More opinions from Mike Repole Alicia Wincze on horse racing

Due to space constraints, a good chunk of reaction from owner Mike Repole with regard to Wednesday?s announcement that the Breeders? Cup was heading back to Santa Anita in 2012 didn?t make the print edition of today?s paper. Since Repole?s words are always interesting - whether one agrees with him or not - here are some more tidbits from the man himself as he is never shy about giving his opinion on the state of racing.

Following up on some of the comments he made to my esteemed fellow turf writer Jason Shandler of Bloodhorse.com on his blog (visit? http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/breeders-cup-chat/archive/2011/08/09/repole-sounds-off.aspx? if you haven?t already read it), I asked Repole if he thought proposed move to ban Lasix was driven more by a desire to improve Thoroughbred racing?s public perception than it is to improve the sport as a whole. In response, he said the following:

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?You know what, if that?s their concern and they know Lasix is good for a horse, shame on them. I would hope it?s not a perception thing and that it is a reality thing. But everything I hear from trainers to vets supports it. It?s like no one is for this except the good old boys and they?re the guys who have been killing the sport for the last 10-15 years. It?s time for them to step aside.?

Repole?s dismay over the Breeders? Cup decision and medication issues have been well documented and one of his major points of frustration is the fact there is no governing head of the sport for people like him to seek out to express their concerns.

?A guy like Mike Repole can?t go to someone like (NBA commissioner) David Stern and say ?Hey, can we talk this over?,? he said. ?There are a bunch of these old school regimes that constantly?doesn?t want to embrace change in the sport. The sport is in enough trouble right now that all they?re doing is accelerating the issues.

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?It?s very hard for me to sit back and watch us make mistakes and shoot ourselves in the foot in this industry.?

Lest anyone think Repole?s media rounds in the last couple days are just full of venting, he also took the time to acknowledge he is in a pretty sweet spot as an owner. In addition to having juvenile champion Uncle Mo on the comeback trail from a liver ailment and pointing for the Grade I King?s Bishop at Saratoga on August 27, he also has Jim Dandy Stakes winner Stay Thirsty on track for that day?s main event, the $1 million Travers, and a leading 2-year-old in Sanford winner Overdriven.

?Four months ago, I didn?t know if (Uncle Mo) was going to survive,? Repole said. ?So that we?re even talking about pointing to a race with him and that we?re even talking about him having a great work this week is amazing. I get so much enjoyment from my horses. The only time Stay Thirsty and Uncle Mo have run on the same day was the Breeders? Cup Juvenile when they ran against each other so that was a different feeling. To have these horses running on Travers day, one at 5:15 and one at 5:45 p.m. that?s going? to be a fun, exciting hour for Repole Stable. I know how lucky I am.?

Overdriven missed a scheduled workout earlier this week when trainer Todd Pletcher said he didn?t warm up to his liking but Repole said the colt checked out clear and is still slated to make his next start in the Hopeful Stakes on September 5 in Saratoga.

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Source: http://horseracing.bloginky.com/2011/08/11/more-opinions-from-mike-repole/

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