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Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Notes - March 28

- Bandini will run in Saturday's Skip Away Handicap at Gulfstream, a stepping stone for the Met Mile at Belmont on May 29.

- Alan Klanfer is the new trainer of Paraneck Stable, replacing Frank Amonte Jr., whose license has been revoked indefinitely according to the Daily Racing Form.

According to the board's rules on drug use, Amonte may have to complete a drug treatment or drug education program before he could regain his license.

Amonte claims he tested positive for Vicodin, a painkiller for which he did not have a prescription. It was unclear whether he tested positive for additional controlled substances. [Daily Racing Form]
- Costa Rica-based gambling website Bodog.com’s offer to sponsor the $5 million Triple Crown bonus was spurned by Triple Crown Productions, whose executive director Ed Seigenfeld told Bloodhorse: "Sponsorship would involve much more than just payment of the bonus permium and we have received no formal offer from that company…..That is not even within the realm of possibility."

Bodog’s flamboyant founder and CEO Calvin Ayre is probably not accustomed to not getting his way. His bio on the Bodog website describes him thusly: “Online entrepreneur, jetsetter, maverick, industry leader. Calvin Ayre is the personification of a new American Dream.” You can find pictures of Calvin hanging out with the likes of Joe Montana, Kelly Hu, Tori Spelling, and Shannon Elizabeth. And even the one and only Chris Berman!

His bio also quotes Calvin as saying: "I came from a place where hard work and humility were prized qualities." With all due respect, it seems that one would hardly describe Calvin as humble. In fact, he recently appeared on the cover of Forbes Magazine’s billionaires issue; this despite the fact that a good deal of his billions have been earned in this country via a business that is illegal here.
Title 18, Section 1084 of the U.S. Code…..forbids using telephones or other communication devices “in interstate or foreign commerce” in order to take bets. “Online gambling, whether it is located offshore or not, is illegal when it comes to the United States and its citizens,” says a U.S. Justice Department official who works on Internet gambling crimes.
…..
Ayre presumably has not just the vice squad but the tax collectors in a huff. While 95% of his sales come from the U.S., the 44-year-old doesn’t pay a nickel in corporate or personal income tax here. Is that legit? Foreigners are supposed to pay federal tax on income derived from U.S. business activities. [Forbes]

2 Comments:

Anonymous said...

...another two-furlong baby race in the opener Wednesday...Ward sends out Erin's Kristina, who was part of a three-horse team dril from the gate on Feb 26 with Yo Joan and Partwithlarryz (Yo Joan won her debut last week)...Erin's Kristina was outrun in that drill by the other two, who matched strides the whole way...that being said, Erin's Kristina had another gate drill with Partywithlarryz a few days ago, and showed improved speed this time, keeping up with him the whole way...Ward uses Tyler Baze again here, and that's who was aboard Yo Joan last week...should be live...and if she does win, then Partywithlarryz will look double-tough when he shows up...definitely something to keep an eye on...

Anonymous said...

...well, Erin's Kristina ($6.00) sped to the lead and never looked back, hitting the wire in 21 2/5 seconds...i believe that's a tad faster than Yo Joan went last week, though i'd have to check...still no sign of Larry Z, he's not entered tomorrow and there's no race on Friday...