More California Chrome Controversy

[GenuineRisk]

Originally Posted by Merlinsky

You're kidding right? King wants to run a horse after getting the money. They want $50K to show their horse for a few minutes and thousands for themselves to sit in a tent and sign. Who would want their autographs after this attitude God only knows. If they wanted an appearance fee to come to Del Mar to run in a race, it'd be par for the course for horses at a certain level. Wooing with a bonus happens on occasion if a track is really interested in making it happen. If you don't want to parade your horse, say no and shut your piehole. Either it's too taxing or it isn't. $50K doesn't make it any easier on the horse, just on their pocket books. They've shown their true colors long ago. I don't see how anybody can give them the benefit of the doubt now. There was no recent loss of the Belmont to blame for the thought out statement made by Perry Martin.

Poor Art Sherman having to put up with these fools. People loved the story in the beginning, but they're a lot closer in temperament to owners we've wished would go away. It's a shame.

Here's Bobby Flay's comment on the situation: http://www.paulickreport.com/news/th...ent-1483614937

I read the Fox story and the Paulick story above the Flay comment and I think Martin asked for $50K because he didn't want to do it at all, and that's a pretty common tactic to get out of doing something- overbid for it. As for Del Mar saying they're not-for-profit and don't usually pay appearance fees; I don't work there so I wouldn't know. I do know I worked years for a not-for-profit that paid appearance fees to celebrities, so it's not unusual to expect.

What Martin seemed to be really angry about was that he believed Del Mar talked to the press about bringing CC there before talking to him or Coburn and that, when he overbid, that Del Mar went to the press again.

I thought his public statement was hilarious, especially acknowledging he wasn't worth anywhere close to what he said Baffert's appearance fee is. And yeah, it's probably unreasonable of Del Mar to expect CC's connections to shell out several thousand dollars of their own money to boost Del Mar's attendance for a day and while it likely wouldn't do the horse any harm it's not necessarily going to do him any good, either. I don't think the horse cares about fan adulation.

In the end it does't hurt horse racing- it's an amusing pissing match and it doesn't involve doping or horses breaking down, so no harm done.

[Alabama Stakes]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

What's with the York, Maine thing?

You knew what I meant by wealthy.

Not really, it's not a term to be used lightly.

It's so funny how some of you guys say "i can separate the hoss from the owner"....Yet you all were hatin' on Zenyatta cause her owners were too ignorant to bring her to Saratoga. Biggest injustice ever to a champion ever.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by Alabama Stakes

It's so funny how some of you guys say "i can separate the hoss from the owner"....Yet you all were hatin' on Zenyatta cause her owners were too ignorant to bring her to Saratoga. Biggest injustice ever to a champion ever.

No.

You are very wrong.

The Zenyatta fan boys and girls only thought that anything less that complete praise for the horse was pure hatred, whether the criticisms were about the horse or the people around her.

Religion.

[Kitan]

Think these guys need to be wearing nasal strips...might allow some oxygen to the PR department in their brain.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

No.

You are very wrong.

The Zenyatta fan boys and girls only thought that anything less that complete praise for the horse was pure hatred, whether the criticisms were about the horse or the people around her.

Religion.

'hater' has got to be one of the most overused words in the english language anymore. any criticisms levelled at anyone-you're a hater. ridiculous.

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by GenuineRisk

I read the Fox story and the Paulick story above the Flay comment and I think Martin asked for $50K because he didn't want to do it at all, and that's a pretty common tactic to get out of doing something- overbid for it. As for Del Mar saying they're not-for-profit and don't usually pay appearance fees; I don't work there so I wouldn't know. I do know I worked years for a not-for-profit that paid appearance fees to celebrities, so it's not unusual to expect.

What Martin seemed to be really angry about was that he believed Del Mar talked to the press about bringing CC there before talking to him or Coburn and that, when he overbid, that Del Mar went to the press again.

I thought his public statement was hilarious, especially acknowledging he wasn't worth anywhere close to what he said Baffert's appearance fee is. And yeah, it's probably unreasonable of Del Mar to expect CC's connections to shell out several thousand dollars of their own money to boost Del Mar's attendance for a day and while it likely wouldn't do the horse any harm it's not necessarily going to do him any good, either. I don't think the horse cares about fan adulation.

In the end it does't hurt horse racing- it's an amusing pissing match and it doesn't involve doping or horses breaking down, so no harm done.

I don't find these guys funny, I think they're obnoxious. Just say no to bringing the horse. Shut it down and the problem goes away. Or better yet bring him and run him a darn race. The TC was so taxing he's basically gonna skip all the big fall races until the BCC? A break is one thing, but c'mon. One prep since the Belmont and then the Classic? He couldn't race in a G1 at some time in August or September? They want Los Al to pay his BCC entry fee and expenses because they'd have to forgo the Awesome Again (thus missing out on a Win and You're In with the expenses paid even though they don't seem to want to go in the Awesome Again in the first place) and run in the Los Al ungraded mile race? DAP is the one wanting a race in their backyard and it's Los Al's fault it's not Win and You're In apparently.

If you're gonna name a price, obviously you're buyable (even if they were overbidding as you put it) because what if Del Mar had said "sure"? Tracks want to be able to crow about things they want to use to make money. His appearance wasn't some warm and fuzzy opportunity to see the horse as far as Del Mar's concerned. I don't blame a track for putting it out there in the media. Sometimes it helps in negotiations. Martin and Coburn keep stepping in it and all it does it make people roll their eyes and grumble how they're acting like newbies. Act like you've been here before, fellas.

[Gate Dancer]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

No.

You are very wrong.

The Zenyatta fan boys and girls only thought that anything less that complete praise for the horse was pure hatred, whether the criticisms were about the horse or the people around her.

Religion.

Amen............well said.