Repole Sounds Off

re: Repole Sounds Off

Linda in Texas — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 20:55:23 GMT

I said i would be watching the grays, a bit disappointed with the ride today on Winter Memories and feel that keeping any horse under rein early spoils the outcome. And it did. WM came out of the gate well and was heading to the front when she was reined in.

On top of that, when she found a path she was checked by the horse to her right whose jockey moved over though his path was clear.

It was an obvious move to prevent Memories from passing. Another clear reason she lost.

Just watched Race 8 at Saratoga with Mike Repole's gray, Silver Screamer, in a $25,000 claiming race. She won and did so nicely.

In the slop. Hope you keep her Mike, she is a nice filly and for me the right color.

How many wins does that make so far for the Repole Stables? I have lost count.

Thanks Jason, i salute Hungry Island who won The Lake Placid. Just not happy that my choice didn't.

I know i sound like sour grapes. And will probably be put in my place by explanations far more experienced than mine. I deserve it i am sure and won't mind.

re: Repole Sounds Off

Alex'sBigFan — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 00:02:59 GMT

Linda in Texas,

Thank you very much. Enjoy watching your grays. Will try to stay in touch, don't want to miss the great articles from Jason and Steve.

re: Repole Sounds Off

MonicaV — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 19:38:56 GMT

I love it when the BC is at Santa Anita! It's such a great venue and the weather is great and the mornings are beautiful and I have been to several BCs here over the years. I even went to CD in 1988 and froze to death! I better get my tickets for 2012. I'll see you there, Jason.

re: Repole Sounds Off

trackjack — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 18:30:22 GMT

2:24,

Agree with your take. In the end, drug free racing is best for the thoroughbred, the fans, racing and breeding. I hope the powers that be in US racing can get to that point sooner than later but will not hold my breath.

Zookeeper,

Good luck with Runflatout and your trip to Saratoga. Next week's racing is coming up huge. Can't wait for Jason's blog on Travers weekend racing.

By the way, if The Factor runs in the King's Bishop he'll beat them all!

re: Repole Sounds Off

Linda in Texas — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 16:40:34 GMT

Alex'sBigFan - wishing you and your husband a safe journey and i will keep my eye on the ponies, and will really keep my eye on Winter Memories this week end. You know me and the grays.

Have a nice time and hope you find a computer to check in with us.

It portends to be a big exciting week end of races for us.

Cheers and Safe Passage!!

re: Repole Sounds Off

Alex'sBigFan — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 05:37:36 GMT

Wishing all of you a great Travers weekend and good luck on all of your Saratoga bets. This is the last day I probably have to post for 2 weeks. If anyone has internet connections where I will be in Morocco I will try to check in to say hello. At least I may get to see some Arabians stabled there in my husband's town, the best I can hope for is that they are distant cousins of Mo and Shack because I'll miss them both.

Those going to Saratoga have a great time!

re: Repole Sounds Off

Mike Relva — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 23:59:53 GMT

JASON

Maybe,kinda like when you do the same for Pletcher.

re: Repole Sounds Off

Jason Shandler — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 23:32:03 GMT

Mike: What color are you pom-poms? You sound like a 16yo cheerleader.

re: Repole Sounds Off

Mike Relva — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 19:39:20 GMT

2:24

Yes,Moss' ran Zenyatta on lasix. And....she is great.

re: Repole Sounds Off

Dr Drunkinbum — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 14:06:55 GMT

Alex'sBigFan

Really enjoyable post at 10:13. Good information and assessment. Thanks. Wouldn't that be great if the Hard Spun's, Any Given Saturday's, Street Sense's, Curlin's etc could run without Lasix and other meds, and grow up to be big and strong just eating their Cheerios?

re: Repole Sounds Off

2:24 — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 13:34:34 GMT

Yes Mike, infuriating. Everything turns into a personal attack and then somehow comes back to how great the Moss' and Zenyatta are?Do the Moss' not run their horses on Lasix? Did Zenyatta not run on Lasix? What are the Moss' opinions on Lasix and the medication debate?

Again, I disagree with Mike Repole on this issue. I wish we had a medication free sport. But why should he be personally attacked for having a strong opinion and saying it. Does it make him less classy? I feel confident in saying that if Lasix is banned nationwide, you won't see Mike Repole's horses on it or with medication violations.

re: Repole Sounds Off

Footlick — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 13:14:10 GMT

Zookeeper- Good luck if Runflatout does run in the King's Bishop!

re: Repole Sounds Off

Alex'sBigFan — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 02:13:32 GMT

Dr. D.,

From the medical info I have read I learned that the other meds are less detectable in the urine as it is diluted. That is the "masking" effect. Whether or not the Lasix is unequivocably aiding in managing the EIPH, is it doing so at the expense of the skeletal system and depleting bone calcium as well? It may be effectively helping one part of the body but having a negative detrimental quality to another part of the body. Not enough scientific proof out there on that one yet. I think it is ironic that Lasix started to be administered by accident in the early 1970's and we have not had a TC winner since 1978. I wonder if there is any direct corrolation and if so why has it taken so long to figure it out? Lasix may be the lesser of all the evils (meds) for all we know, it may not be the sole culprit for the breed's fragility.

