Pompa-Reynolds Relationship Ends
 

Saddened to report that Paul Pompa has re-distributed his stock from Pat Reynolds after a long, productive relationship.

Steve you're so cruel. I didn't need this kind of news on a Monday morning.

:mad:

Wouldn't " repeat " be a more appropriate word than report?

News to me. They scored a G3 win over the weekend with Backseat Rhythm.

Dutrow is getting some of his horses, as well as other trainers.

What gives??

Brain food kicked in.

Pompa cuts ties with Reynolds
By David Grening

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Pat Reynolds didn't have long to celebrate Backseat Rhythm's thrilling nose victory in Saturday's Grade 3 Hillsborough Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

On Sunday, Backseat Rhythm and eight other horses Reynolds conditioned for owner Paul Pompa Jr. were transferred to other trainers as Pompa ended his five-year relationship with Reynolds. Reynolds, who had lost his previous 20 races with Pompa-owned horses before the Hillsborough, said his stable is now down to four.

Backseat Rhythm, who won the Grade 1 Garden City last year, and two others were moved to Kiaran McLaughlin at the Palm Meadows training center while four horses, including 3-year-old maiden winners Dubinksy and Well Positioned, were transferred to Richard Dutrow Jr., who coincidentally, is stabled right across the way from Reynolds at Gulfstream Park. Bruce Brown in New York and Greg Griffin in Tampa each was given one horse.

Pompa, who lives in New Jersey, recently underwent gall bladder surgery and was unavailable for comment. Jack Brothers, who among his many hats in the racing industry works as a quasi-agent for Pompa, said Pompa didn't want just one trainer anymore.

"It was a tough decision. Paul does think a lot of [Reynolds]," Brothers said. "What it boiled down to was with young horses and with the horses coming through the program he thought he would be better served if they were spread around a little bit."

Brothers didn't rule out Pompa reuniting with Reynolds at a later date.

"I know Paul's hoping no bridges were burned and the door's open for possibilities down the road," Brothers said.

Reynolds said he was hurt by the fact that he was told of his firing by Brothers and a van driver on Sunday morning and not Pompa himself.

"After a five-year run, a face to face or at least a phone call would have been nice," Reynolds said. "Maybe there's an e-mail somewhere in cyber space that's going to arrive, I don't know."

According to Daily Racing Form statistics, Reynolds and Pompa teamed to win 74 races from 439 starters and purse money of more than $4.1 million since the beginning of 2004. Reynolds was the original trainer of Big Brown, whom he saddled to an 11 1/4-length debut score in a maiden turf race at Saratoga on Sept. 1, 2007. Pompa later sold 75 percent interest in Big Brown to other owners, and the horse was transferred to Dutrow, who guided him to victories in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness last year. Big Brown won an Eclipse Award as the nation's top 3-year-old.

"His status has changed and the bar is a little higher," Reynolds said of Pompa. "The board of advisors I guess just didn't approve of me anymore."

Reynolds, 57, said he would most likely try to open a public stable, but didn't discount the possibility of taking a break from training.

"I'll do the best that I can do," Reynolds said. "I'm still standing. I've been through a lot worse."

As a side note, Mr Grening obviously isn't familar with Tampa Bay Downs referring to a "Greg Griffin" in the article when his name is Greg Griffith, a 20% winning trainer at the current meet who stables many horses for the Kinsman Stable/George Steinbrenner.

Ohhh look at all that gossip. They should contact the producers of Jockeys.

Kinda sounds like one of the reasons Larry Jones is getting out of the business .Owners.Pat is a good trainer.I would hate to see him get out of the game.

I had to laugh at this. Very funny. I just think it makes sense to spread your horses around and it does sound like they haven't been a successful pair in awhile. Good Luck to both.

It took me a while, but now I get it......you were trying to one-up SCUDS in the dopey post department.

Good job.

This thread is on the verge of having the most post deletions on site.

Well, the guy is what? 1 for 35 this year? His lone win came in a grade 3 (by a nose) with a horse who was winning grade 2, and grade 1 races last year. She got a Beyer of 91. So, Pampa lets him have that 10k. He could of made the change earlier, and he wouldn't of got that 10k. Pampa gave him 10% of whatever they sold 75% interest in Big Brown for. I do think it was a no brainer to make the change, and not just because of this slow year. The overall body of work has not been anywhere near what other trainers could of done in this time they've been together. Say anything you want about how crazy I am etc., but in the end, this guy wasn't getting results that other people could of gotten with the same horses. Maybe they shouldn't have been getting their results. Maybe they're doing something wrong, and he isn't. I don't know, but moving his horses was a no-brainer. It's been a no-brainer for a long time. He should think the guy for sticking with him longer than he probably should have. An objective look at it will show the results weren't even close to being good enough.

So, in other words, if a trainer's barn gets cold, his owners should just move the horses to another trainer. I get it.

That may, or may not, be what happened here. But hey, it's the internet, keep guessing away.

I like both parties involved. I wish them both only the best. Pat's a good trainer. I hope things work out for him.

You guys are too close to it to be objective. If it was just this year, then I could see hanging in there. The results haven't been good enough. You haven't given any reason to stick with him(other than he's a nice guy.) You guys have got shows, and don't want to upset anyone for down the road. Maybe he'll do better with claimers. Andy,you're is so worried about a 1 for 35 trainer, huh. You can be his 1st new client. That's a better way to support him than to say he had acceptable results(when he just didn't.)

Don't try to bolster your argument by accusing me of things that aren't true. My show has zero to do with my opinion. I am friendly with both Paul Pompa and Pat Reynolds. I'm not even discussing what might have actually happened here, but I do know that what you are saying is BS, as both men had a lot of success together up until this year at Gulfstream.

Don't put words in my mouth. It's tiresome, expected, but tiresome. You say I'm " so worried about " Pat Reynolds. Please, find the post of mine here that backs up that statement. Otherwise, respond to what I post, not what you imagine I posted.

You can't be objective about it. Considering what horses he's been given by the guy, the success together hasn't been nearly as good as it would have been with these other trainers. You're too close.

I think Paul Pampers handled the split like a big baby.


See what I did there?

LOL.