Does Merit Rating mean anything?

The Panel CTS
$500M Race Day


18 January 2018


To whom it may concern,

My name is Dr. Kevin Gerrard Bakos, I have been a horse owner for approximately 30 years. I have always been passionate about the industry and have had my fair share of success and disappointments over the years, which comes with the territory.

I feel I need to vent and ask for answers, as soon as possible, regarding my filly’s omission from the CTS 1600m $500m race to be run on the 27th of January 2018.

Rockin Russian, may I need to remind you, won on debut, she subsequently ran 2nd in the Thekwini (Grade 1) 3rd in Spring Fillies and mares challenge (Grade 2), 4TH in the Greyville Golden Slipper (Grade 2).

Trainer, Sean Tarry decided that after her successful Durban stint that we travel to Cape Town for the CTS 1600M in mind as her main mission. She was entered in a powerful colts race and was not disgraced being only 4.5 lengths behind top 3 year old, TAP 0’NORTH (who is rated amongst the top 3 year old colts in the country MR104, and whose form line has been franked repeatedly). Her merit rating at this stage was 99 (not surprisingly.) She was entered into the Fillies Guineas and due to her shocking draw, 2nd run after a 3 month rest and she was caught wide, being continuously bumped during the race. She ran a dismal race but with valid excuses. The handicappers did not see it this way and dropped her to a 95 MR.

As I have said before, the CTS race was our main mission, and Sean thought he will give her 1 more run to ensure peak fitness. She was not fully wound up for this race and ran a creditable 3rd, but the handicapper still decided to drop her a further 5 point to a 90 MR.

All this said, she was still 12th on your log to qualify, so it came as a huge shock to me when I was informed that she did not make the final cut. To my horror when I looked at the final field, I saw a horses as low as 84 MR qualifying before my horse. In fact there are 6 horses either equal or below my MR that got in.

I need an explanation as to how all these horses qualified ahead of mine. As far as I can see, none of these horses have performed at my filly’s level. There is a huge expense (as you should know) for horses to travel from centre to centre. Sean convinced us that it was important to support the Cape season building up to this race rather than raiding as he has with his other filly in the race. We do like to support other centres, but to get a slap in the face like this is an absolute disgrace. You have left a sour taste in my mouth and I am thinking twice about continuing in this industry, as well as continuing to get any of my friends involved in this sport (as I have done to a huge extent).

I have furthermore decided not to buy any horses at the upcoming CTS sale. When the playing fields are not level, and the rules and decisions are skewed to assist weaker horses to qualify for a race (for reasons only known to yourselves), I am finding this very hard to swallow.

I HAVE qualified for this race on merit and if those lower MR horses raced and PERFORMED at Grade 1 level, I would understand. MR is merit rating and my 90 merit rating gives me the right to be in that field. This is not even a borderline decision.

I used the services of the South African champion trainer and he comes at a price for his services. He obviously knows what he is doing to get where he is today, knows when and how to place his horses, working and timing the horses preparation for the eventual main aim. He knew at MR 90 he would qualify as he kept monitoring her position on your log. Given all this, maybe you and your panel should inform him how to train and place his horses to qualify for a race of this nature, because obviously he needs your assistance as he has done his job as far as he and myself are concerned, but to no avail. This has forced him to place her in a Grade 1 race as a one time winner which does not suit his plan for her, but due to the expensive cost of bringing her to the Cape, also taking in consideration my bookings of flights and hotels in advance, knowing we were a definite runner on merit ratings, he thought it is only right to race her in order for me to have a runner on the day.


Could you please explain in detail how two horses, Rings & Things and Dynamic Diana warrant their places in front of Rockin Russian.

I urgently await your response on this matter.

Dr. KG Bakos

Over the years i have often seen horses being eliminated and hear the same thing, previous runs they wernt ready and their races were prep runs. Especially coming from durban where form doesnt hold up the trainers need to get their horses fit off the track and not use a race for a gallop at the punters expense.

Well said Bigbrass.... Should you get a response, I hope you will share..... would/should be a good read.... On the assumption, breeder Peter hasn't commented further on his post, I can only hope and pray you do not, and are not holding your breath......

