Moyer Quits Because of Owner

Steve Moyer, who has been training 32 horses--including 16 that are eligible for this year’s Kentucky Derby--for Houston furniture magnate Jim McIngvale, walked off the job Wednesday in Kentucky.

“It got unbearable working for [McIngvale and his family],” said Moyer, 31. “All they wanted was a puppet to train these horses, and that’s not me. When they started slandering Nick Zito and [some leading Kentucky veterinarians] in public, that was the last straw.”

A former assistant to two-time Derby winner Zito, Moyer’s stable tripled last month when McIngvale moved 12 horses from Zito’s barn at Gulfstream Park to the Kentucky Training Center. McIngvale claimed that the Gulfstream track was responsible for several injuries. One of the Gulfstream horses, Derby prospect St. Michael, was euthanized over the weekend, the result of complications from an ulcer after he had successfully undergone ankle surgery.

“I’ve won with 40% of my starters and Jim McIngvale is the leading owner at Turfway,” Moyer said. “But Mac wanted to train the horses himself. The whole family is pretty bizarre, and I’m not going to ruin my reputation by training for them anymore. I don’t care if they win the next 17 Kentucky Derbies, they can do it without me. Let them all jump off a mattress.”

Said McIngvale, who’s in the process of replacing Moyer: “It’s my money, and we’re going to do it my way. I’m not going to spell any of my trainers’ names G-o-d. We made some changes, and Moyer couldn’t handle it. Last Saturday, we ran [Accelerated Time] in a stake at Oaklawn Park and he finished last. The groom told me afterward that the horse had a hot knee and she told Moyer, but he ran him, anyway. As for St. Michael, he went from a $4-million horse to nothing.”

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As few as four horses and as many as six are expected to be entered this morning for Saturday’s $1-million Santa Anita Handicap.

All of the attention will be focused on only two of the runners--Gentlemen and Silver Charm.

The 125-pound highweight who will be ridden by Pat Day for the first time, Gentlemen completed his preparation for the 1 1/4-mile Big ‘Cap with a 1:10 3/5 work Saturday at Hollywood Park.

Silver Charm, who will carry one pound less, had his final drill Tuesday, going five furlongs in 1:00 4/5.

“I wanted to make sure he saw a chestnut and passed him, so he would think it was Gentlemen,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “I want him to be thinking ‘pass the chestnut, pass the chestnut.’ I think that was my mistake working him up to the Santa Anita Derby last year--I didn’t work him with a gray and Free House beat him.”

Malek and Bagshot are probables for the 61st Big ‘Cap, while Tru Story and Don’t Blame Rio are considered possible.

Horse Racing Notes

Wrekin Pilot, the longest shot in the field at 35-1, rallied to win the $110,400 Baldwin Stakes on Wednesday at Santa Anita. The victory was the first of the meeting for trainer James Cassidy and the 3-year-old Ron’s Victory gelding was ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye. . . . According to agent Harry Hacek, jockey Garrett Gomez, who hasn’t ridden since Feb. 21, has entered an alcohol rehabilitation program and may be able to return to riding before the end of this month. Gomez, 30, has 14 winners from 137 mounts at the current Santa Anita meeting.