I'd like to see our horses off of it though but Mike, as Linda stated, did not invent Lasix, nor did he issue the final decree to have all horses run on it, he is just an owner, stuck with the current state of affairs and having horses on it trying to find the best viable route to the light at the end of the tunnel. I agree with you, no meds and we see the next TC winner emerge. If the little Hard Spuns out there that we are so anticipating seeing, have not been given it (Lasix) yet maybe they stand a chance.

re: Repole Sounds Off

Mike Relva — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 01:44:29 GMT

2:24

"Infuriating",please!

re: Repole Sounds Off

calico cat — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 00:50:08 GMT

Dr D.,

Thanks! but shhhhh! There be monsters out there!!!

re: Repole Sounds Off

Dr Drunkinbum — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 00:20:48 GMT

Linda In Texas

It probably is a whole lot deeper. People have said and written for at least 20 years that one reason they like to use Lasix is that it masks the detection of other meds, but I don't know anything other than what's been written, and said to me from other bettors, and I haven't read anything specific that I recall as to why it works that way or what meds it covers up if it is true.

re: Repole Sounds Off

Linda in Texas — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 23:19:37 GMT

Dr. Drunkinbum, if we had all been on our toes when Zookeeper stated on another blog "that she was planning a trip to Saratoga" we should have known she was up to something exciting!

I think that is wonderful. A West Coast horse headed to The East Coast to show them how The West Was Won! or Wins!

Oops, there is that West Coast East Coast thing again. No harm intended. I love them both.

re: Repole Sounds Off

Dr Drunkinbum — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 22:30:19 GMT

Zookeeper

I just read at drf that the King's Bishop field could include the following stellar field- Uncle Mo, The Factor, Caleb's Posse, Flashpoint, Justin Phillip, Poseidon's Warrior and Runflatout !!!! I hope that does turn out to be the field. It will be a great race. Good luck to you and Runflatout !!!!!

re: Repole Sounds Off

Linda in Texas — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 21:15:44 GMT

Please know i do not like meds of any kind and as one poster said Lasix is given to hide other meds that horses are routinely given.

That was disturbing and frankly i think this subject is a whole lot deeper than anyone has come out and talked about. It seems like a

dirty little secret in the horse racing world.

I think or heck i know there are a whole lot of things i don't know that go on in racing. I am for 100 per cent total outing of all meds taken by any horse run on a track that people pay to come watch or those who go to the windows to place bets on.

I do not believe in boycotting the BC and i agree Dr. D. that perhaps Mike Repole would rephrase his thoughts. He was being honest with Jason on the spot.

Apapane, Mr. Repole sold his 'recipe' to The Coca Cola company and to my knowledge does not still sell it. I may be wrong. In fact i may be wrong in a lot of things i say. So you said "you don't like the product that he sells to buy his horses." As if in the present tense. I thought those rights were sold. Unless he has another product about which i am unfamiliar that he is selling now.

I agree totally with the last sentence in your post. It would be interesting to know why it has suddenly been banned.

Like i said in my post, if Lasix and Meds are bad for the horses, this is 2011, horse racing has been going on for over 100 years.

Little by little i presume meds were allowed by the authorities.So

why all of a sudden like Apapane asked has Lasix suddenly been outlawed for the near future?

Tom Mallios, said it all. He stated that Lasix masks other meds. So the ceasing of allowing Lasix will be the beginning of the revelation of other meds being given that shouldn't be.

I just wanted those who read this to know that i was not defending Lasix and i was not defending the comments about the Breeder's Cup. I just felt that the continual jabs at Mike were getting over the top and too visceral.

I am not fond of another owner, but i will not spill my feelings in a public forum and make fun of the way he made his money.

Heck, if i had invented the original 'church key' i would be a multi millionaire myself! Yes they only used to cost 25 cents, but a percentage of the volume sold would have been astronomical!

I learn something new everyday with every post. And i do love the horses who make this sport what it is. I want it to continue to prosper and grow and that is it in a nutshell.

Thanks Jason.

re: Repole Sounds Off

2:24 — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:39:42 GMT

Really, racehorse1 and StellarJayne, does everything have to come back to Zenyatta and the Mosses?

I disagree with Mr. Repole's comments about Lasix but these personal attacks are way out of line. Why attack an owner who actually shares his feelings about horses and horse-related topics as not having any class? Frankly, your comments are infuriating.

