November, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Scarlet Letter Of Unprofessionalism Cannot Stand’: NYRA Racing Secretary Will Appeal $2,000 Fine

New York Racing Association racing secretary Keith Doleshel will appeal a $2,000 fine for “failing to conduct business in a professional manner,” reports the Thoroughbred Daily News. Doleshel will be represented by attorney Drew Mollica for the appeal against the New York State Gaming Commission's Oct. 20 ruling.

TDN reports that the fine dealt with an incident at Saratoga in which an unauthorized agent was allowed to claim a horse; a claimant must be both licensed by the NYSGC and registered with The Jockey Club.

“Anyone who knows Mr. Doleshel during his tenure at NYRA knows that he always conducts business in a professional manner,” Mollica told TDN, “and he denies that he has not done so in this case. He has never been able to confront this charge, because he has never been told what he did wrong. As such, the scarlet letter of unprofessionalism cannot stand and we must appeal.”

“Mr. Doleshel had a confident person acting as the claims clerk,” said Mollica. “A mistake may have been made in the office or by The Jockey Club, but it had nothing to do with him acting unprofessionally.”

Read more at the Thoroughbred Daily News.

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Top Dog: Fastest Harness Horse In History, Bulldog Hanover Goes Out On Top

Appearing for the final time in his history-making career, “The Bulldog” was best in show once more.

Bulldog Hanover, who electrified the sport this season with his speed and personality, romped to victory in Saturday's (Nov. 26) $345,000 TVG Series Open Pace championship by 2-1/4 lengths over Tattoo Artist in a stakes record 1:47.3 at the Meadowlands. Abuckabett Hanover finished third.

The winning time lowered the previous stakes record of 1:48, first set by Sweet Lou in 2014 and equaled by McWicked in 2018, by two-fifths of a second.

It took Bulldog Hanover three-eighths of a mile to get the lead from This Is The Plan, who brought the field to the opening quarter in :26.1. But once he was on top, there was no looking back. Bulldog Hanover and driver Dexter Dunn hit the half in :54.2 and three-quarters in 1:21.3 on their way to the career-ending triumph.

“Week after week, he puts those kinds of runs in,” said Dunn, who gave several fist pumps crossing the finish line. “He doesn't do it easy. He was working in that first turn; he was (outside) in hot speed and I just carried on with him. He's got all the power. It was an amazing performance tonight and a great way to go out for him.”

The win was Bulldog Hanover's 14th in 16 races this year and pushed his seasonal earnings to $1.64 million for Canadian-based trainer Jack Darling, who owns the 4-year-old stallion with Brad Grant. For his career, the Hanover Shoe Farms-bred son of Shadow Play-BJ's Squall won 28 of 37 starts and earned $2.41 million.

In July, also at the Meadowlands, Bulldog Hanover became the fastest horse in harness racing history when he won the William R. Haughton Memorial in 1:45.4.

He retires with four of the nine fastest race miles in history and a record total of six wins in under 1:47. Among those were two Canadian record-equaling 1:46.4 victories at Woodbine Mohawk Park, most recently in the Breeders Crown last month.

“I'll remember this season with him for the rest of my life,” Dunn said. “It's hard to come by horses like this and it's an amazing ride once you do it. Thanks to Brad and Jack and (caretaker) Johnny (Mallia) for letting me sit behind him. It's been great.”

Following the victory celebration, Bulldog Hanover was given a retirement ceremony in the Meadowlands winner's circle.

“He's just been tremendous as a racehorse,” Darling said during the ceremony. “He has a way of pulling at your heartstrings. Warming up tonight, going on the track, it was very emotional. He's just that kind of a horse. He's so classy, he has the personality; he's just a special horse.”

Darling put Bulldog Hanover in the care of trainer Noel Daley when the horse raced at the Meadowlands during the summer, so Darling watched Bulldog Hanover's record 1:45.4 mile from home. When asked to reflect upon that performance, Darling said, “I was just happy he won the race. I wasn't even thinking about the time, and when they flashed the time up, my wife and I jumped 10 feet in the air.”

Bulldog Hanover closed his career by winning 18 of his last 20 races. In addition to the Haughton and Breeders Crown, his triumphs this year included the Canadian Pacing Derby, Dan Patch Stakes, Dayton Derby, Harrah's Hoosier Park Pacing Derby, Graduate Series final, and a division of the Roll With Joe.

He will head to full-time stallion duty at Seelster Farms in 2023. He bred 79 mares this year prior to racing.

“He's going to a good life, and he's right close by so we can see him anytime we want,” Darling said.

