Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer has filed a complaint against Del Mar after the track announced they would not accept entries from him nor allot him any stalls for the summer meet which kicked off yesterday.
The only publicly given reason given to Hollendorfer was to avoid public relations issues. Hollendorfer was also recently banned by Stronach Group tracks and NYRA tracks with no publicly given reasons provided or reported. It is widely speculated it is a direct result of Hollendorfer having had his stable suffer four fatal breakdowns at the recently concluded and also marred Santa Anita meet. There were a large number of equine fatalities at that meet which garnered the attention of mainstream media, politics, and PETA.
Jerry Hollendorfer has the support of the California Trainers Association and is represented by attorney Drew Cuoto. The complaint alleges Del Mar did not follow procedures and denied Hollendorfer due process before instituting the ban. Arbitration is required prior to banning a trainer who is licensed in California and in good standing. Hollendorfer is both licensed and in good standing with no cases pending at present.
Ironically Hollendorfer is featured on the cover and inside this year’s Del Mar media guide. Apparently it went to print prior to a decision on the ban. If this couldn’t be changed timely it gives us a window into how difficult it would have been to move the Breeders’ Cup from Santa Anita this year so late in the game.
Del Mar opened yesterday and a former Jerry Hollendorfer trainee, now trained by his former assistant Dan Ward won a race. King Jack took the 9th race under Mike Smith as the favorite giving Ward his first winner at the meet. The opening day stake, The Oceanside, went to Jasiken under Flavien Prat for John Sadler.
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