The 4 Pound Betting Coup (482 Views)
Posted by:
Chuckles_the_Clown2 (IP Logged)
Date: September 21, 2005 03:52PM
This is a troubling story. The assistant clerk of scales is Braulio Baeza. He was one of the finest jockeys to ever sit in the saddle. Some say the finest. Has anyone ever heard a word about him being shady in the past?
Before there is general speculation that Baeza or the Jocks passed on the inside knowledge of the overweights to effect "Betting Coups", lets at least require that the Media Attention starved Attorney General Eliot Spitzer at least ALLEGE in his indictment the Passing of such information for betting purposes. Heres the story, the indictment is apparently 195 pages long, but I see no indication in this story an allegation of Betting Coup:
http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=30105
Baeza was a tall man for a jockey and his career was cut short due to weight issues. He battled weight for a good part of his abbreviated career. IF Baeza allowed jockeys to run overweight, its certainly possible he did so out of empathy for their plight.
What if there is not even an allegation that Baeza received a kickback from the jocks for this favor? What if no proof exists that Baeza received anything from allowing jocks to run a little heavy? What if the heaviest it can said they ran was within the 5 pound State threshold?
It doesnt make it right. If it occurred it was a deceit upon the public. NYRA turned over what evidence they had to the State to begin the investigation. But ask yourself this. What jockey would get a four or five pound pass at the scales and turn around and make that knowledge public? Thats what some are speculating. That a clandestine arrangement to shave a few non sweatbox pounds was revealed to larger numbers for the wildly successful "4 pound Betting Coup".