"The news that John Velazquez was 'fined' $10,000 by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission this week for the events surrounding the dreary performance of Life at Ten in the 2010 running of the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic was enough to set a sane man's teeth on edge. How many ways can you spell 'scapegoat'?"

"When the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission meets Feb. 9, members will be given an update on the investigation into Life At Ten’s participation in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (gr. I). Lisa Underwood, executive director of the KHRC, said Feb. 1 that the investigation is continuing and that the full final report, along with any recommendations for the commission to consider, will not be presented next week."

"Though the commission staff, under direction of its director of security, is conducting the bulk of the investigation, the Transportation Department official was brought in to handle the role of the stewards in the Life At Ten matter, according to Lisa Underwood, executive director of the KHRC."

"We did decide since there were some employees of the commission who were involved that it would be appropriate to have an outside party be part of the interviewing, … to have some independent review for certain aspects of it." Noted: KHRC has conducted 90 interviews.

"During the commission’s regular monthly meeting, Beck reiterated previous statements from commission staff that no timetable had been placed on completion of the investigation into the poor performance by Life At Ten in the Breeders’ Cup. Beck, obviously bristling at criticism directed at the commission following the Breeders' Cup, opined that 'some will think it will be too fast and some will think it will be too slow' in reference to the investigation."

"But if the KHRC fails to mete out justice in this case, Breeders’ Cup Ltd. must put a framework in place for acting unilaterally, or in concert, changing protocols so that it shares responsibility should an adjudication process become necessary."