Owen, Dascombe Part Ways

Trainer Tom Dascombe will leave Michael Owen's Manor House Stables after a 12-year stint.

Dascombe's greatest success during his Manor House tenure came when winning the G1 Irish St Leger with Brown Panther (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}), the popular stayer raced by Owen and Andrew Black whose numerous group wins also included the G2 Goodwood Cup and G2 Dubai Gold Cup and placings in the G1 St Leger and G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. On the opposite end of the distance spectrum, Dascombe trained Angel Alexander (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) to win the Ayr Gold Cup, and Kachy (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}), a group-winning sprinter who placed behind the likes of Blue Point (Ire), Battaash (GB) and Quiet Reflection (GB).

Owen said in a statement, “After more than 12 years as trainer, Tom Dascombe will be leaving Manor House Stables in the new year. We have shared many great times and races together and created memories that will last a lifetime. I would like to place on record my own personal thanks for all his hard work and support over the years. We part on great terms and everyone at MHS will miss him and wishes him the very best for the future.”

“Colin Gorman and the rest of the MHS team will naturally oversee things once Tom departs and it will be very much business as usual until we appoint Tom's replacement,” Owen added.

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Online Casinos For Those Who Like BlackJack.

Real casinos provide Black Jack players with different sets of rules plus different bonuses. Can on-line casinos compete with real casinos in respect of game variety? Normally, every on-line casino has Black Jack with its sets of rules. For example, casinos with Microgaming and Cryptologic software offer players up to eight different variations of rules. However, some on-line casinos offer various special games based on Black Jack rules. You will find interesting to familiarize and try these games, moreover the advantages of casinos compared to them are very weak.

Double exposure Black Jack
Double exposure Black Jack is available in Microgaming and RTG software on-line casinos. In this kind of Black Jack both cards of a dealer are dealt face up to compensate this advantage of the player, the dealer wins all ties except for Black Jack. The rest of the game based on the rules of Black Jack, and variations may exist in respect of the number of splits, combinations allowed to double, etc.
The advantage of casinos with the standard rules of this game is about 0.7%.

Pontoon
Pontoon is available in Cryptologic and RTG software on-line casinos. In contrast to ordinary Black Jack the player has much more opportunities to double plus the rule of five cards with double paying works out, on the other hand, the dealer’s cards are dealt face down therefore indefiniteness rises and ties are not in the favour of the dealer. More detailed rules of the game are the following: The game is played with pack of 52 cards, the nominal value of cards is the same as in Black Jack. The hierarchy of combinations is the following:
1. Pontoon (the same as Black Jack);
2. Five cards combination (five cards without bust);
3. Combination of cards comprising not more than 21 points, the closer to 21 the better
4. Bust (more than 21 points);
The dealer deals two cards face up to the player and two cards to himself face down with pontoon check. The game of the dealer is the same as his game in Black Jack: he should take up to 17 and remain on 5 cards or over 16 (except for soft 17).
The player has more opportunities: splits are left enabling to one re-split. An opportunities arises for doubling with any quantity of cards, at the same time, the player can continue to buy even after doubling. In contrast to Black Jack the player should buy a card (double) while having not less than 15 points.
As in Black Jack after taking cards the player and dealer compare hands. If the player has extra cards, he loses the game automatically. Pontoon or Five cards combination in case of gain is paid 2:1, other winning combinations are paid 1:1. In case of a tie the dealer wins. There is no insurance or by-bets.
With the game based on optimal strategy which is simpler than that of Black Jack. The total advantage of on-line casinos is 0.17%.

Caribbean 21
Caribbean 21 is so far available only in RTG software on-line casinos. The is played with one pack of cards, in contrast to Black Jack:
1. Ace is always one point;
2. The combination of an ace and two 10 points cards is called Caribbean 21 and is paid 3:2 to the player for the primary bet (but not for the double bets);
3. The player can double on any cards as many times as he wants after doubling it is possible to buy several times;
4. The player can split any two cards;
5. The player can give in at any time at the same time losing the half of available bets;
6. The dealer wins all ties;
7. Initially the dealer deals himself only one card face up;
8. If the dealer has an open ace, the player can have Caribbean 21 insurance, the insurance is paid 9:1
With the game based on optimal strategy advantage of on-line casinos is not more than 0.2%.