Grant said the journey with Bulldog Hanover was “an amazing ride.” Grant also was among the owners of trotting mare Atlanta, who also had a retirement ceremony Saturday night at the Meadowlands following her performance in the TVG Series Mares Trot.

“They both seem to have huge fan bases,” Grant said about the two outgoing stars. “They're going to be missed on the track, but they'll be in the breeding barn, so in the years to come, they'll be remembered.”

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Collmus Call For CARMA: Fans Can Join Larry Collmus In Announcer’s Booth At Del Mar

It's not every day you get to meet a famous track announcer, let alone one who has called the Kentucky Derby, the Breeders' Cup and a Triple Crown. But you can now at Del Mar.

Collmus Call for CARMA is in full swing this fall. It's the opportunity for fans to sit in with Del Mar track announcer Larry Collmus while he calls a race. The special event raises money for CARMA, the California Retirement Management Account, a non-profit that provides funding for the rehabilitation, retraining and/or retirement of California-raced Thoroughbred horses.

For $100 fans get a stretch run box seat, track admission and a racing program. Plus they get to meet and greet Collmus and actually stand in the announcer's booth on top of the grandstand while he calls the third race of the day. It's a unique experience for any race fan.

Tracy and Chris Corner of Woodside, a small horse community up in the Bay Area, took advantage of the opportunity Saturday. Since Collmus called the races at Golden Gate Fields and the fair circuit for four years, the three swapped stories about the mule races held at Pleasanton.

“It's cool for us to meet Larry,” Chris gives as their reason for participating in Collmus Call for CARMA. “Larry Collmus called the American Pharoah Triple Crown. I was waiting for that Triple Crown forever. But also we were very attracted to fact that this is for CARMA. The money doesn't matter because I like where it's going. It's going back to where it should, to the horses.”

The Corners said the experience was everything they hoped for.

“We will do this again if you guys keep doing this,” Chris says, “Del Mar is our favorite because of everything you do here. Last night we walked to dinner in our sandals in November. Any kind of benefit that Del Mar comes up with that gives the money to aftercare, and it's something fun like this, would be something we would continue to do.”

Collmus for CARMA was actually Larry Collmus' idea.

“We did this at Saratoga when I was calling there,” Collmus says. “I thought it would be a great idea to bring it here and it seems like it's working out well.”

Collmus says he loves the interaction with the fans.

“I've always enjoyed meeting different people,” he says. “Sometimes you get people who don't go to the track that often. Then you have this couple (the Corners) who are more familiar with racing. I think it's great to have people come up (to his booth). Obviously it's for a terrific cause and hopefully we can keep people coming.”

It's easy to be a part of a Collmus Call for CARMA. Just contact the Del Mar ticket office at dmtc.com/tickets or call 858-792-4242

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NYRA Racing Secretary Doleshel to Appeal Fine

Keith Doleshel, fined $2,000 by the New York Gaming Commission for “failing to conduct business in a professional manner,” will appeal that ruling before the commission, and has retained attorney Drew Mollica to represent him, according to Mollica.

The ruling stemmed from an incident at Saratoga in which an unauthorized agent was allowed to claim a horse this past summer. The New York State rules of racing require that an individual be licensed with the Gaming Commission and registered with The Jockey Club. After the claim, NYRA officials informed the Gaming Commission of the error, and Doleshel was fined on October 20.

The fine was one of four levied upon NYRA employees this year: Doleshel was fined $2,000 in April after a horse not fully registered as a New York-bred competed in two New York-bred races; NYRA Senior Vice President of Racing Frank Gabriel was fined $4,000 for failure to follow proper claiming protocol, and clocker Richie Gazer was fined $2,500 for reporting the half-mile time of a five-furlong workout.

“Keith Doleshel is a valued employee who conducts himself with a high degree of professionalism at all times,” said NYRA's Vice President of Communications Pat McKenna. “He has every right to appeal this decision, and NYRA continues to question the rationale for issuing significant financial penalties for alleged errors that are inadvertent and administrative or clerical in nature.”

“Anyone who knows Mr. Doleshel during his tenure at NYRA knows that he always conducts business in a professional manner,” said Mollica, “and he denies that he has not done so in this case. He has never been able to confront this charge, because he has never been told what he did wrong. As such, the scarlet letter of unprofessionalism cannot stand and we must appeal.”

“Mr. Doleshel had a competent person acting as the claims clerk,” said Mollica. “A mistake may have been made in the office or by The Jockey Club, but it had nothing to do with him acting unprofessionally.”

The post NYRA Racing Secretary Doleshel to Appeal Fine appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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