Gerald Russell suspended six months
7/26/10

    Old timer Gerald Russell has been handed a six month driving
    suspension along with a sixty day full suspension by the Judges at
    Thunder Ridge.

    The punishment was imposed after the Kentucky Horse Racing
    Commission's Presiding Judge, Rich Williams, found Russell guilty of;
    (in laymen terms) not putting in a full effort to win the race. In other
    words, racing for second.

    The infraction occurred at Thunder Ridge Raceway in a non-winners of one pari-mutual race on Friday
    July 23, 2010. The hearing took place on Saturday, the following day.

    Thunder Ridge is a track in Eastern Kentucky that regularly has a small live handle. The total live handle
    has been less than $25 on some days. Short fields and low to zero in the exotic pools have
    contributed to that. So it goes without saying that Russell was not cashing tickets.

    Russell was told in the hearing that guys like him are the reason people do not come out and bet. His
    thoughts, "I don't know about that. But from their point of view, they were doing their job."


3 Comments

    Aaron J Young
    ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  Rich Williams, BIG RICHARD, free Mr. Russell.

    William Pinkston
    Is 6 months really productive. In Chicago a leading driver was given 7 days for doing this same thing with
    a 1-9 favorite. The stewards their gave him 7 days. That make much more sense than 6 months. I think if
    you've been to any racetrack in Kentucky lately, you wouldn't say that Gerald Russell is the reason why
    people don't come out. What a joke. The judges at Thunder Ridge have lost all respect from the horsemen.

    Ken Terpenning
    WOW! So I guess the judges do not think that the poor track management, lack of rule uniformity across the
    industry, lack of advertisement and marketing, condition of the track's facilities, comfortableness, grade of
    product, location, competition, urine smell throughout a grandstand, bad food and lack of
    entertainment/incentive for patrons are the real reasons the tracks are losing business?? OK SURE, now that
    Gerald Russell is out, maybe the purses will go up....since there will be people betting the races.

    Note to judges and all the other Ostriches in this business with their heads buried in the sand: "By the time
    you pull your heads out of the sand it will be too late and the tracks around you will be an afterthought and
    guys like Gerald Russell will NOT be the cause of the tracks disappearance!"
Photo by Amanda Webb Stephens