Spanish 21
Spanish 21 is so far available only in RTG software on-line casinos.
The game is played with six-eight “Spanish” packs of cards, 10 are removed from a pack (only 10s, queens, jacks and kings are left). As the less quantity of 10s in a pack is in favour the dealer, the player has the following bonuses:
1. 21 of the player always wins, as well as Black Jack of the player beats Black Jack of the dealer;
2. The player can double with any number of cards;
3. The player can double and buy after split of aces;
4. The player can give in after doubling;
5. 5-cards 21s are paid 3:2;
6. 6-cards 21s are paid 3:1;
7. 6-7-8 and 7-7-7 different suits are paid 3:2, of the same suits are paid 2:1 and spades are paid 3:1;
With the game based on optimal strategy advantage of on-line casinos is not more than 0.4%.

Super Fun 21
Super Fun 21 can only be found in RTG and Microgaming software on-line casinos. The game has a range of positive differences from standard Black Jack in favour of the player, to compensate it casinos pay Black Jack to the player 1:1. The difference is the following:
1. The player can split up to 4 times;
2. It is possible to double with any number of cards, including after split;
3. After split of aces it is possible to split, buy and double them;
4. The player can give in at any time of the game for a half of a bet (including after split);
5. 20 or less points of the player with 6 cards win automatically if there were no splits;
6. 21 points with 5 cards are paid 2:1 if there were no splits;
7. Black Jack always wins;
8. Black Jack of diamonds is paid 2:1 (all the rest are paid 1:1)
With the game based on these rules the advantage of on-line casinos is not more than 0.75%.

Black Jack Switch
Black Jack Switch is available in PlayTech software on-line casinos
In contrast to the standard Black Jack the player makes two similar bets and he gets at the same time two hands, the dealer gets two ordinary cards. The player can switch upper cards between hands (for example in one hand we have 6, 10 and in the other hand we have 10 and 5. We change place of 10 and 5 and we get instead of two bad hands two good hands: 6,5 and 10,10). The basic rules are the same as in standard Black Jack: there is doubling on two cards, one split and it is possible to double after split. To compensate the change advantage of the player the dealer gets the following bonuses:
1. The dealer does not make Black Jack check;
2. Black Jack of the player is paid 1:1;
3. If the dealer gathers 22, it is considered a tie against any not fired hand of the player, except for Black Jack;
The basic strategy of the game is rather complicated, however, if the player follows these rules, he diminishes the advantage of on-line casinos to 0.05%.

Judge Orders NYRA To Pay $106K In Baffert’s Legal Fees In Ongoing Civil Suit

U.S. District Judge Carol Bagley Amon has ordered the New York Racing Association (NYRA) to pay $106,457.50 in legal fees and $2,667.31 in expenses incurred by trainer Bob Baffert in an ongoing legal battle between the two. Baffert brought suit against NYRA after the racing organization banned him from its tracks following Baffert's announcement that Medina Spirit had tested positive for betamethasone after the Kentucky Derby.

In May, Judge Amon granted a preliminary injunction against NYRA, preventing the organization from enforcing its ban while the lawsuit is still pending. NYRA had argued that such reimbursement for legal costs was premature since Baffert had won a preliminary injunction but not the lawsuit itself. Judge Amon did not agree with that argument, pointing to other cases in which a plaintiff won a preliminary injunction but did not prevail in pursuit of a permanent injunction.

Judge Amon's ruling indicated that Baffert has agreed not to seek damages related to this portion of the case.

The ruling weighed the experience of each of the attorneys working on Baffert's case, as well as the billing records about the number of hours they've spent on the case so far, to determine whether the amount he requested is reasonable. According to the judge's opinion, Baffert's primary attorney, Craig Robertson, has billed him at a rate of $475 per hour. She did not award the full amount Baffert was seeking, based on an opinion that the rates in some cases were higher than the average range or that some of the work was duplicative.

The post Judge Orders NYRA To Pay $106K In Baffert’s Legal Fees In Ongoing Civil Suit appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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GGF Fatalities Down Overall, but November Spike Concerns CHRB

Golden Gate Fields twice came within one vote Wednesday of having its upcoming December-June license to conduct racing either curtailed or not granted at all because of California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) concerns over a recent four-horse uptick in equine fatalities.

The meet was eventually approved by a 4-3 vote, with CHRB chairman Gregory Ferraro, DVM, casting the deciding vote and pledging that he will be personally responsible for making sure Golden Gate executives understand that the “or else” consequences of not having a better safety record could mean the suspension of racing or a loss of license.

