I’m still reeling a bit from the tragedy of Eight Belles going down in the Derby. In the 48 hours or so since that awful moment, a lot of discussion and debate has occurred. Our game has always been one that has attracted controversy. We are dealing with animals that are under the care of human beings, and when one goes down I think we all tend to get a bit cynical. That being said, I think it’s only wise to avoid snap-judgements as they pertain to Eight Belles until we have definitive information from a necropsy - which I”m hearing will be performed.
Even without specifically referring to Eight Belles situation, there are no doubt other issues that are simmering and need to be brought to some sort of amicable resolution if the game is to continue. Many of these issues have been brought up by you guys in the comments of previous threads. Specifically, we’re all concerned with drugging, breeding, animal abuse, and the overall safety of the super-stars of the sport - the horses themselves.
I was pleased to learn recently that Alex Waldrup, the CEO of the NTRA, was openly asking for feedback from fans on what should be done with the game. It’s not often as a horse racing fan that you feel the game cares about your opinion. The thought occurred to me that rather than sit here arguing amongst ourselves about who is to blame and what should be done, it might be wise to take this opportunity to engage in some real meaningful dialogue with the powers that be.
To anyone out there with a love of the game and genuine concern beyond just trying to demonize the sport and it’s fans (which is really starting to get on my nerves), I’d strongly encourage you to take a look at this posting and to provide your feedback to him.
http://www.ntra.com/blog.aspx?blogid=15
In addition, I’ll once again emplore people who wish to take action to contribute to thoroughbred rescue programs such as:
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Old Friends - A Kentucky Facility for Retired Thoroughbreds: http://oldfriendsequine.com/
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The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation: http://www.trfinc.org/index.php
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CANTER (The Communication Alliance to Network Thoroughbred Ex-Racehorses): http://www.canterusa.org/
I believe it was regular reader Jerry who so succinctly put it: “Sometimes good things come out of tragedies…”
Amen, brother. Let’s put down the hatchets for a moment and start thinking about ways that we can change our game for the better and help ensure greater safety for the horses involved.
For the record, my opinions could be summed up as follows:
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I’d like to see drugging totally removed from the sport. Other areas of the world have already proved this can work. Dubai and Australia come to mind as locations that, to my knowledge, have strict drug screening policies. No Lasix, no bute, etc. This will be a difficult battle since each State essentially has it’s own policies, but perhaps now is the time?
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Current trends in breeding need to be investigated/reversed. I think Valerie from Foolish Pleasure (one of my favorite thoroughbred bloggers out there, I might add) made an excellent point bringing up the line of Unbridled Song (Eight Belle’s sire) in a previous thread. Moreover, I think the emphasis placed on breeding for speed and the possible weakening of the breed overall in recent years are issues that need to be addressed.
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Perhaps it is time to revisit the racing of thoroughbreds at 2 years old and possibly 3 as well. If the horses are unfit for racing, there’s no need to endanger them on the track.
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We need to determine once and for all what the optimum surface for horses to run on is. I”m not totally sold on synthetics myself. I’ve listened to guys talk about some of the peculiar injuries that occur to horses racing on the synthetic tracks as opposed to true dirt. Everyone is going to have a different opinion on this, but it’s time we start looking at the facts quite seriously.
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I’m not of the opinion that somehow outlawing horse racing would do any good for anyone. I shudder to think of what would become of even more horses than are slaughtered now. They are race horses. Racing is what they are bred for. To me, the argument of making horse racing illegal because of the actions of a few bad eggs would be similar to outlawing domestic pet ownership because of the sick individuals that abuse dogs and cats. The horses like to race and they bring joy to millions of people. That being said, certainly there is room for improvement, and is our duty - no matter if you are involved behind the scenes with the sport, or a lowly fan like me - to demand said improvement.
So there you have it. It’s time to step up as fans and do what we can to preserve the game and give the best care possible the horses that compete so valiantly in front of us. To use one of the most over-used expressions of our times - it’s not a question of if, but when this must happen. The time has come to take action. We owe it to the horses.
Amen to that!
One of the problems with not racing two-year-olds is, it costs a lot of money to keep a horse off the track for a year. This means it’s really only an option for the potential high-earners, not your basic “born to be gelded” racer. Basically, as long as the association allows it, it will occur. And breeders and trainers can put a lot of pressure on to allow it; after all, not every horse is a Big Brown.
