New York: The horse that won last week's Kentucky Derby is receiving round-the-clock protection after a backlash against its controversial owner over allegations he made about the racing industry.
Animal Kingdom is under tight security at stables in Maryland after Barry Irwin, a long-standing campaigner for tougher anti-drug rules in the sport, accused rival trainers of being dishonest.
Following his victory in the derby Irwin, chief executive of Team Valor, was asked by a TV reporter why his 30 horses were trained by one man, Graham Motion. "I got tired of other trainers lying to me, and I wanted a guy to tell me the truth," he said.
Later he said, "the majority," of the 40 trainers he'd worked with had lied to him. "That's what they do," he added. For years, Irwin, 68, has criticised the giving of performance-boosting medication to horses, which is allowed in the US yet strictly regulated in Europe and Asia.
He has fired trainers for using them. Irwin's allegation prompted angry responses from across the sport. Kiaran McLaughlin, a trainer who worked for him and Team Valor, said: "I can promise you and anyone else that I never lied to Barry Irwin. And I don't appreciate that comment for our whole industry."
Some commentators suggested Irwin was talking about Todd Pletcher, a trainer who worked for him until late last year. Irwin denies this.
Inappropriate
Pletcher tried to defuse the controversy. "Everyone has been in a situation where they've been very excited after winning a big race and said something taken out of context," he told Daily Racing Forum.
However Mike Repole, Pletcher's new boss, said the comments were, "very, very inappropriate."
Irwin said yesterday he had hired extra protection at the Fair Hill home of the prize colt. "It's an additional presence to take care of the hours between day security and nightwatchman," Irwin said. "He's an ex-military man and I'm confident he can keep an eye on things."