The polite but tense debate Dec. 15 unfolded against the backdrop of Golden Gate actually having fewer equine fatalities from racing and training so far in 2021 (17) than in 2020 (19).

When Golden Gate's license was up for renewal at this time last year, equine fatalities were a non-issue in the voting.

The difference this year has to do with the recency of some of the deaths. Of the 17 on the year so far, four of them have occurred since Nov. 14. The last previous training death at Golden Gate had been in September; the last previous racing death in May, according to stats on the CHRB website.

The highly charged topic also is reflective of the industry-wide heightened sense of awareness about equine safety.

CHRB vice-chair Oscar Gonzales pre-empted the vote for Golden Gate's full six-month license by suggesting a shorter three-month license would better allow the CHRB to “monitor the situation as closely as we can.”

Gonzales continued: “There' something going on here, and all I'm asking is allow for there to be a watchful eye on what transpires over the next three months, and then they will come back before us and we will then determine whether they're fit to have racing. And if not, we seek other alternatives.”

His argument had echoes of the CHRB's December 2020 meeting, at which Gonzales pushed hard for granting Los Alamitos Race Course only a six-month Quarter Horse license instead of for a full year over concerns that Los Al's management wasn't doing enough to mitigate the 29 equine deaths that occurred at the track in 2020.

Last year, the CHRB initially voted 5-1 to slice Los Al's licensure in half. Los Al's executives at first threatened closure of the track over the way that license was awarded.

But when the board next convened in January 2021, it restored the full license by a 4-3 vote after a more conciliatory Los Al management implemented a more comprehensive equine safety plan. Since those changes have been made, there have been just 11 racing and training deaths at Los Al so far in 2021.

Commissioner Dennis Alfieri didn't buy Gonzales's line of reasoning.

“I think this is totally different than Los Alamitos, quite frankly,” Alfieri said.

In contrast to what had been perceived as a lack of a safety game plan by Los Al, Alfieri said that The Stronach Group (TSG), which owns both Golden Gate and Santa Anita Park in California, has demonstrated “integrity” by continually investing in equine safety measures.

“[TSG is] all over this. This is not just 'business as usual,'” Alfieri said. He likened the recent four-horse spike in deaths to “accidents” as opposed to some glaring safety defect that TSG is not remedying.

Alfieri also pointed out that track operators in the state are well aware their safety records are examined microscopically by the CHRB.

“The reforms that we've made, and the pressure that we've put on these facilities throughout the state, it has their full attention,” Alfieri said.

Alfieri also noted that it's already within the CHRB's power to halt racing by a vote over safety concerns. He advocated for granting the full six-month license to Golden Gate “so things are organized properly,” and with the stipulation that the CHRB will be reassessing the situation every time it meets monthly.

“I don't understand what three months does. I say let's monitor it every 30 days, and then come back immediately if we see that there's a pattern of serious problems,” Alfieri said.

Ferraro pointed out that he, CHRB executive director Scott Chaney, and equine medical director Jeff Blea already visited Golden Gate last week to meet with trainers and track executives over the fatalities.

“So it's not like we're not doing anything,” Ferraro said. “We can always stop racing. We have the ability to do that. So unless we see some improvement, we can come back and…make a motion to stop racing.”

Both Gonzales and commissioner Wendy Mitchell expressed doubts that the board could actually come up with enough votes to halt racing if it had to, because the severity of the safety issues will always be subjective for each commissioner.

“We're not doing anything to address these deaths that we are seeing,” Mitchell said. “I'm concerned that we're kind of moving past it even though we see something happening.

“Commissioner Alfieri may be absolutely right that if there is a big problem we'll have the vote,” Mitchell continued. “But why are we going to take the risk at this point ahead of something even more catastrophic happening instead of just giving them a shorter license?”

Gonzales's motion on granting Golden Gate just a three-month license failed, 4-3. He, Mitchell and commissioner Brenda Washington Davis voted for it. Commissioners Alex Solis, Damascus Castellanos, Alfieri and Ferraro voted against it.

When Alfieri moved the question for a full six-month meet, the vote carried 4-3 with the same alignment of commissioners.

Upon casting the deciding vote, Ferraro said, “I'm sorry. I take into account Mr. Gonzales's concerns and Ms. Mitchell's concerns. [But] I think you can count on Mr. Chaney and myself and Dr. Blea to make an extra effort to turn things around at Golden Gate.”

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