I found it tough to pinpoint exact facts on your question. However, there is plenty of history and organized crime in horse racing, many by means of gaining advantage on an outcome of a race. Also, of Jockey's being threatened to hold back, while some have died mysteriously. Money Laundering..by disguising origins of money. A business taking large amounts of small change each week (e.g. a convenience store) needs to deposit that money in a bank. If its deposits vary greatly for no obvious reason this can draw suspicion; but if the transactions are regular and roughly the same the suspicion is easily discounted. This is the basis of all money laundering, a track record of depositing clean money before slipping through dirty money. Doping, injecting horses with stimulants/Cocaine, anabolic steroids to enhance performance. Bribery and Illegal bookmaking operations took place. The Organized Crime Control Act took care of a lot of this illegal action..but, even today you still find something, somewhere..however, the good police the bad and more are caught red handed. The history of horse racing, include stories of bookies, fixers and loan sharks. Gaming sites also often attract thieves, extortionists, prostitutes, and swindlers. Again, legalization provides ready-made occasions for such predators to operate.23 As a consequence, the moral environment suffers, and police staffs are stretched to the breaking point by the need to respond to the increased crime. In the United States, for example, cash transactions and deposits of more than $10,000 must be reported by the cashier (the bank etc) as "significant cash transactions" to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network FinCEN, with any other suspicious financial activity identified as "suspicious activity reports" (SARs). In other jurisdictions suspicion-based requirements may be placed on financial services employees and firms.
If interested a good book to read is 'Blind Switch' it's an excellent debut performance by Daily Racing Form's Midwest correspondent John McEvoy. Racing fans of all stripes will enjoy how McEvoy artfully weaves true-life incidents into his story of race fixing and horse killings.
Guide Review - Book Review: 'Blind Switch'
Because of its inseparable link to gambling, to many people, horse racing has always been seen as questionable, with fixed races, organized crime involvement, and insurance scams. And sadly, through the sport's history, there have been many incidents which perpetuate this notion. Working around some of these true stories, John McEvoy assembles an excellent story about a one-time race fixer who suddenly finds himself on the right side of the law. Hired on by the FBI as an informant, former amateur boxing champ and recently fired corporate employee Jack Doyle is sent in to infiltrate the stables of eccentric billionaire Harvey Rexroth, a very strange character who likes to have naked women on roller-skates skate laps around his office while he works. The FBI always suspected Rexroth's involvement in horse killings and race fixing, but never could gather enough evidence to prosecute him, and this was their best shot. Rexroth's main henchman is the banned Cajun jockey Ron Mortvedt. Unfortunately, Doyle's partner in the stakeout, New Zealander Aldous Bolger, was severely beaten by Rexroth's henchmen, which left Doyle all alone to complete the job. Eventually, it all comes together at the biggest race of the year in Chicago in September, in an ending that may not have been totally unpredictable, but entertaining nonetheless.
Other articles of interest..
http://espn.go.com/horse/news/2005/0119/1970326.htmlhttp://www.boston.com/sports/other_sports/horse_racing/articles/2005/01/15/ny_racing_board_pulls_licenses/ Enjoy :)
Answered By: Sandra S. - 2/28/2010