Dear Dr. Bakos

I must admit to being unpleasantly surprised to receive a copy of your sniffling letter regarding the omission of your filly, Rockin' Russian from the final field of the $500000 CTS race on Met Day. I note that you list it as a $500M race, you barbarians from Johannesburg always tend to exaggerate things, don't you?

There are a multitude of reasons why your filly did not make the field, someone who uses the title Doctor, would be expected to have some grey matter between the ears, you clearly have little to none. I will write down the reasons for your fillies elimination slowly, to enable you to understand. The reasons are as follows:

1. The race is called the Cape Thoroughbred Sales 1600 ( Non Black Type ). What part about the Cape don't you hoodlums from Johannesburg get? It's all about the Cape sir. So it follows that anything with a Cape Connection will get preference. It is not hard to understand. So if the horse has Cape owners, it gets preference. If it has a Cape Trainer, it gets preference. Get it?

You ingeniously try to swing the argument in your favour by trying to include Merit Rating into the equation. Merit rating is critically important, but definitely not nearly as important as having a Cape Connection. Do you really think that we should allow you hoods from Joburg to deny our patrons a runner in the race using this MR as an excuse? You must be mad. If we did then Rings and Things owned by dear Markus ( who needs as much cheering up as he can), Bryn Ressell and Marsh Shirtliff may not have qualified. Or worse using this MR malarkey may have seen the non-appearance of Raya Baya, owned amongst others by Wiehan Smit and Grant Knowles, and as stalwarts of CTS that really would not do. Or perhaps you would have wanted to exclude Dynamic Diana? Unless you weren't aware, this is trained by Justin Snaith who lost his champion title to your man. You really don't think that we are going to assist there did you?

2. Your sly trainer attempted to confuse the Racing Bureau. Go and look at the sim draw for the race. Your man made two horses his first choice. Your filly and Captain and Master were clearly marked first choice. You can't have it both ways.

3. Look at the conditions of the race. It clearly states that the final field will be appointed by the Racing Operator. Here we are Kenilworth racing, we are not Phumelela. You serve us.

Quit your ghastly sniffling and man up. You have your own big races to contest, and we don't spoil your party there do we?

Yours Sincerely

EYEMA DOOS

Clearly tongue in cheek and you have my sympathies - it is a travesty. Graded form ignored in favour of one time winners who cant win FM74 races.......

Why dont you ask your erstwhile partner in RIKITIKITANA for an explanation. He knows everything, or acts like he does? Or why not get Larry to demand an explanation and get some squib scratched? His popularity won't be affected.

I feel for you. Do you know what t's and c's were?

Good on you Dr Bakos - Please keep us in the loop if you get some kind of explaination , it would be interestesting.

Even as a reserve runner you would have a chance as Kharma and the Unions are going to make sure that there will be scatchings .


I am sitting with a hand full of doubles on Legal Eagle to Place and my gut says he aint going to run after the interviews with Cosatu and the PIC , they know exactly what is going on. So horses liike Talk of the Town and others are not certain to run. Good luck to those connections.

The comment by OTA re Wehann Smith is unfair and unwarranted ( even though in jest). He has played no part in the selection process, and in fact is a part owner of Freedom Charter, also denied a run.
I was amazed to hear that Rockin Russian was excluded by the panel- I had assumed she was withdrawn by connections as there is no way that her exclusion can be justified.
A travesty indeed.

It must be noted that this is a sales race and CTS provide for and pay the advertised prize money for this race.

The Final Field will be determined by a panel appointed by the Racing Operator

The composition of the appointed panel would be most interesting to peruse. In boxing parlance this was a "bum" decision taken by home town judges. There can only be vested interests at play here.

Some questions that I have - and I'm not taking any sides here .....

Was there a log issued after the fillys last run on 27 Dec - and if so was she still 12th on it?

What is the filly rated at today?

My guess would be there was no log after 27 Dec, so the panel (whoever they may be) COULD have been swayed by the fillys form in the Cape - excuses or not ..... on my ratings she ran to around 82 in the race on 27 Dec - and I imagine the explanation (if anything will be forthcoming) will point to that ....

Anyway should the panel (or the operator) not (for the sake of clarity) issue a statement on the arguments used selecting the final field(s) - so at least everyone is aware of the logic - unless logic does not come in to it ?

Its very diffcult to get replies but it might get published via Charls site or tab if there is a logical reply, if not your guess is as good as mine.

If the owners are RA members should demand a response