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Bay Area Trainer Delia Passes Away

Longtime west coast trainer and former jockey William 'Bill' Delia died Thursday due to the complications of COVID-19. He was 75 years old.

Born Dec. 5, 1946, he began his apprenticeship as a jockey in 1966. After a race-riding career in which he piloted 304 winners, Delia switched to training. Beginning in 1985, his career spanned over four decades, winning 975 races from 7,952 starters, with his runners amassing purse earnings of $16,735,424.

The Bay area native was honored with the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association (CTBA) Trainer of the Year award in 2019.

Delia's last winner came at Golden Gate Fields Dec. 10 with Hands Off. His final two starters raced this past Friday, Jan. 21.

“As you can imagine, our racing family here at Golden Gate is deeply saddened,” said Golden Gate Fields General Manager David Duggan. “He was one guy you looked forward to seeing every morning. He was a hard worker that loved horses and racing. He had fantastic stories to share and a great sense of humor. With the news of Bill's passing comes a dark shadow that has been cast on our backstretch this morning.”

Jockey William Antongeorgi III, who rode for Delia in recent years, posted on social media Thursday evening.

“Not only was he great to ride for…but he was also just a great guy to be around,” said Antongeorgi. “[Delia was] always laughing and having a good time. This one hurts. I'll miss you.”

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TAA Elects Bloom as President

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) Board of Directors elected Jeffrey Bloom as president for the 2022 term and elected new board members at its meeting Jan. 28.

Bloom, managing partner of Bloom Racing Stable, has served as a TAA board member since 2019. A Thoroughbred industry veteran of 40 years, he was a professional jockey in addition to serving as a racing manager, bloodstock agent, marketing and media relations consultant, and broadcaster. Following his riding career, he earned a B.S. degree in Financial Services from San Diego State University and his business resume includes a successful venture in corporate business development in the software technology industry. He has selected and managed the careers of numerous stakes winners including the 2019 Eclipse award champion and multiple G1 winner Midnight Bisou. He also serves on the board of TOBA.

“As a 37-year veteran of the Thoroughbred industry, horse welfare has always been an important part of the business for myself and Bloom Racing,” said Bloom. “Through serving on the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance board, I have come to realize how important this organization needs to be for all of us who are fortunate enough to work in such a dynamic sport. As incoming president of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, I look forward to assisting the board, the accredited organizations, and the industry at large with the ongoing plan that serves us all well.”

Jimmy Bell, president and racing manager of Godolphin, served as TAA president in 2014 and 2021. Bell will remain on the TAA's board and executive committee for 2022 as immediate past president.

“Our board members stepped up to the plate in 2021,” said Bell. “Much of our success can be attributed to board members actively engaging other industry participants in discussion about aftercare solutions. Our new members all bring that same dedication and Jeff has been very instrumental throughout his time on the board. With his leadership and energy, many new goals will be reached for the TAA.”

Bloom and Bell are joined on the executive committee by TAA Vice President Craig Bandoroff, owner of Denali Stud; TAA Treasurer Melissa Hicks, director of tax services at Dean Dorton; TAA Secretary Walter Robertson, attorney at Stites & Harbison; Madeline Auerbach, founding board member of the TAA, founder of the California Retirement Management Account (CARMA), and a Thoroughbred owner and breeder; Terry Finley, founder and chief executive officer of West Point Thoroughbreds, board member of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, Thoroughbred Charities of America, Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund, and Belmont Child Care Association; and Aidan Butler, chief operating officer of 1/ST Racing and president of 1/ST Content. The TAA rotates its board of directors and its executive officers.

The board members beginning service in 2022 are: Laura Barillaro, executive vice president and chief financial officer of The Jockey Club; Dr. Jeffrey Berk VMD, Equine Medical Associates; Aidan Butler, chief operating officer of 1/ST Racing and president of 1/ST Content; Mark Casse, Hall of Fame trainer; John A. 'Jack' Damico, founding partner of Matson, Driscoll & Damico LLC, manager of The Posse Racing Stable and East Coast Partners; Terry Finley, founder and chief executive officer of West Point Thoroughbreds, board member of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, Thoroughbred Charities of America, Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund, and Belmont Child Care Association; Melissa Hicks, tax director of Dean Dorton.

They join current TAA board members: Bell, Bloom, Walt Robertson, Jr., Madeline Auerbach, Craig Bandoroff, Simon Bray, Donna Brothers, Boyd Browning, Tom Cannell, Brian Graves, Susie Hart, John Keitt, Chip McGaughey, Josh Rubenstein, Richard Schosberg, Tom Ventura, and Nicole Walker.

