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Potts, Vazquez Among Trainers Denied NYRA Stalls

Six trainers, including Wayne Potts and Juan Vazquez, have been informed by NYRA officials that they will no longer be allowed to stable at Belmont Park and that their horses must be off the grounds by Wednesday. However, all six will still be permitted to race at the NYRA tracks, at least for the time being.

The story was first reported by the Daily Racing Form's David Grening.

NYRA's decision to not outright ban the trainers stems from a ruling issued in the Bob Baffert matter last July by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. The court ruled that trainers cannot be banned at the NYRA tracks without due process, starting with a formal statement of charges. Denying or revoking stalls may not fall under the same guidelines. It was not known Friday whether or not NYRA will eventually take the steps that would be required to ban any or all of the six trainers.

The other trainers notified that they would no longer be permitted to stable at the NYRA tracks are Marvin Richardson, Luis Miranda, John McAllen and Michael Simmonds. In addition, Bonnie Lucas, an assistant to Potts, was also denied stalls, which she applied for after Potts' stall application was denied.

“NYRA retains the exclusive right and discretion to grant, deny, revoke, or reduce stall space for licensed trainers at its properties,” NYRA spokesman Pat McKenna said in a statement. “Following the completion of the stall application process for the 2022 spring meet at Aqueduct Racetrack and 2022 spring/summer meet at Belmont Park, NYRA has denied stall allocations to trainers Wayne Potts, Juan Vazquez, Marvin Richards, John McAllen, Luis Miranda and Michael Simmonds. The trainers were notified of this decision earlier this week and will be required to vacate their current stalls or transfer horses under their care by Mar. 30. Bonnie Lucas, an assistant to Potts, submitted a stall application following the denial of stalls to Potts and her application was rejected.”

The statement continued: “No matter the point of origin, all horses shipping in to race at NYRA tracks are subject to the same level of health and safety scrutiny as horses stabled on NYRA property. These protocols are effective in mitigating risk, enhancing equine safety, and protecting the integrity of the sport in New York.”

Potts and Lucas were suspended last year for 30 days by the New Jersey Racing Commission, which charged that they defied a request from a state veterinarian to have a horse vanned off the track following a claiming race. Both have appealed. Potts also ran afoul of authorities during last year's Saratoga meet when it was alleged he violated rules regarding a claim, which resulted in a 30-day suspension. The New York Gaming Commission charged that the horse, Mach One (Air Force Blue), was claimed by Potts' owners Frank Catapano and Nicholas Primpas by trainer Amira Chichakly and then transferred to Potts. Potts claimed another horse from the same race and trainers are not allowed to claim more than one horse in any given race. Additionally, Potts was banned from the Maryland tracks in 2020 amid allegations that he was a paper trainer for Marcus Vitali.

Potts won a career-best 61 races last year and was the leading trainer at Monmouth. He said he has 47 horses in New York and plans to relocate them to a training center in New Jersey.

“I was shocked when they told me I wasn't being allocated stalls,” Potts said. “I supported the NYRA circuit strong the last two winters when they have short fields. If this is an act to clean things up, there are other people that should be gone before myself. I don't have a whole list of mediation violations. I have done some stupid things in life, but there are other people there that have done much worse than I have.”

When asked if he fears NYRA will eventually ban him outright, Potts said: “I don't think that will happen. I had a meeting today with the racing secretary and with Frank Gabriel. They said I am still free to enter and I can conduct my business as I was before. That's what I'm going to continue to do.”

Vazquez received two consecutive 15-day suspensions from the Pennsylvania Racing Commission after two of his horses tested positive for the dewormer levamisole in races at last year at Parx. One, Hollywood Talent (Talent Search), tested positive after winning the GIII Turf Monster S. at odds of 108-1. Vazquez has filed an appeal. Vazquez has numerous suspensions and violations on his record. In one ruling, issued in 2017 in Pennsylvania, it was noted that Vazquez had eight drug positives during a 23-month period. Vazquez, who did not return a phone call seeking comment, is fifth in the Aqueduct trainer standings.

While Potts and Vasquez are prominent trainers, the others are not. Richards is 0-for-6 on the year and has won only five races in a career that began in 2017. He is facing a suspension of up to one-year from the New Jersey Racing Commission after his horse, Awesomenewyear (New Year's Day) tested positive for the prohibited medications oxazepam and ibuprofen following a Sept. 3 race at Monmouth. He has six horses stabled in New York.

