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An Open Letter to the Board of Stewards: Closing the Integrity Gaps in The American Stud Book

POSTED: February 21, 2026

Let's take a look at THE RULES I recently had an exchange with Lisa Lazarus the CEO of HISA in which she basically advised that...

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Past The Wire

Pedigrees, Power, and "Artificial" Intelligence: Why John Stewart is Racing’s Newest Confused Defender

POSTED: February 20, 2026

In the high-stakes world of Thoroughbred racing, there is a fine line between being a "disruptor" and being "disoriented." Recently, John Stewart (Resolute Racing) took...

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Past The Wire

True Bias. False Bias. And the Difference Between Being Sharp… and Being Loud

POSTED: February 18, 2026

One of the most abused, misunderstood, and lazily thrown around terms in modern horse racing is track bias. Everybody’s got one. Everybody sees one. Very...

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Past The Wire

The High-Stakes Standoff: Is Churchill Downs Betting Against Federal Oversight?

POSTED: February 18, 2026

The fragile peace in American Thoroughbred racing has officially fractured. In a move that signals the end of bureaucratic patience, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety...

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Past The Wire

The Keeper of the Gates: Has The Jockey Club Failed the American Thoroughbred?

POSTED: February 17, 2026

What we're gonna do right here is go back "The Jimmy Castor Bunch" When you slice and dice through all the recent criticisms of The...

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Past The Wire

The Great Divide: Industry Fluff vs. The Gambler’s Reality

POSTED: February 16, 2026

More Appearance of a Controlled Narrative I have always said we have two groups who put money into the game as most take it out:...

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Past The Wire

The Gilded Insularity: Why the "Inner Circle" Can No Longer Ignore the Noise

POSTED: February 16, 2026

There is a beautiful, protected inner circle in Thoroughbred racing—a space that is gilded, powerful, and meticulously insulated. To those within it, the walls feel...

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Past The Wire

The Untouchables: Why the Racing Media Chokes on the Ortiz Scandal but Swallows Kevin Bond Whole

POSTED: February 16, 2026

Low Hanging Fruit Often Tastes Bad "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it."...

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Past The Wire

California Dreaming: Golden State Rejuvenation for Jockeys

POSTED: February 16, 2026

Maybe It's The Water The California racing circuit, despite its challenges with field size, has become an unexpected proving ground and career revitalizer for a...

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@PastTheWire Great read brought back some sad memories.The only race she lost killed her. Legacy. @jonathanstettin pic.twitter.com/Jx9WF7OjUe

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Welcome To Past The Wire

Welcome to Past The Wire, home of Jonathan Stettin’s column on all that is horse racing, the Sport of Kings! We hope you enjoy  Past The Wire where you will find articles and with tons of insight written by Jonathan Stettin. Jonathan shares his many years of experience as a player, owner and agent in the sport of horse racing with you. Jonathan has a unique approach on the game as we know it today coupled with a keen sense of what is going on in the Sport Of Kings on the daily.

Jonathan has been around the sport of horse racing his entire life. You will find candid interviews with owners, trainers and jockeys as well as his uncensored views on the state of horse racing, betting syndicates, opinion pieces and more. Read more from Jonathan Stettin here and allow him to take you Past The Wire!