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Richard Duchossois Passes Away at 100

Richard Duchossois, the businessman whose name was synonymous with Arlington Park, a track he bought in 1983, has passed away. He was 100.

Duchossois was born in 1921 in Chicago and was a graduate of Washington and Lee University. He joined the Army in 1942 and became the commander of Company C of the 610th Tank Destroyer Battalion, which landed on Utah Beach in Normandy. He served in five European campaigns and later served as the military governor for the region of Eichstatt. He was released from active service in 1946 and was awarded the Purple Heart and two bronze stars.

After the war, he became the CEO and president of the Thrall Manufacturing Company, a company founded in 1916 that specialized in repairing and leasing rail cars. In 1978, the company diversified by buying The Chamberlain Group, a maker of consumer goods and defense products. In 1983, Duchossois bought out the Thrall family and renamed the company Duchossois Industries, Inc. The business would later diversify and operate as both an investment company and a company that makes access control systems such as garage door openers.

Duchossois started in the racing business as an owner and a breeder and operated out of Hill 'N' Dale Farm in Barrington, Illinois, which developed into one of the top breeders in the state. Over the years, he campaigned a number of stakes horses, including Eclair de Lune (GER) (Marchand de Sable), who won the 2011 running of the GI Beverly D. S., a race he named after his late wife.

In 1983, Duchossois Industries bought Arlington Park, then the flagship track among the Chicago racing circuit, from Gulf & Western. On July 31, 1985 Duchossois was returning from a birthday celebration when he received a phone call that Arlington was on fire. He arrived at the track by helicopter to watch as all five levels of the grandstand were engulfed in flames. The track was destroyed. Read more here.

In less than a month, Arlington was scheduled to run the GI Arlington Million, the sport's first $1-million race. Undeterred, Duchossois vowed to hold the race.

“Some people said it would be impossible, but I said, 'I'm the owner, and we're going to run the Million race. Period,'” he told the Chicago Tribune in 2015.

Arlington employees worked around the clock to erect tents and makeshift stands and the race, dubbed the “Miracle Million,” was held with more than 35,000 people in attendance. Recognizing the efforts it took to be able to hold the Million, the Arlington team was honored with a special Eclipse Award.

It took four years for Arlington to be rebuilt and Duchossois was not content to build just another racetrack. Renaming the track Arlington International Race Course, Duchossois set out to create one of the most beautiful tracks in the world, putting an estimated $175 million into the rebuild.

“I've always worked to please our customers,” Duchossois told the Associated Press in 2021. “There's nothing we have done there that hasn't been built for the customers.”

Arlington enjoyed another moment in the spotlight when Cigar was lured to the track in 1996 in an attempt to tie Citation's record of 16 straight wins. Cigar won the $1,050,000 race, called the Citation Challenge, before a crowd of 34,223. In 2002, Arlington hosted the Breeders' Cup.

In 2000, Duchossois negotiated a $72-million stock deal which allowed Churchill Downs to take over Arlington Park. The transaction made Duchossois, at the time, the largest shareholder in the Churchill Company.

“We believe that Churchill Downs' business strategy and its commitment to excellence are aligned with our own operating philosophy,” Duchossois said at the time. “We have the shared vision of dedication to customer service and a commitment to the live racing experience and the growth of simulcast sales.”

While Duchossois remained the face of Arlington Park for several years after it was purchased by Churchill, Churchill's focus soon started to drift from racing to gaming. In 2019, Churchill announced that it would not apply for a license to open a casino at Arlington and would, instead, close the track after the end of the 2021 season. It is believed that Churchill did not want an Arlington casino to compete with a casino it owns in nearby Des Plaines, Illinois. What will likely be the last ever race run at Arlington was held Sept. 25, 2021. Arlington first raced in 1927.

Under Churchill, the Arlington Million underwent a name change in 2021 to the Mister D. Stakes, in honor of Duchossois. The purse was reduced to $600,000.

Somewhat surprisingly, Duchossois was publicly supportive of Churchill's decision to close and sell the track.

“I think Churchill has two of the finest managers in the country,” he told the AP.

Duchossois earned many honors in racing, including the American Jockey Club's Gold Medal and the Joe Palmer Award for Meritorious Service to Racing from the National Turf Writers Association. He was inducted into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame and was also inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame and named one of their Pillars of the Turf in 2019.

