Bill Finley

The Week in Review They have come at us one by one, saying they are shocked, they are disgusted, they love the animal, they love the sport and they had no idea they had been employing drug cheats. That's what we have heard from the owners who employed Jason Servis and Jorge Navarro and have spoken up in the aftermath of indictments that are not only shocking but threaten to do severe and irreparable damage to the sport. How could an owner employ someone who performed training feats that were,...

In this week's Writers' Room, presented by Keeneland, the writers talk to Jim Lawson, the CEO of Woodbine, and one of the most innovative executives in the game. Joe, Jon, Bill, and Brian talk about what Bob Baffert might do with his top 3-year-olds, the optics from the Fair Grounds last weekend after the Risen Star debacle, the Derby picture, and more.

This week's Green Group Guest of the Week on the TDN's Writers' Room Podcast, Thoroughbred Idea Foundation Executive Director Pat Cummings, implored the racing industry to learn from what has happened in Pennsylvania and to end what he sees as decades of complacency. Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf has submitted a budget that calls for $204 million to be diverted from the state's Race Horse Development Fund and used for a program that would provide college scholarships for Pennsylvania residents. Should the money, which comes from slot machines proceeds, be taken...

The Thoroughbred Idea Foundation was formed to cultivate and put forth independent ideas to help Thoroughbred racing. Pat Cummings, the TIF's executive director, joined the TDN Writers' Room podcast this week, where the timely discussion centered on how the racing industry can sustain itself--the subject of the group's new white paper, and a particularly timely topic given this week's news from Pennsylvania. The writers discuss the Pa. situation and review last weekend's three-year-old preps. Listen to those topics and more, on this week's Writers' Room podcast by clicking here.

Drew Mollica started his career in racing as a jockey agent, but had an epiphany at the age of 47: he was miserable. While keeping his day job, Mollica enrolled in law school, and today, is the most popular and affable lawyer on the New York Racing circuit. Mollica joins Joe Bianca, Bill Finley, Brian DiDonato and Jon Green to talk about Ahmed Zayat and other legal issues in this edition of the Writers' Room.

On this week's Writers' Room, Joe Bianca, Brian DiDonato, Bill Finley, and Jon Green discuss the upcoming hearing in Congress on the Horse Racing Integrity Act, and talk to Gulfstream's Mike Lakow about all things Pegasus. "With the new purse distribution and the purses themselves, we have full fields and the horsemen were very supportive of the changes," said Lakow, this week's Green Group Guest of the Week, of the reduction in the Pegasus purse to $3 million. "Keep in mind the horsemen were paying a half-million, or $400,000 to...

The past several years have been tough ones for the Texas racing industry, but when Sam Houston Race Park opens its 2020 meet Friday, it will mark a turning of the page for racing in the state. With the Texas government funneling $25 million into racing this year, Sam Houston's purses will more than double and management expects a healthy bump in average field size. "We're incredibly excited and optimistic about this meet," said SHRP's vice president and general manager Dwight Berube. "We're the first batter up among the Texas...

During this year's spring and fall meetings at Keeneland several jockeys willingly turned themselves into lab rats. The riders took part in an on-going initiative at the University of Kentucky (UK)'s Sports Medicine Research Institute (SMRI), where researchers believe they can pinpoint ways for a rider to maximize their potential. The study, called the Jockey and Equestrian Initiative (JEI), began as a way to learn more about concussions and concussion testing for riders. The university's work took on an entire new life after researchers met with riders at a Jockeys'...

For parts of 2017 and 2018, Bob Haynes couldn't have been doing worse. He was in his mid-sixties and heart problems had left him struggling to deal with everyday life. He had no energy and spent his days lying in bed. Today, that dark period in his life is just a memory. He has recovered mentally and physically and is optimistic about his future. He owes his turn of fortune to the doctors who performed open heart surgery on him and to those who worked with him during a four-month...

Zenyatta is still looking for her first win as a broodmare but that may soon change. Trainer John Shirreffs reports that her third foal to make it to the racetrack, Zellda (Medaglia d'Oro), has impressed him so far and appears to have a bright future. "We're really excited about Zellda," Shirreffs said. "She looks really good. She is on the smaller side but she has a really big stride and she's really into it. Some horses just gallop around and they just aren't into it. She is really into it....

This week on the TDN Writers' Room podcast, Joe Bianca, Brian DiDonato and Bill Finley welcome Jon Green from DJ Stables to the TDN studios. Green co-authors the TDN's popular tax column, Proven Strategies, with his father Len Green as part of the accounting firm The Green Group. Their stable will send out A Thread of Blue (Hard Spun) in this weekend's $1-million Jockey Club Derby Invitational at Belmont. Green also provides the team with an update on their Eclipse Champion Jaywalk (Cross Traffic). The quartet discusses the Grade I...

In this week's TDN Writers' Room podcast, Joe Bianca, Brian DiDonato and Bill Finley welcome Jon Green from DJ Stables. Green co-authors the TDN's popular tax column, Proven Strategies, with his father Len Green as part of the accounting firm The Green Group. Their stable will send out A Thread of Blue in this weekend's $1 million Jockey Club Derby at Belmont. The quartet discusses the Saratoga and Del Mar meets, TDN Rising Stars, how the first-crop sires are faring, and the upcoming Keeneland September Sales.