FoxPhile

That's pretty much where I am this year. Just trying to figure out my quarterly payments I got hopelessly confused. Now I just need too find a preparer that I can trust.

WeBuiltThePyramids

I was fortunate to get a rec from someone I've known a long time who has similar taxes to mine (in the sense that her family has self employment income).

FoxPhile

My brother recommended someone, but only because he went to see if he even needed to file taxes and after they told him he didn't, they didn't charge him anything. I suppose that says something about their honesty, but I wish I knew more people around here that I could ask.

WeBuiltThePyramids

Yesterday they finally disqualified the horse who finished first in last year's Kentucky Derby. It's taken this long due to legal delays and it still isn't over since they get to appeal, and they will appeal (and will likely lose in appeal), but at least there's finally movement on it.

FoxPhile

I heard about that. I'd forgotten that the horse involved died late last year. That was so sad.

WeBuiltThePyramids

Yeah, and the necropsy wasn't able to determine a cause of death - what they found was consistent with a cardiac event, but not so consistent that they could rule out anything else.

FoxPhile

It's just so concerning that some folks' greediness could actually cause harm or death to an animal. One incident like that can really fuel the fire of people who want to ban the sport.

WeBuiltThePyramids

Oh yeah, PETA has had a field day.

FoxPhile

I certainly hope that most people involved in thoroughbred racing have a love of the animals they work with. But even if that's maybe a bit naïve, I figure that these people have huge investments in the animals, and the potential for huge future rewards if they can put them to stud. It only makes economic sense to take good care of them.

WeBuiltThePyramids

The "boots on the ground" people love the animals. But cheating, and cheating in ways that harms horses in the long run is rampant in that sport and the sport has gotten very good at blaming literally anyone and anything but themselves for their issues. They will contort themselves into whatever they have to to avoid confronting that some of the "good ol' boys" are the main sources of the issues the sport has. Bob Baffert is banned from entering horses in the Kentucky Derby the next two years and people are still refusing to pull their three year olds from him and put them in another barn out of "loyalty," meaning they'd rather sacrifice their chance at winning the most famous race on the continent - and sacrifice the purse money AND potential stud deal that comes with a Derby win - just to prove their loyalty to someone who will happily continue to take their money.

FoxPhile

That is amazing. Frankly, I've never cared much for Baffert, and this feels a bit like a vindication of my gut instincts. But if I actually had a horse that had been anywhere within a hundred miles of Baffert I'd pull that so fast it would make the man's head spin. I'm sure they have contracts with Baffert, and that may be part of the reluctance, but I would hope those contracts have out clauses for exactly this type of situation.

WeBuiltThePyramids

In racing the contracts are usually more in regards to what a trainer of a horse gets upon retirement. For example, it is industry standard when a major stallion retires to stud that the trainer get one or two lifetime breeding rights - which they can use, gift, or sell. For example, if Baffert had a mare of his own that he wanted to breed to American Pharoah, he could do so for free. Or, since American Pharoah's stud fee is currently $80,000 LFSN (live foal stands and nurses), he could sell one year's worth of that breeding right to someone for $70,000, so they get a deal and he makes the money. In terms of being able to switch barns, trainers actually charge a day rate, so owners can move barns at any time as the contract is day to day.

FoxPhile

Thanks for that explanation. It's very interesting that trainers are essentially hired day-to-day. So anyone dealing with Baffert could actually cut ties at a moments notice. And I can't for the life of me understand why they wouldn't.

WeBuiltThePyramids

It's entirely due to the elite essentially being a boys' club. The vast majority of small outfits, and smaller ownerships, want him to just retire. He's filthy rich and has a ton of cars and expensive watches from big name races, and he has those lifetime breeding rights to several horses that he could make a comfortable living each year just selling ONE of them. It would be good for the sport to just retire but not only does he not, he actively fights every single battle (like, his lawyer sends cease and desists to random people on Twitter who say anything negative) which just puts more bad press in the spotlight. But he doesn't care about the sport's longevity, he's just never been told no in his life and doesn't want to give up getting to do whatever he wants.

It was also a big mistake for the sport to put him (or any one person) on a pedestal with the media, because then some people who do want him to face consequences are genuinely afraid that if the industry admits he's a dirty trainer, they're digging their own grave. And in that sense it's a rock and a hard place situation, because yes, but also, denying it is a bad look too. They should have spent the last 25 years highlighting many trainers, many ownership groups, and focusing on the horses as the feel good stories for the Derby, not specific people.

FoxPhile

I always wondered why he was such a media darling. But he is undeniably charismatic - at least on the face of things.

I feel for his kids, and hope they haven't grown up with that sense of entitlement - although that's probably a vain hope.