Need some further corroboration that the nation's top newspapers have been a principal contributor to the perception that horse racing is in decline? One need only look at the Tampa Bay Times, once looked upon as a major source of news for the thoroughbred industry.

    When the decoupling issue was stealing all the headlines several weeks and months ago, it was pretty much a fact that dogs, jai alai and trotters were the No. 1 force behind allowing the entities to discontinue their live product and remain in operation strictly as casinos. St. Pete's Derby Lane was among them, even though its handle was not that horrendous compared to many others. 

    But St. Pete's handle for Thursday night was $150,576, and, of course, somewhat better for the Friday and Saturday performances. But Tampa Bay Downs did $12.2 million on Tampa Bay Derby day! It would take a couple of months or more for Derby Lane to just equal that amount. 

    Yet, yesterday's Times had its obligatory Saturday article by Don Jensen on the pari-mutuel page devoting 13 paragraphs over 4 1/2 columns to kennel operator Mick D'Arcy taking his sixth Derby Lane distance classic title. At the end, there was this, after "HORSES." "Jockey Scott Spieth collected his 4,500th career victory Sunday aboard Aldana Gonzalez trainee Awesome Indeed at Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar." (I'm glad Jensen let the people of the Bay area know TBD is in Oldsmar). 

    The Arkansas Derby was being run at Oaklawn yesterday with major ramifications for the Kentucky Derby and Jensen felt it appropriate to feature Scott Spieth's 4,500th victory - one week later - following a 13-paragraph description of a dog race. What a disgrace. And this was far from being the first instance of the 13-to-1 ratio, Jensen does it CONSTANTLY. I know, because I am a 25-year Times almost-everyday reader. 

    It has come to my attention that this writer (who feels compelled to call any horse who ever raced at Tampa a "Tampa Bay Downs graduate"), determines what will be written in this column, not the Times, or anybody else. Inquiring minds have to seriously question what his motives are, and more importantly, WHY that is his agenda. 

    I would never - in this column - accuse Don Jensen of being on the take. But if I ever ran into him in person, you can bet I would put it to him, just to judge his reaction!

    I am going to send this column to Times deputy managing editor for sports and photography Jack Sheppard, and I hope to get a response from him, or Jensen, or both. 

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