I hate to say it, but at a certain point, everyone reaches the so called vomit point. It's just enough and you can't take it any more. I have zero expectations from YR, and even less for the entire state of PA; until HISA is in effect. However, and this has long been my problem with Gural, I expected him to be "harder" on some of the "super" trainers. Did he pick and choose and sweep things under the rug? No, I don't think so. However, I think he was more lenient than he should and could have been.
Track ownership/management has long avoided throwing out trainers who have large #'s of horses. There is a perception they help fill races, can give you a horse to make races go, can add to fuller fields, and so on. It's one of those myths that become a reality. Like buy term and invest the difference. In theory it works, but it the real world something different happens. The reality is, if Gural threw out a major trainer-----and while he could without cause, he should definitely have it and have it well prepared, documented, etc.-----it would in fact hurt. It might cause a disruption in filling some races. HOWEVER, in about two to four weeks, more people would start racing there. As soon as people find out they no longer have to race against so and so-----they will flock there and with competitive horses. Now you have 4 trainers each with a 20 claimer, instead of one trainer with 4. Now you have more owners who will be enticed to race knowing they won't have to race against so and so on. That was the result you saw in NY with Rick Dutrow. Personally, I think Gural is more of a savior than people think. If you don't think so, then at a minimum he's a catalyst for change, for the better, for improvement, etc. Without him there'd be no voice. I couldn't care less if he complains. He's entitled.
The first guy through the door always gets bloody. But he's the guy who wins the prize.