Your point about drugging is a very important one. If a horse is so unsuited for racing that s/he cannot do it without popping a blood vessel every time the bell goes, that horse should not be on the track. I’ve run a Marathon and I can tell you if I were unable to run except with painkillers, I’d stop running. Because if you’re not substantially injured, just a bit dented, you don’t feel it when you run; if you DO feel it, you are really injured and need to heal. Horses are no different.
From what I’ve heard, in Europe, unfit horses can’t survive the training regimen thus never make it to the races. Only a few thousand races are carded over there and the emphasis is on testing and improving the breed and running on soft grass. In America, horse racing is a seen almost purely in economic terms…or at least that’s the way the politics tend to work. This is why there is an emphasis on all weather tracks and drugs. A few are going to look at the sire thing probably because the Unbridled progeny were not always correct or Trolley Song passing on her unsoundness or whatever. Seattle Slew progeny could probably get the same rap. Notional, trained by Doug O’Neill got injured training on synthetic. The tracks want to get rid of the off-track days in the hope of improving handle after it rains.
The first thing I would do is put per-transaction caps on wagers. I would enforce state regulations that outlaw market maker “pari-mutuel” odds fixing and make the tracks pay *all* the handle minus the take (rightfully 16.67 percent) back to the actual “customers”.
Next I would require that no horse be bred without a breeding certificate. These certs would be auctioned off before the breeding season and limited in number by the Jockey Club or whoever to ensure that only the most serious breeders actually participate.
@Rain - thanks! I concur with your sentiments 100%.
@Don - Very interesting. Dutrow’s initial comments about wagering $100,000 + on Big Brown (which he later said he wasn’t going to do) in the Derby come to mind. Especially since there’s at least some reason to be cynical about Big Brown until the doping tests come back next week.
I saw Eight Belles go down … and Barbaro … and Ruffian. Don’t ask me to watch any more horse racing.
My wife feels the same way 30.
I have heard a rumor the jockey erred in pulling the horse up to fast causing the ankles to break.
About doping, yes, agreed, should be strict rules on testing.
One more thing, I was watching TV the other day, (I know, Gasp) and saw a quick blip on cloning and the topic was Barboro. About cloning the horse.
If it were possible some day soon, would you agree or disagree to this.
Imagine cloning the top 10 horses in history and having them race for the roses. Now that would be one hell of a race. Millions upon millions would watch. Probably the highest rated show on TV.
Just stumbled in here- thanks for mentioning CANTER!
I wish I knew what the answers were here- it’s unfortunate they’re not so simple. Maybe horses should be started later, but at the same time, starting them early seems to have some benefit for bone remodelling, leading to stronger animals. Footing? It seems the safest thing is grass, from what I’ve been reading. Maybe US racing needs to do something to bring back more distance turf racing, instead of focusing so much on early speed on dirt. But I’m not an expert. I am really glad that Eight Belles likely did not suffer- in a way, she may be luckier than the many racehorses who suffer less dramatic injuries, ending up sore and in pain for a long time as a result.
A couple of thoughts.
I totally understand the sentiment. To be honest, I haven’t watched a race since myself. But I can’t turn away from them forever as it would feel like I was abandoning them in their hour of need. If everyone were to turn away from horse racing - even more would wind up as horse meat than already do. Far better, in my opinion at least, to try and enact meanginful changes to the sport. I feel like I owe it to the horses who have inspired me so much over the years.
About cloning - I’d prefer not to see it. I think we’ve got enough questions about the weakening bloodlines of the horses who are naturally bred (due to inbreeding, etc.). Cloning would just open up a whole new can of worms. While the idea of a race for all-time is a fascinating thing to ponder, it’s something I’d actually prefer never happens. What would there be to talk about? Plus, somebody would have to finish last, and I’d hate to think of that happening to one of the great ones.
Thanks for sharing your opinions both 30 and LOTGX.
Very well put, carrotplease - I somehow missed your comment the first time through. I’ve been thinking about distance racing as well. If turf footing is better overall, that would seem to give credence to the synthetic argument. I’m no expert either though. Solid point about Eight Belles not having to suffer too much. That at least was a blessing. Sometimes I think we forget that horses like Barbaro actually received better medical treatment than many of our wounded soldiers.
