At Belmont a horse identified as Lebon was riden to victory on September 23rd. Investigators have found that the horse was not really Lebon, but most likely Cinzano, a much faster Uruguyan import who supposedly died at trainer/owner Mark Gerard’s in Muttontown NJ last June. Dr. Gerard is one of 20 veterinarians who maintain private practices at Belmont. He has several hundred horses under his care.
Lebon and Cinzano came to the US from Uruguay in a consignment of 17 horses. The two in the ringer case were taken to the Gerard two-acre farm. According to Gerard, Cinzano had to be destroyed soon after having arrived at the farm when he suffered a fractured skull. A $150,000 insurance policy was paid on the horse whose owner was listed as Joseph Taub.
The racing board suspended Gerard and Jack Morgan an assistant of Gerard’s, saying “Lebon wasn’t Lebon, there was heavy betting by one individual, and the answers given so far have not been satisfactory.” The 57-1 shot netted about $70,000 to the one gambler. He carried the money to his car in a brown paper bag under Pinkerton escort. The story was that the bettor was Gerard.
ex NYT Cady 10/28/77
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