No one should ever accuse you of not having an ultra-keen memory, Richie.
Carmine is now gone, and they gave the absolute slug, Lewandowski, his job. It will have everybody asking, \"Who stewards the stewards?\" That\'s because nothing really has changed. The same set-up remains, focused entirely on doing things that will be in NYRA\'s, the Jockey Club\'s, and New York State\'s interest. The public\'s and the bettor\'s interests are purely only afterthoughts. Think about it. Eight years ago, if they thoroughly investigated the complaint about the corrupt outfit, it would have opened another huge can of worms, something the sport could ill-afford. Imagine waking up and reading the newspaper headline, \'The NYRA Stewards implicated In Aiding and Abetting Corrupt Racetrack Outfits Preying On An Innocent Public\'?
I never shared this before. But, one official, (who had been thoroughly involved in the sport throughout his life --- as an owner, and as a trainer) I had made contact with knew exactly what was going on, and completely understood and agreed with what I was communicating and trying to do about the corrupt outfit, and what they had been doing. He had agreed to help me address issue, and he was doing so. That was until, there was \"a sudden change in direction,\" which I sensed was brought on by \"the powers that be\" intervening in the official\'s pursuit in the matter. The official would later meet with me, sympathize and suggest I accept what had been offered, but related that he would not be able to help me any further with the issue. So, the corrupt outfit was allowed to continue to bilk an unsuspecting public for another 6 years.
And, please don\'t make the mistake of thinking that, I was the only one who noticed the significant discrepancies, and that the numbers didn\'t add up. Several of us did, but I was the one who sought a change, and tried to achieve one. The corrupt outfit? They wanted me banned from the barn, and outfit leader instructed the trainer not to allow me in the barn. I wasn\'t there, but several of the barn crew were only too happy to share, what had occurred with me. The barn crew were laughing, telling me the trainer told outfit leader to \'Go f___ himself, and never tell him who to allow, or not to allow in.\' We (my girlfriend and I) continued to go to the barn every week, as we had been doing all along, and we had become friends with so many of the crew --- and \"Yes,\" a lot of the barn crew were aware of how the corrupt outfit was operating.
I had to get a lawyer to get the money the corrupt outfit was withholding and refusing to give to me, that my horse had earned. I eventually got what was being withheld, and made out a lot better than so many, many others, who the corrupt outfit was allowed to continue to bilk.