“That would be something that is easy for NYRA to lean on,” Richards said of the drug positives in New Jersey. “They can say you have a positive so we're not going to give you stalls. I can't say for sure that's what it is. It might be. I'm still at Belmont, so they haven't kicked me off the racetrack yet. Where am I going to go? I'll have find a place where I can put my horses up. I'll have to try to get stalls elsewhere. It will be a great inconvenience. I live right next to [Belmont]. I don't even want to think of not being at Belmont.”

The Racing Form, citing sources, reported that McAllen was denied stalls for allegedly demonstrating an inability to properly care for his horses. He is 2-for-54 on the year and said he has 12 horses at Belmont.

“If someone wanted to come and see my horses I'd have no problem showing them to you,” McAllen said. “They are 100% perfect.”

McAllen said he will look for stall space somewhere before eventually taking his stable to Monmouth Park.

Miranda has won with just 4 percent of his career starters and is 2-for-94 since 2020. Simmonds is 1-for-19 on the year after going 2 for 75 last year. It was not immediately clear why those trainers were denied stalls.

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MATCH Series Returns in 2022

The Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championships Series (MATCH) returns for a 9th season with a $2.2 million stakes schedule that spans April 16 through Oct. 3 and more than $400,000 in bonus money for owners, trainers and breeders. The Series, a competition among horses in four divisions, is designed to identify the best horses, and their owners and trainers, in the Mid-Atlantic region. It will be contested this year at Laurel Park, Hollywood at Penn Gaming, Colonial Downs and Parx, with Parx hosting this year's Championship Day.

Horses competing in MATCH earn points based on participation and order of finish in each series race, and the leading point-earners in each of the series divisions, as well as the owner and trainer of the overall points leader, win lucrative bonuses. The four divisions are 3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint—Dirt; Filly and Mare Sprint—Dirt; 3-Year-Olds and Up Long—Turf; and Filly and Mare Long—Turf. There will be five stakes in each division for a total of 20.

“MATCH is very popular with the horsemen in the Mid-Atlantic and we are grateful for the horsemen's organizations and tracks who continue to support and promote the Series,” said Alan Foreman, creator of MATCH and Chairman of the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association.

“The stakes program at Parx in recent years has grown in monetary value, stature and interest, and we continue to look for opportunities to create event days for our on-track patrons and our growing simulcast audience,” said Joe Wilson, Chief Operating Officer of Parx Racing. “Hosting the MATCH Series Championship Day on a Monday afternoon this year fits in with those objectives.”

“We are very excited to participate this year and host Championship Day,” Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association President Sal DeBunda said.

“Colonial Downs is honored to host four MATCH Series stakes worth a total of $600,000 for 2022,” said Jill Byrne, Vice President of Racing Operations for Colonial. “The value of these races was certainly recognized again last season with top multiple stakes winners such as Cordmaker and Just Might providing popular victories here in Virginia.

The bonus money distribution for 2022 offers up to $92,500 per division and $30,000 for the overall champion by points. For each division, first place pays $30,000 to the owner and $15,000 to the trainer; for second, $20,000/$10,000; and for third, $10,000/$7,500. For the overall champion, the owner receives an additional $20,000 and the trainer $10,000.

The 2021 champion was Hillwood Stable's Cordmaker, who competed in all six legs of the Series. The gelding won three MATCH stakes, collected 49 points and earned his connections $60,000 in bonus funds.

The Maryland Horse Breeders Association, Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association and Virginia Thoroughbred Association have each agreed to offer $5,000 bonuses to breeders based on the performances of horses in the series for a potential total of $30,000. Pennsylvania and Virginia will recognize the top male and female state-bred runners by overall points earned, while Maryland will award bonuses to the top Maryland-bred and Maryland-sired runners by overall points earned.

The 2022 participating organizations are the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, Pennsylvania THA, Pennsylvania Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, Parx Racing, Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course, Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, 1/ST Racing, Maryland THA, Laurel Park, Maryland Horse Breeders Association, Colonial Downs, Virginia HBPA and Virginia Thoroughbred Association.

For further information, contact Alan Foreman at 410-336-0525; David Richardson at 410-984-2770; or Tom LaMarra at 859-492-8365

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Suspension Is Up, But Parx Won’t Let Sanchez Ride

Mychel Sanchez's 60-day suspension for betting against himself is about to end, but that doesn't mean the jockey will be back in action any time soon. After being suspended for 60 days by the Pennsylvania Racing Commission, Sanchez is eligible to ride Tuesday, but Parx management did not allow trainers to name him on horses on Wednesday when entries were taken for next Tuesday's card.

“We tried to name him on horses for Tuesday after his suspension ends and they would not accept anyone naming him on a horse,” said Sanchez's attorney Alan Pincus.