Just because he has a difference of opinion from you doesn't mean that Repole doesn't love his horses, treat them well, or campaign them properly. Again, while I disagree with him on the Lasix stance, I have the utmost respect for Mike Repole and believe he is a credit to the sport.

re: Repole Sounds Off

Alex'sBigFan — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 04:20:04 GMT

Linda in Texas,

Thank you. I second your "Hail To The Track Ponies." They are just great, and they work so hard all day walking back and forth. Sometimes they get petted and fed carrots by fans between races. They seem to know their job and do it so well. At the Haskell, one had all purple violet flowers down it's mane and it was named Raven. I had seen Pom Pom in New York at the Belmont. I have GOT to know the name of the white one at Los Al!!! Anybody out there know?

re: Repole Sounds Off

Apapane — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 02:27:03 GMT

Goodness Linda, Mike could use a little more than good natured ribbing. When people are as plain-spoken as he is they can expect some plain speak in return. Don't get me wrong, I admire quite a few things about Mr Repole, especially his horses. I think that I like him and am sure that he can take anything that Jason is willing to print.

There are a few things that he does that I completely disagree with including the product that he sells in order to purchase his horses. As an athlete, I drank his kool-aid in a race or two and the effects were not as pretty as the not-seen-in-nature colors of the water. The blessing was that I then educated myself better on nutrition and performance. Try a 6-hour race in the sun on corn syrup and get back to me. Papillon said it best in this regards.

The second is his assertion that his investments will suffer if he is not allowed to use lasix. Perhaps he will not make as much money, but certainly the long-term health of his horses will be improved. He needs to choose between the health of his horses and his investments.

His bullying statements regarding the BC are just that and while they are unattractive, don't strike me as anything but posturing, so I have ignored them.

I must thank him for this conversation. It has brought out many people who do not normally write here and good information regarding racing medications. I do wish that a BC spokesperson would give us a statement of the issues regarding lasix that led to this change in policy.

re: Repole Sounds Off

Dr Drunkinbum — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 01:17:56 GMT

Linda In Texas

You're right. A lot of us have loved Mike Repole's enthusiasm, and passion for the game and have really believed that his openess in interviews, and his willingness to write articles for this blog is very refreshing, and some of us who have loved his openess happen to disagree with him on a few of his statements here. The popularity of the sport and money bet on it has declined so we're not in favor of any type of boycott or monopolies of wagering off site for a particular track by any ADW or anything similar that takes away from the revenue and upsets fans. As far as the medications -I have mentioned it quite a few times on Bloodhorse blogs especially in regards to Lasix, and pain meds being detrimental to the horses and the sport. I think some posts have gone a little too far with their disagreement including mine but it is a very passionate subject. As far as Uncle Mo is concerned I have a concern that with his liver disease that taking meds again on raceday could possibly have an adverse effect on his liver. I hope they consider not giving him meds on raceday as a precaution. He should be talented enough so that it won't hurt his chances of winning eventhough others will be on Lasix. I personally don't believe that everyone has to be on Lasix to "level the playing field" and believe that some horses run worse on it than they would have without it. I think Mike Repole does deserve praise for what he has done for the sport but I think he is wrong about meds, and a BC boycott, and I think he showed that he has a temper and I have to wonder if his article would have been the same if he had a week to think about it. Who knows? I certainly don't believe that the amount of money you put into something where extraordinary living beings are involved gives you the right to do harm to them, and I think he's been talking to the wrong "experts." There are plenty of vets and other experts that have written about the harm that Lasix and other meds do to horses. I feel certain that without the meds we will have a healthier, happier, more productive breed.

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Linda in Texas — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:38:36 GMT

Alex'sBigFan - Mega Ditto's to your post of 7:07 PM

You said it better than i did.

Thank you.

Linda

re: Repole Sounds Off

Linda in Texas — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:35:29 GMT

Jason, i wrote something earlier and deleted it. I was not going to submit it.But I really think that the Lasix comments regarding Mike Repole have gotten a little more personal than is healthy. I don't think Mike Repole invented Salix!

Nor is he the first owner to have horses on it.

It appears that some of the comments could only be from those filled with jealousy. Mike was praised when he shared his thoughts about Mo and he was enthusiastic. Now all of a sudden he mentions his thoughts on Lasix or Salix and he is castigated for it.

If the good folks on this blog had such a disdain for the use of the drug, why hasn't more been uttered about it before now?

Not knowing who the posters are with their posting names, i do not know if any other owners post on Jason's blogs. I would be interested to hear from other owners to hear their ideas and feelings about Lasix and Salix as it pertains to their horses.

Mike has been interested in horses since he was 13 living in Queens.

Give him credit where credit is due

and i submit a link to an article written last February in The Sports Section of The New York Times: nytimes.com/2011/02/18/sports/18repole.html about Mike.

He is a generous person.

A little good natured ribbing is healthy. But there is a fine line.

His love of horses is with enthusiasm where others are said to be sensitive and caring.

If one has never been to Queens, let me tell you it is just like the movie Grease. Asphalt and apartment buildings. I admire anyone who has reached the success Mike Repole has and he isn't finished, he has just begun.

Good Luck Mike. I hope you don't let a few comments stop your enthusiasm and sharing your world of racing with us.

Sorry Jason, i probably should just keep quiet. But i had to say something.

Thank you. Linda