NYRA, in its dealings with some trainers, is doing a great imitation of the Marvel Comics super villain Doctor Victor Von Doom, who was the cartoon inspiration for our resident super villain and beat-maker, MF DOOM ( all caps when you spell the man’s name, by the way).
DOOM’s track “Beef Rap” from the album “Mm…Food” contains this spoken-word skit from Doctor Doom that could easily be NYRA talking nowadays:
Enough! You talk of the people's rights
The people have only those rights which I choose to give them
And that's for their own good, believe me
Perhaps you can excuse NYRA’s haughty manner, because this org was once the province of The Jockey Club during the era of Dinny Phipps, a longtime chairman of the board of NYRA and TJC. Current TJC chairman Stuart S. Janney lll is on the board of NYRA, as are a few other TJC members, but NYRA doesn’t have the clout or respect it once did in another era.
Sure, NYRA is big, has money, has a jewel in Saratoga, and is still one of the best circuits in the country, but it’s made some iffy moves lately that have affected its cred.
David O’Rourke, its CEO and president, is NYRA’s face these days. Perhaps he’s donned Doc Vic Von Doom’s mask? I mean, someone with heft has gotta be behind the bumbling at the top.
You’ve probably read by now that NYRA has to pay super villain Bob Baffert part of his legal fees in Baffert’s ongoing law suit against NYRA’s ban of him after Medina Spirit’s betamethasone positive at Churchill Downs.
That NYRA banned Baffert without a hearing was an eyebrow-raiser to begin with, but NYRA had flipped-flopped all over the place with Jerry Hollendorfer two year earlier, remember?
In June of 2019, Hollendorfer had been banned by The Stronach Group with no reason given — yes, they, too, do a fine imitation of Doctor Doom as well — but NYRA acted at the time as if it were a super hero, saying it would honor Hollendorfer’s right to race at NYRA. However, a week later, NYRA cartoonishly flipped its position and banned Hollendorfer with no explanation.
One can only conjecture that a super hero at TJC called up O’Rourke and said, “What the hell are you doing, baby bro?” That about explains NYRA’s position to TJC, too. It’s the TJC’s kid brother, but the 12yo bro, not the 18yo one.
Back to Hollendorfer. With no notice and as if nothing had ever been wrong, NYRA flopped again a month and a half after banning him, suddenly allowing Hollendorfer to race at its tracks. “Jerry Hollendorfer is a licensed trainer in New York State who is permitted to ship in and enter horses to race at all NYRA tracks including Saratoga Race Course,” said NYRA’s press guy, presumably with the red face of a 12yo forced to play the violin at a family get-together.
WTF, right? These guys are acting more like villains and clowns, you say. You might be right.
Fast forward to Baffert, and forget about the attorney-fee beef for the moment.
After NYRA banned Baffert and Baffert countered with a federal lawsuit, do you know who came to NYRA’s support? Yes, the big bro, TJC. NYRA can’t even duke out a one-on-one without help?
TJC filed an amicus brief in support of NYRA’s decision to ban the biggest of the super villains, but Baffert prevailed with an injunction that allowed him to race at NYRA tracks until the case is settled. And now, the super villain is getting part of his legal fees reimbursed by NYRA, which is embarrassing. Big Brother, meanwhile, is presumably watching with a frown.
Here’s the applicable verse from MF DOOM himself in “Beef rap”:
Beef rap could lead to gettin' teeth capped
Or even a wreath for mom dukes on some grief crap
I suggest you change your diet
It can lead to high blood pressure if you fry it
Or even a stroke, heart attack, heart disease
It ain't no startin' back once arteries start to squeeze
Take the easy way out, phony
Until then they know they wouldn't be talkin' that baloney in the bullpen
It looks more and more like NYRA is all about its own rules, and it is as arbitrary as its stewards in enforcing them. NYRA, for example, is allowing some trainers like the villainous Juan-Carlos Vazquez to race at its tracks, but not a villain like Bob Baffert, just because Big Brother doesn’t like him. It’s shades of Doctor Victor Von Doom and Elmer Fudd, mashed up. Von Doom, with a straight face, said people only have those rights which he gives them, but Fudd, the arch enemy of BB (that’s Bugs Bunny), frequently blows his face off trying to trap the tricky wabbit.
That’s mad villainy, but that’s another MF DOOM album altogether.
Beef Rap: A Track vs Trainers
I'm still waiting on the baby - a la Incredibles - NYRA's New Safety Board Thingy to show up on the scene with uncontrollable lasers shooting from its eyes trying to save the day. It appears this super, small hero is still locked away in its crib or maybe has yet to be birthed.