
March is a month without mercy for rabid basketball fans. There is no such thing as a ‘gentleman gambler’ when the Big Dance rolls around. All sheep will be fleeced, all fools will be punished severely… There are no Rules when the deal goes down in the final weeks of March. Even your good friends will turn into monsters.
Hunter S. Thompson
ESPN – Lunardi – 2023 NCAA Tournament Bracketology
ESPN – Men’s Tournament Challenge
CBS – NCAA® March Madness® 2023 Men’s Bracket Games
Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.
Oscar Wilde
Bloodhorse – Top 10 Ways HISA’s ADMC Program Will Change Racing
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The Ringer – Solak – Aaron Rodgers Said He Wanted Clarity. What He Really Wanted Is Control.
Sports Business Journal – Jordan in ‘serious talks’ to sell majority of Hornets
Canada’s National Observer – The collapse of the Very Good Food Company
Phil has a question:
Why does pushing a wheelchair down stairs result in immediate indefinite suspensions, but delivering a gun to a murder gets you a bodyguard.
Phil has a question:
Why are all the tough on crime repressives not willing to admit that to get tough on crime you need to get tough on guns.
Sports Business Journal – Sources: NBA expects tech interest to push media rights price higher
Front Office Sports – ‘Lose My Number:’ The Winners and Losers of Aaron Rodgers Interview
Phil has a question:
When will one of these scribes finally say that Rodgers likes to keep the media in the dark.
TDN – Ross – Facelift in Store for Saratoga, New Synthetic Track for Belmont Park
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Robinson was named as the attending veterinarian in connection with a series of Class 1 positive drug tests from horses trained by then-reigning AQHA champion trainer Judd Kearl and two others. The drug detected was nomifensine, an anti-depressant that has not been legal in the U.S. since the 1980s. Kearl was suspended a total of 19 years by the Texas Racing Commission. Trainers Jose Sanchez and Brian Stroud were suspended four years and one year, respectively.
TDN – Campbell – Mediums Evoke The Jockey’s Fight To Ride
Bloodhorse – Downey – Judge Orders Bettors’ Case Against Baffert to Mediation
Garden and Gun – Florio – Six Ways Southern Gardeners Can Outsmart Climate Change
Bloodhorse – 3-Year-Old Coffeewithchris May Open Eyes Private Terms
Garden and Gin – Roy Blount Jr. Follows His Paper Trail
The Ringer – Ruiz – What Version of Aaron Rodgers Will the Jets Be Getting?
ESPN – Aaron Rodgers says he wants to play for Jets in 2023
Southern Living – Easy Easter Recipes That’ll Have You Volunteering To Host Again Next Year
Taste of Home Kaminski – Who Makes the Best Chocolate Bunny? We Tested 8 to Find Out.
Good Housekeeping – Garrity – 12 Easter Bunny Cakes That’ll Make Your Party Guests Very Hoppy
Phil has a question:
What’s the Easter Bunny’s favourite beer.
Phil has an answer:
A Hoppy IPA.
Phil has a question:
If March 14 if Pi(e) Day, why isn’t March 15 Caesar Salad or Caesar Day.
Et tu, Brute?
Julius Caesar
New York Times – Lidz – At Long Last, a Donkey Family Tree
The Athletic – Kaplan – RSN armageddon? What fans can expect as likely Bally Sports bankruptcy looms
Forbes – Brown – Bally Sports Regional Sports Networks Go Chapter 11; Here’s What Happens Next
Front Office Sports – Perez – Diamond Sports Group Files for Bankruptcy Protection
Sports Business Journal – Ourand – Diamond Sports officially files for bankruptcy
Trump divides his time between working some kind of ‘King Ralph’ angle, and claiming that he’s going to make the U.S. great again by using his business experience. We can only assume that means repeatedly declaring it bankrupt, then changing its name so he can just shake off all the debt.
Frankie Boyle
Sports Illustrated – Orr – The NFL World at His Whim, Aaron Rodgers Remains in His Holding Pattern
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National Post – ‘Disheartening’: 17 wild horses found shot dead near Kamloops, B.C., RCMP says
Bloodhorse – Byron King – KY Sports Betting Passes House, Off to Senate Committee
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Bloodhorse – Kieckhefer – Country Grammer, Powerful Japanese Squad In Dubai Field
ESPN – Cimini – Aaron Rodgers gives Jets wish list of free agents, sources say
Phil has a question:
How many Superbowls did Rogers with with these guys.
How good were the Broncos when they gave their QB too much latitude.
Can those receivers catch in the dark.
ESPN – Wyshynski – Behind the scenes of the ‘Big City Greens Classic’
The Ringer – Chau – Hellooo, Jack!
CNET – Dhillon – Sweets and Desserts Aren’t as Bad as You Think for Your Health
Los Angeles Times – ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ takes best picture Oscar and six others
The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once.
Albert Einstein
The Ringer – Herman – The Oscars Went Back to Being Predictable
The Ringer – Surrey – The Winners and Losers of the 2023 Oscars
TDN – Public To Vote On Works Of Art Celebrating Preakness
TDN – O’Connell Moves Ahead as Winningest Female Trainer
Bloodhorse – O’Connell Becomes Top Female Trainer in North America
Thoroughbred Racing Commentary – Henrietta Knight: New whip rules will make a mockery of racing
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Southern Living – 6 Foods You Shouldn’t Reheat In The Microwave
Phil M Stockmen
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