Here and There

News a few days ago that Union Rags would be skipping the Preakness and prepping for the Belmont. Matz felt that the two weeks between races was not enough time for his horse to recover.

An interesting opinion especially since Union Rags really didn't "run" very much in his last two races--more like dodged traffic. Could it be that Matz doesn't want to return to the track where the Barbaro tragedy played out? I bet if Union Rags had won the Derby he would have been headed for the Preakness.

Look for a jockey change come Belmont time if Union Rags does indeed enter.

In other news, NPR had a great interview on Thursday with Joe Drape and Walt Bogdanich who wrote the series in the New York Times about the demise (in their opinion) of horse racing. Links to the podcast, NY Times articles and interview here.

I think it was Drape who revealed near the end of the interview the questionable background of trainer Doug O'Neil who saddled the Kentucky Derby winner, I'll Have Another. He has numerous drug violations and has been fined for "milk shaking" horses--a practice that involves inserting a tube down a horse's throat and pouring a mixture of baking soda and other ingredients down his throat. The point being that the infractions happen at every level of the game and there is no way of enforcing the penalties even when they are doled out.

Case in point: Rick Dutrow who has been banned from racing in New York yet still saddles horses. Where oh where is the commissioner this sport so desperately needs?