Saturday, September 30, 2006

Trainer Greg Martin was sentenced to two years probation and six months home
confinement on Thursday for his involvement in an alleged illegal gambling
ring that supposedly brokered more than $200-million in bets over a two-year
period. Martin was fined $2,000 and a $100 special assessment by Judge
Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum in United States District Court for the Southern
District of New York. Martin pleaded guilty in the case and faced up to
five years and prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Martin admitted in March
to administering A One Rocket a milkshake before the opening race at
Aqueduct on December 18, 2003, a race the gelding won by ten lengths. Martin
said he informed David "Pebbles" Applebaum of the milkshaking and understood
that Applebaum would pass that information along to other bettors in the
alleged gambling ring. In January 2005, federal prosecutors indicted 17
individuals on 88 counts for participating in the illegal gambling business.
One person indicted in the case has since died.

According to a spokesperson for the United States Attorney's office, several
others indicted in the case have received sentences in recent months that
are similar to what Martin was assessed.

On March 29, Jeffrey Gruber received three years probation, six months home
confinement, a $2,000 fine, and $100 special assessment.

Jonathan Broome received one year probation, six months home confinement,
and a $100 special assessment.

On July 18, Paul Cuzzo received five years probation, six months home
confinement, and a $100 special assessment.

On July 26, Richard Hart received two years probation, six months home
confinement, and a $100 special assessment.

On September 20, Norman Ostrov was sentenced to time served and received a
$100 special assessment.