Von Vader say 20 more minutes until next post!
Don wrote, “The first thing I would do is put per-transaction caps on wagers. I would enforce state regulations that outlaw market maker “pari-mutuel” odds fixing and make the tracks pay *all* the handle minus the take (rightfully 16.67 percent) back to the actual “customers”.”
What is it you’re talking about (per-transaction caps and why they’re needed?) I’m curious because I know a lot about the takeouts and that when they’re too high, it’s impossible for us to come out winners in the long run. Is there something else making it hard to come out a winner?
It seems to me that it would be very difficult to make any improvements on the breeding front. Who’s going to buy a durable horse if he can’t compete with a fast one. I know very little about breeding, but I think breeders only breed horses that people will be willing to buy. I suppose we could genetically engineer horses, but wouldn’t that be against everything that the sport is about?
Drugs like Bute that kill pain, and Lasix that prevent bleeding, sound, at least to me, to be good things. I’m a landscaper and do physically demanding work. If I start getting a migraine (which makes working impossible,) I’ll take some Advil and notice that it makes working more pleasant because I don’t feel as sore. I know Brett Farve liked his pain killers…maybe a little too much. I guess the argument is that we shouldn’t be racing sore horses, but most horses are going to be sore because training and racing are physically quite demanding. If a horse is sore, but doesn’t have a dangerous injury that would comprimise his safety, I don’t see the harm in giving them painkillers. I’m guessing that with Lasix, the argument is that we’re medicating a horse that bleeds when we shouldn’t be breeding a horse that bleeds anyway. I’ve read though that horses are designed for short bursts of speed to evade predators, and aren’t designed to carry that speed long distances, which is why they bleed to begin with. Does Lasix have some bad side effects or something? I’d rather give my horse some medication, than have them choking on blood while they’re trying to race. The word “drugs” sounds evil but nearly every human needs medications for something or other.
I think those at PETA are out of their minds trying to get that poor jockey suspended, but they might be right about whipping. Is a whip really neccesary? I’m not a jockey, so I don’t know if banning whips would cause any issues or not. I ask because it would be the easiest and most visual improvement to the sport. I haven’t watched “Seabiscuit” or any of the other horse movies lately, but I imagine they show as little whipping as possible, if at all, because I think it’s kind of an embarrassment to the sport. You’ll hear whipping referred to as “encouragement.” Even if it doesn’t really hurt the horse, it looks pretty bad.
I think it’s important that something be done to show exactly how much we care about the horses. Who’s going to want to sponsor the Kentucky Derby after what happened? I wonder if NBC is going to want to show the Derby on their network next year. Imagine having to watch the Derby on TVG. The NBA has a P.R. campaign called “NBA cares” which shows commercials of player helping out in the community to show that the players aren’t just a bunch of thugs that cheat on their wives. I think the NTRA needs to come up with a similar ad campaign.” That, and a ban on whips could really turn public setiment which is obviously souring.
Very well said, Jerry. I was hoping you’d chime in on the matter again. The only thing that I slightly disagree with is with respect to using lasix and bute. Someone had mentioned earlier and I think it’s a valid point - the entire Derby field was on lasix. There’s just no way they all needed it. More likely is that they didn’t want to yield the supposed competitive advantage that lasix/bute can give to the competition. I think that’s where it opens up the door to improper usage concerns. I guess at some level I think to myself that if they can run without meds in other parts of the world, shouldn’t we be able the do the same?
On a side note -and I figured I’d bury this here in the comments rather than make some huge announcement - Amy seems to be pregnant again. Two positive pregnancy tests tonight. Looks like we’ve got our second on the way if all goes well! It’s funny, all week I’ve been sort of “punched in the gut” since Belles went down, and now I’m cloud nine. Funny how life works.
Congradulations! It’s wonderful to hear some good news. Maybe next weekend you’ll be seeing a triple crown winner from those great seats of your’s too!
Thanks!
I don’t want to jump the gun just yet….I know those things are supposed to be accurate, but you never know. Hopefully it’s not a false alarm. Of course, I had another of my bizarre dreams last night that she was pregnant - which is what prompted us getting the tests just to see. Who knew? 
