Mike Maker

[JR]

Does anybody have any info on this new super move-up trainer? Where did he come from? Who\'s his vet? When will he get busted?

[shanahan]

JR - he\'s another one who did time under Lukas...his best nmoves are 2nd back off layoff and 1st off claim.  Getting good owners after a lot of hard work, but he has yet to really hit the big tracks/good stock...but it\'s coming.  His sister is also a trainer.

[Badride]

Hes just that much better than most

Hard work, spots them right, reads a condition book excellent.   People should take note, this guy is topshelf

[seapines7609]

Maker is one of the best on the Midwest circuit this year. With no positives to date all of the other trainers are wanting access to the same \"stuff\" he\'s using. Hay, Oats, and water only takes you so far. While he did come up under the wing of D.Wayne Lukas many other top trainers are having a bad year but not Maker.

One thing that many fans do not know is that Maker also did time as an assistant for Jeff Talley prior to his record run this year. Maybe Talley is the key to his success!

[NoCarolinaTony]

Many in Ky have suggested that Mr Ramsey (his \"new in 08\" key owner) has shared his magic with Magical Mike. Note the high percentage winners for that particular Barn.

NC Tony

[Frost King]

Mr Ramsey has been known to bet with \"Both Fists\" on some of his horses at times.

[seapines7609]

I have not known Mr. Ramsey to frequent the barns of any of the trainers that he has used in the past. Any success that Mike Maker has with the Ramsey horses is similar to horses that he runs for other owners. They all win at a high percentage rate.

Mike has a great team of employees and I\'m sure he has access to the best care for both the runners at the track and the lay-ups that need rest. Lets see how he does in Florida with his 2 yr olds after the first of the year. He may have a live one in \"Pressure Point\" and I\'m looking for that one to make an impressive start during the early part of January.

One thing that does not seem to have slowed Maker down is the elimination of steroids in race horses. Many of the better known trainers are seeing their statistics drop since the announcement that steroids would be banned. Evidently the Maker group of runners either do not need steroids or they have found a natural substitute like Reborne which was recently introduced by Halstrum.

[miff]

\"One thing that does not seem to have slowed Maker down is the elimination of steroids in race horses. Many of the better known trainers are seeing their statistics drop since the announcement that steroids would be banned. Evidently the Maker group of runners either do not need steroids or they have found a natural substitute like Reborne which was recently introduced by Halstrum\"


Sea,

Who are the better known trainers that \"are seeing their statistics drop since the steroid thing\".

TGJB,

I do not see anything from your figs in NY and Cali to confirm any drop off post steroid ban. Do you have some info on this?

From more than one vet in NY,it seems that the steroid ban has not done very much to reduce the win rate of the usual suspects.NY \"officially\" introduces the steroid rules on JAN 1 but many outfits have stopped using them 2 months ago.

There was a big splash by DR Arthur this summer in Cali about two trainers(Sadler and Mitchell, I think) and steroids. Well, like the milkshake thing before steroids, these guys along with Mullins and O\'Neill are winning at almost the same rate. At other venues Autrey, Maker, Ziadie, Catalano, Asmussen, Tricky and bro Tony, Levine and others continue to win at very lofty rates.So, it\'s not shakes, steroids, blood dope,super pain meds et al or maybe it is, with a drug that\"masks\" all of it.But so many guys with the stuff and no one really getting caught?

Racing/testing it truly up against the chemists who are one step ahead of the curve OR there is far LESS illegal stuff being used than originally thought.

Sight,

What has been your experience with horse \"withdrawing\" from steroids.Have you noticed a substantial drop off in the horses performance or the outfits that no longer use them.Thanks.


Mike

[colt]

\"...I do not see anything from your figs in NY and Cali to confirm any drop off post steroid ban...\"

One guy on the Southern Cali circuit who has become an automatic toss in the WIN column even though is trainer Fig ratings remains solid is Neil Drysdale.  It was evident that he took head to the warning at the start of Del Mar, and hasn\'t been the same since.  Many will be quick to point out that his stock as change since he has more younger horses, but his older ones are not Winning as we have accustomed to seeing.

[TGJB]

Miff-- without trying to draw a connection to specific individuals, drugs or rules, there is no doubt that the number of \"move-ups\" in California as a whole is way down this year.

Also noticed that Pletcher\'s horses weren\'t doing nearly as well-- until a few hit Calder recently. He had a 2yo run a negative number, among other things.

[sighthound]

Sight, What has been your experience with horse \"withdrawing\" from steroids.Have you noticed a substantial drop off in the horses performance or the outfits that no longer use them.Thanks.

No change at all if steroids were being used appropriately.  If steroids were overused, maybe a little temporary dropoff (the horse needing longer between races), but then the horses come back to their own in a couple of months.

The impact of \"steroids\" on a horses\' performance has been vastly overrated, and falsely compared to the abuse of steroids in human athletes.  Stiffer steroid regulations were, and remain, mostly a PR move that looks good in the public\'s eye.
 
I\'m certainly supportive of the change in steroid regulation, but IMO the sport will not see any measurable difference in the future in either performance assessments or breakdown rates with \"steroids off\" on race day (remember they still can be used within the rules)  

Few trainers in the big picture really \"abused\" them, and even excessive abuse didn\'t do all that much, is the point.

As an aside, the product Reborn has nothing to do with steroids.  It\'s a very expensive nutritional supplement, useful, but nothing magical or amazing about it (or about giving adult animals colostrum).

[miff]

Thanks JB/Sight,

Has anything really been accomplished then if \"move up\'s\" are down but the usual suspects continue to win at their normal percentage?

Mike

[TGJB]

There are some who are DEFINITELY not winning at their previous percentages, Sherman being the most extreme example. Also, Hol and SA have been different in this regard, for whatever reason. We\'ll see if O\' Neill does as well at SA.

[miff]

Honestly don\'t know that much about Sherman, so I\'ll assume you have him pegged. I was talking about the perennial thieves who seem to doing just as well to me.


Mike

[shanahan]

call it who it is...Mike Mitchell.  Drug Oneill is way off & he is not claiming anything.