Pincus added that he was not given any indication as to how long the ban from Parx would be in place.

Joe Wilson, Parx's chief operating officer, did not return a phone call Wednesday seeking comment and clarification.

Sanchez's status in Maryland is up in the air. After it was reported that Sanchez had placed bets against himself, The Stronach Group (TSG), which operates Laurel, announced that it would not allow Sanchez to ride at its tracks. Aidan Butler, TSG's chief operating answer, said via text that a final decision on Sanchez's status has yet to be reached. The first day Sanchez could possibly ride at Laurel is Mar. 25.

“No decision has been made yet,” Butler wrote. “I want my management to speak to him before any decision is made. It's a pretty serious deal.”

Sanchez was suspended in January after it was discovered that his recent betting activity, which included wagers of as much as $6,000 a race, included, during a brief period that started last December, at least six instances in which he bet on a horse going up against his own mount. The bets were placed in races at Parx and at Laurel and the racing commissions in both states suspended him for 60 days and ordered him to seek counseling for a gambling problem. The suspensions ran concurrently.

Ordinarily, a jockey would likely receive a suspension of well more than two months if caught betting against himself. But Pincus successfully argued that Sanchez was not trying to fix races and instead went on a gambling spree as a means to deal with his depression.

Pincus said that under Pennsylvania rules anyone barred at a track is entitled to a hearing, which he has requested.

“Obviously, Mychel is disappointed,” he said. “We went before two sets of impartial stewards [at Parx and at Laurel] who decided the penalty should be a total of two months. We trust their judgment. They are the only ones who have heard the actual facts of the case. We are eager to be able to explain the situation to the commission.”

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Behind the Lens: Bill Denver

New Jersey native Bill Denver is today's subject in TDN's rotating series profiling racetrack photographers. We ask about memorable horses, races, and people they've viewed through the lens, and also talk about how the craft of equine imagery has evolved.

Denver, 60, is the founder of Equi-Photo, which currently shoots the races and provides winner's circle photographs at Monmouth Park, the Meadowlands Thoroughbred meet, Parx, and Penn National.

Separate from his work at East Coast tracks, Denver has previously freelanced for college athletic departments and numerous newspapers, including the New York Daily News, and he also shoots for corporate clients that range from hospitals to power plants. His nearly five-decade portfolio includes everything from space shuttle launches to the Triple Crown.

In an interview that has been edited for clarity and brevity, Denver began by telling how he had to travel far from his Jersey roots before coming back home to find his professional calling.

TDN: How did you first become interested in photography?

BD: I really got into it on a cross-country bicycle trip I did back when I was 22 years old. I rode a bike from my home in New Jersey with the intention of going straight across to Oregon. But when I got out to western Wyoming, I headed up through Yellowstone, then decided to go up to Glacier National Park. I continued on, crossing the Continental Divide eight times, believe it or not.

And then I went into Canada, and kept going through to British Columbia, then down to Seattle. I eventually did end up down in Oregon. Then I just said, “Ah, I'll just keep going,” so I went all the way to San Francisco. It ended up being 5,000 miles in two months. And I took a lot of photos, all across America–a great way to see the country.

TDN: Once you got bitten by the photography bug, how did it lead you to the track?

BD: I grew up in Rumson, right near Monmouth Park. I had gone there with my parents when I was a kid, and I just thought it would be a neat place to work. So in 1984, I went over to see [track photographer] Jim Raftery of Turfotos, and he ended up hiring me.

But Jim ended up hiring me to work at Atlantic City Race Course, even though I actually wanted to work at Monmouth. At that time, back in the early 1980s, Monmouth ran on weekends in April. So he brought me in for two weekends to train me, and then he said, “OK, you're in charge–at Atlantic City,” where Turfotos also shot.

So I kind of got thrown into the frying pan down at Atlantic City. It was night racing, five nights a week, and then I would help Jim at Monmouth for the bigger races. It was like a 90-mile drive, but Jim used to have a camper he would haul up from Florida and leave in Atlantic City, and I would stay in that. Then in the winters, I would go down and help out at Hialeah and Gulfstream.

In 1988, I took over at Monmouth. Then Meadowlands followed. And then Suffolk Downs, from 1992 until 2001. Then I did Gulfstream from 1995 until 2007. That was the year that my son, Ryan, was entering high school. And I figured that was enough of being away all the time.

TDN: And now Ryan has followed you into the business, sharing the workload at Monmouth. How old was he when he first showed an interest?

