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Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Captain of Industry

- Jay Privman reports in the Form that Larry Jones replied with a very firm no in response to any attempt by Garrett Gomez to defect to Rags to Riches.

"I've got a commitment, and they made it a week or 10 days ago....I expect them to honor it, and I intend to hold them to it. I'm not going to start looking for a rider now."
So, instead, John Velazquez gets out of his commitment to Slew's Tizzy to ride the filly. "I told him they could get out. If a rider doesn't want to ride my horse, I don't want to make him," said trainer Greg Fox. And I would think that Jones would feel that way too. He could always get Mario Pino to ride. It's a funny part of the game, this business of jockeys trying to get out of commitments when presented with what they perceive as a better opportunity, and the trainers often go along grudgingly. It seems a bit dishonorable to me, but it's business-is-business, and everyone seems to have short memories the next time around.

Pletcher may try Circular Quay on the turf. Any Given Saturday is being pointed to the Dwyer; King of the Roxy to either that or the seven furlong Tom Fool at Belmont. The big summer goal for King of the Roxy is the seven-furlong King’s Bishop Stakes (G1) on August 25 at Saratoga Race Course. [Thoroughbred Times]

- Magna Entertainment may be having problems turning a profit and reducing its debt. But its chairman Frank Stronach is having trouble with neither, thanks to his auto parts company Magna International. Stronach collected more compensation last year than the combined pay of the chief executives of the Big Three North American-based auto makers.
Stronach received $31.29 million for overseeing the auto-parts giant while chief executives Alan Mulally of Ford, Rick Wagoner of General Motors and Tom LaSorda of the Chrysler Group took home the equivalent total of $29.37 million, or $25.9 million (U.S.), in 2006, according to trade journal Automotive News.

Stronach's compensation topped the journal's annual list of the highest paid North American "captains of industry." [Toronto Star]
It was a big night at Yonkers Raceway on Saturday, and not just because the gaming floor was full. The horsemen released a statement noting that the track handled $1 million --actually $1,020,000. That's nice, but not nearly enough to cover the over $1.35 slots-infused million in purses handed out, including the first million dollar race in the track's long history. Southwind Lynx closed from far back to win the Art Rooney Pace, and harness fans and anyone else who wants to see an exciting, if short stretch drive, can do so here.

2 Comments:

Anonymous said...

Good for Larry Jones. I am sure it was not easy for him to toss Pino in favor or GG, but he did it. Pletcher deserves JV on R2R (and I mean that in the negative sense...) for waiting too long. About time somebody took a stand like this. It's not like GG "won't try" on Hard Spun. He just perceived a better chance on R2R, OR, Pletcher asked him to ask. Either way, he belongs on Hard Spun, and Jones deserves a fine jockey for committing to the race early. And though I am all for fast fillies trouncing the boys, R2R is now at a distinct disadvantage. And for his hesitation to run ANY horse (he coulda reserved a jockey on any horse and then switched horses, huh?) and jockeying for jockeys, Pletcher deserves another year of no triple crown wins.

Anonymous said...

GG is a pro and will ride hard if for no other reason than the 60k winning jockey's share.

JV should have honored his commitment, failed to do so for the Derby and now once again. No class.

Why anyone other than Todd would ever ask him to ride in a big race again is beyond me, at least not without a signed contract with a buyout clause.

Million dollar race and the trainer has to scramble for a jock the night before entries, lovely.