Tributes:

“We are profoundly saddened today by the loss of Richard Duchossois. He was a tireless champion of Churchill Downs and thoroughbred racing. His impact on those of us involved in this industry was simply immeasurable. He was a mentor and friend to so many in Churchill Downs, most especially me, and we will all miss his grace, wisdom and humor. His contributions to Churchill Downs and thoroughbred racing were merely a small part of his extraordinary life. They call his generation 'America's Greatest' and to be fortunate to spend time with this man was to be in the presence of a truly special individual who led a full life of sacrifice, commitment and service to others. We will mourn him, miss him and wonder if there could ever be another like Richard Duchossois.” -Churchill Downs Incorporated CEO Bill Carstanjen

“On behalf of Illinois Thoroughbred owners and trainers, we extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Dick Duchossois.

“Mr. D served our nation with distinction and thereafter brought his enduring tenacity and exceptional work ethic to the helm of Arlington Park–a track he worked to build into a world-class destination for Thoroughbred horse racing.

“As we mourn his loss, we are reminded of his immense contributions to Thoroughbred racing in North America, most especially here in Illinois. His imprint on the sport and industry was vast and will not be forgotten.” -Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association

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Fishman Trial Enters Homestretch

New York federal prosecutors in the horse-doping trial of Dr. Seth Fishman neared the finish line Jan. 28, bringing their case to a close after calling 11 witnesses and presenting evidence from FBI wiretaps.

“At this time the government rests its case,” prosecutor Anden Chow told U.S. District Court Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil on the trial's eighth day.

A short time later, the defense rested their case without calling any witnesses or putting the accused veterinarian on the stand to testify.

Without the jury present in the Manhattan courtroom, Vyskocil told Fishman he had a right to testify, but was under no obligation.

“So, it's your decision not to testify Dr. Fishman?” the judge asked.

“That is correct,” Fishman said.

“And it's your decision alone not to testify?”

“That is correct,” Fishman said.

The conclusion of testimony sets the stage for the next phase of the trial: closing arguments followed by jury deliberations after the judge issues instructions on the law. Eight women and four men comprise the jury.

Vyskocil told both sides that summations would commence Jan. 31.

Fishman, 50, was one of 27 horse racing insiders arrested in March 2020 in the biggest horse doping bust in U.S. history. Those charged included two prominent trainers, Jason Servis, who is awaiting trial, and Jorge Navarro, who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years in prison. Fishman is the first to go to trial in the case.

Prosecutors have accused Fishman of manufacturing illegal performance-enhancing drugs that harness and Thoroughbred trainers, including Navarro, administered to their horses to win lucrative purses and enhance their reputation. Prosecutors say those charged acted without regard to horse welfare, risking breakdowns and death.

Prosecutors allege that Fishman was especially sought after because he claimed that his products wouldn't appear in customary post-race testing.

Fishman is charged with two counts of conspiring to violate adulteration and misbranding laws. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 15 years in prison.

He went on trial Jan. 19 with Lisa Giannelli, who worked with him for 18 years. Vyskocil granted her a mistrial after her lawyer tested positive for COVID-19 Jan. 24.

Fishman contends that he carried out the accused activities in the good faith belief that he was practicing veterinary medicine.

On Friday, prosecutors set up a table in front of the jury box with dozens of boxes and bins containing vials of substances worth tens of thousands of dollars, seized at the time of Fishman's initial arrest in 2019. Prosecutors say the vials contained PEDs.

Additionally, Federal Bureau of Investigation agent Jarrett Concannon testified that during a search of Fishman's business in South Florida last month, he took photos of the same products stored on shelves.

Prosecutors say the search showed Fishman was in possession of PEDs in violation of his bail conditions.

The government's witnesses were a varied assortment. They included a woman who worked for Fishman and his Equestology business in South Florida for five years and testified after agreeing to a non-prosecution agreement with prosecutors.

They also included Ross Cohen, a defendant in March 2020 indictments. He agreed to flip as part of a cooperation deal with the feds.

Also testifying were two current trainers, Adrienne Hall who has small stable of harness horses in Florida, and Jamen Davidovich, who ran principally in Ohio in 2021 and has a start this year in New York.

Each testified Fishman supplied them with PEDs for their horses after reaching out to the veterinarian a few years ago.

Jurors also heard testimony from three FBI agents and two experts in veterinary medicine.

As part of their case, prosecutors played excerpts from more than two dozen wiretaps that captured Fishman discussing horse doping and bragging that his products weren't “testable.”

“Don't kid yourself,” Fishman is heard saying to an unidentified male individual on the other end of the line in a wiretap from Apr. 15, 2019. “If you're giving something to a horse to make it better, and you're not supposed to do that, that's doping. You know, whether or not it's testable that's another story.”

The Thoroughbred industry's leading publications are working together to cover this key trial.

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