An open letter to Susan Kayne:
It is a rarity for me to get involved when someone posts something negative about me, but this time I feel the need to say something. First let me say, I know nothing about Susan Kayne. She might be a very nice person and great family member just like I am. We have never had dinner and it is safe to say she does not know me, or my family, nor do I know hers. She does not know what my life is like, or anything that I do in my life. She does not know what kind of horseman I am, how much I care, or what kind of father I am.
A few days ago we posted a video which was a series of free clinics that I gave in Saratoga on Tuesdays. These were days I should have been spending with my five children, but I really wanted to give something back to the great fans at Saratoga. I wanted to speak to them, about all the things that they longed to better understand. Conformation, Sales, medication, management, ownership—you name it. These were open forums that were incredibly well- attended, and I stayed as long as it took to answer every question, and explain everything anyone wanted to know. I must admit that they exceeded even my own expectations. I never once asked anyone to become an owner or did anything to promote myself. This was 100% about educating the fans, and boy, did we ever.
So when the video goes online Susan Kayne feels the need to post my record of equine injury, which can easily be found on the NY State Gaming Commission website, as a comment. My first thought was, “Why would anyone want to take something positive and make it such a negative?” Perhaps something negative happened between Susan Kayne and I, but if it did, I for one surely forgot about it. (Although I am sure we will hear about it after I post this.) Susan Kayne went on to post all the horses who were injured in my stable. It looked very ominous, unless you look closer.
She listed Desert Valentine, who once twisted a shoe and was scratched in the post parade. (She won, and then ran third at Saratoga this year.) She listed Bytemark, who was kicked in the post parade by the stable pony and scratched. (He won last week.) She also listed Lunar Tales, who did indeed die. He had a gallop one morning, just like any other morning, and while walking home on the horse path, far from the track he suffered a massive heart attack and died right on the horse path. The necropsy showed a heart attack, pure and simple, and no medication whatsoever. This information is also on the website. She was correct however about Kathy’s Reward. She suffered a catastrophic breakdown on the training track at Saratoga. She had won three races in a row, and was very sound. She took a bad step and unfortunately could not be saved. What Susan Kayne does not mention (because she was not there) is how I held that filly’s head and cried waiting for the ambulance to come, even though I knew it was over. How I told her over and over again how sorry I was, and how much I loved her. What Susan Kayne does not mention, was that I had to go home to regain my composure after this happened, and how somber my stable was with everyone crying openly.
Susan Kayne, we all know that as long as we have 1,200-pound horses, traveling 40 miles an hour, we are going to occasionally have a catastrophic injury. I do not believe you will ever find a trainer who has saddled 17,000 horses (like I have), and not had catastrophic injuries. Here is what you do not know, or choose to ignore, because it would take away from your attempt to make me look bad:
I am President of the Exceller Fund (excellerfund.org), which is a rescue, rehabilitation and retirement organization that takes in retired racehorses and finds them a home. I have not yet met a Trainer who is head of a rescue or retirement effort, nor have I seen a donation with your name on it.
I was an invited key speaker at the 2014 Equine Wellness Symposium in Lexington Kentucky.
I was an invited key speaker at the Gaming Commission medication forum in August 2015.
I am a supporter of: The TRC, ACTT Naturally, Rerun, and Saratoga WarHorse. I have put up money countless times, quite often with Maggi Moss, to claim and retire horses off the track or save horses in kill pens throughout the country.
I have spent thousands of dollars in support of:
CAPTAIN, a Saratoga County organization that supports families and children in crisis. Also, New York State Troopers; Schenectady Patrolmen’s Association; Hoosick Area Youth Council (HAYC3); St Mary’s Academy; Bennington Children’s hospital; Make-a-Wish and Toys for Tots.
So Susan Kayne, if you want to take this into an open forum—I welcome it. You and I together. We can both talk about what bothers us. We can talk about all the wonderful things that you do to make this world a better place. What bothers me is someone I do not know, who knows nothing about me, is trying her best to make me look bad.
Our business is imperfect and sometimes ugly, but I live to help people, and help horses. To dare try to say differently—you should be ashamed.
Gary Contessa
Contessaracing.com
732-620-4422