The 17 individuals who were indicted have been described as low level associates in the Gambino crime family. Just how low these guys were on the food chain is clear from the fact that only 2 have nicknames, & they're both pretty pathetic for mobsters, to wit: "Cookies" & "Pebbles." The impression I had reading the indictment is that the fed's primary focus is to destroy what little is left of a once powerful crime family by whatever means presented themselves. Although there are a number of rumors regarding what else the feds learned about racing from the wiretaps, I will be very surprised if this case signals a stepped up federal govt interest in going after trainers who drug their horses. The unidentified performance enhancing substance administered to Rocket isn't even mentioned until Count 87, & I'll venture a guess that the main reason Greg Martin was indicted is because he is a good candidate to cop a plea in exchange for testimony against team Uvari.

One would think that even the lowest level member of a crime family which has been decimated by convictions based on wiretaps might consider the possibility that his or her conversations were being recorded. Then again, these are guys who thought they could circumvent the reporting requirement for bank deposits of $10k or more by making a large number of $9500 deposits at the same bank. And now that I understand their fairly straightforward & not necessarily morally objectional betting scheme, the idea of making a few extra bucks defrauding the IRS seems nothing short of pure genius. After all, hardly anyone has ever heard of a case where the feds used the tax laws to bring down a powerful mobster.

On a more upbeat topic, of the three finalists I just can't decide who deserves the Eclipse Award for best owner: the guy who just paid the largest fine in Ky history for trying to bribe another owner to scratch her horse, or the guy who's vet amputated his horse's leg at GP. I'm sure they're both deserving, at least of something.