BD: He's been doing this for years, way before Monmouth hosted the Breeders' Cup in 2007. My daughter, Jessica, also helped for many years, but she's a mom now, so she really isn't involved anymore. Ryan started out when he was nine, and he's been doing it on and off for years–he's 28 now. I'll just never forget him helping out during the massive rainstorms during that '07 Breeders' Cup, just drying cameras and equipment, non-stop.

I was asked in 2017 to join the Eclipse Sportswire team that shoots at the Breeders' Cup. And then Ryan got asked the next year, so we both have been able to shoot that event together the last few years. Ryan's been doing really well and is enjoying it.

TDN: About those the monsoon conditions at Monmouth's first and only Breeders' Cup–how does a professional photographer work under such adverse elements?

BD: Your strategy changes. Obviously, it goes from having a plethora of ideas of where you're going to shoot to, “What's the most important shot and how do I keep the cameras working?” That's the main thing. It just was finish line, winner's circle, dry the cameras in the scale house. I just got stuck out there. If you don't keep those cameras dry, they're going to fail on you, and you don't want to miss anything shooting the Breeders' Cup.

TDN: You've now been shooting trackside for nearly 40 years. What have been the big game-changers in photography during that span?

BD: It all does come back to the transition from film to digital photography, whether it be in the printing or the editing. Or in the way we save photos–we don't have boxes of negatives anymore. It's all on hard drives, which makes it more mobile.

I'm finding that the ability to do things remotely is great–like if I don't go out to Penn one night, I can just check in with my staff and see the photos, or even post them on social media from our archives. That's something you could never do years ago. I think of way back when, we used to transport a whole, full-color darkroom down to Florida and back on a U-Haul.

TDN: Conveniences aside, do you ever pine for the aesthetics of film photography? I know some photographers say film produces richer prints with better color and contrast.

BD: I don't really feel that way. If I go out in the morning, it really doesn't matter if it's film or digital to me. Digital makes it a lot easier to see what you're getting, and you get a lot more shots. You can go right back [to the office] and see it on a screen. So that makes life easier. I see a lot of photographers now who are shooting film, but they end up scanning it anyway to try and do a digital image. I don't really see any disadvantage with digital as far as that's concerned.

TDN: How much of your time is spent managing Equi-Photo versus actually shooting? What's the ideal balance?

BD: Obviously, I have to manage the business, but I do still get out and shoot a lot. I always wish I had more time to shoot. But I keep a pretty good balance; the exact ratio I'm not sure of. I do go out and shoot a lot of races, edit a lot of photos, and things like that when it comes to publicity.

That's one of the things I want to stress: We've always made it a point, right from the beginning, how important it is to publicize racing and to publicize the tracks we work for. So we're always sending out photos with captions, whether it's a stakes race or just something interesting. We've also started to do that on our social media as well.

It can't be done without a good crew. We also have teams of two at Parx and Penn. They all understand what needs to be done–what the horsemen need, what the track needs, everything from action shots to marketing to win photos.

TDN: Photographers see things differently from the rest of us. What goes through your mind when you're prowling trackside for shots?

BD: That's something we try to do every day–get something artistic, try to see something that other people don't see, or from an angle that they can't see it, and get a good photo of it. But at the same time, it's just as important nowadays to edit. When you go back and look at those images, you really have to take your time and find the right one. You might end up in the editing process selecting a photo that isn't your best shot. You're looking for good light, emotion, and good action.

TDN: Today everyone with a smart phone has a fairly powerful camera with them for a day at the races. But the average joe can't access the restricted areas open only to credentialed photographers. Any advice for hobbyists who want to get good shots from the track apron or grandstand?

BD: Just find your own spot. There are so many great angles at racetracks that you don't have to go where the professional photographers are to get nice, beautiful pictures of horses the whole length of the track. And with today's phone cameras, you have the luxury of being able to take lots and lots of shots. Keep shooting. The more you shoot, the better you get. Just keep learning.

TDN: What's in your portfolio that stands out?

BD: I've got a few shots that I'm most proud of. I've got one from the 1997 [GII] Fountain of Youth [S.], with Shane Sellers on his way back after winning with Pulpit. The horse was covered in mud, and right as Shane reached forward to kiss him on the neck, Pulpit kind of bowed his head a little bit and the shot came out really nice.

And in 2010, Lookin At Lucky was here at Monmouth getting ready for the Haskell. I just got a great shot of him covered in soap while being bathed by his groom, Roberto Luna. Those were two that really stood out as memories.

TDN: To wrap it up, let's say you have a day off with no obligations. You can just grab a camera and go shoot, anywhere. Where do you go

BD: I'd go to the backstretch and get some good photos with the early morning light. That would be my preferable day-off thing to do.

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