I sure hope we get a good Preakness. I remember being kind of bummed about Street Sense winning last year, and the Preakness was like the turning point for the entire year for me. I’ll try and take plenty of pictures to share.
More discussion is definitely in order. For more on the Eight Belles tragedy, visit http://bolsonon.wordpress.com
It seems like there is to big on an emphasis on the exepense and profitablity of race horse. The sport is called the “Sport of Kings” basically because a bunch of rich guys wanted to see who’s horses were faster. Money was not much of an object. Now we arguing that two year olds need to be ran because of the cost of maintaining them for an extra year? If this is the case their are to many owners involved in the sport that can’t really afford it. This puts pressure on trainers to win early and often with horses. And encourages drug use(illegal and legal) to get it done. It also encourges breeder’s to produce speedy, win early types for the instant gratification and hope some stud farm or sheik pays some absorbant price for you horse. In my opinion if you can’t flip the bill of ownership get out. Just be a fan/gambler like the rest of us.
Great post.
Jerry addressed the question of banning the whip earlier (hope I didn’t miss anyone else’s comments on it), and I have to say that it confused the hell out of me when, during an ESPN interview, Randy Moss agreed with PETA on this point. Moss claimed that no one in the business of horse racing would have a problem seeing the whip go, but the whip seems like such a central component of racing to me as a spectator. I’m sure there are other ways of letting the horse know what you want from it, but that brings up two concerns: (1) if there are alternate ways of intimidating the horse to run faster, then banning whipping won’t necessarily resolve the kind of injuries we saw Saturday; (2) if whipping is so insignificant that no one would have a problem ditching the practice, then it doesn’t need to be ditched in the first place for any reason other than the image of the sport, which seems kind of unfair (capitulating to the demands of people who know very little about horse racing).
I should also say that I’ve yelled at jockeys during many races to “pull the whip” when I thought that my horse should’ve been urged to make a move. Am I mistaken about what wins horse races? If the whip is so unimportant, then what jockey actions really matter down the most important leg of a race, the stretch?
Again, great post, even on a topic that’s been blogged out of control already.
If horses were stock, even Jim Cramer couldn’t be bullish about it. While most people are hoping to make a lot of money, they are in it for the love of horses, the excitement of racing, and hoping for the ultimate -to take a horse to the Kentucky Derby. It’s unfair to the small time guys with the same hopes and dreams to say they shouldn’t be in the sport. For many of them it’s all they know and they have many employees also that rely on the income. Yes, money has something to do with it, as with everything else in this capitalist society.
I imagine whips can get more out of a horse than hand urging with much less effort. Without whips, a jockey would be forced to use more of his own strength to encourage the horses to go. You’ve seen jockey’s in a race… aside from the whipping they are really riding the horses hard and expending a lot of energy. A jockeys strength might become more important without being able to use a whip. This could possible hurt older or weaker jockeys’ ability to do the job. I would like to hear more discussion on the matter. Jockeys might have some issues with a whip ban that need to be considered. “Capitulating to the demands of people who know very little about horse racing” shouldn’t be done without careful and objective consideration, but I think for the most part we share the same goals of seeing horse racing be safer and more pleasant for the horses.
Jerry, I also agree with what you said about P.R. campaigns. It would be nice to see every American track participate in a nation-wide effort to increase awareness and interest in preserving the sport and the horses involved. I think that interest in the sport begins locally–I know that I first got into horse racing because of the live racing at Sunland Park–so that’s why I think it’s necessary for tracks to let potential fans in their area know what the track is doing to ensure that an Eight Belles-type accidents don’t occur.
Good to see that you wrote about this, because I know that you feel strongly about it. It’s just like when something happens to kids that are also under the care of adults. Things just need to brought up in the open, talked about, changes planned, and solutions implemented.
Thank you so much for taking this heroic stand. You are good stuff.
I’m the luckiest blogger in the world, do you guys realize that? Talk about solid comments and things to consider. It is I who should be reading you guys, not the other way around.
Seriously - you guys have brought out some of the best discussion I’ve seen about this - and I especially want to thank all of you for keeping it civil. I know many of these things are touchy - and you guys have filled me with pride that we’ve got some of the classiest fans in the sport here.
Eight Belles autopsy and blood work results are in:
I am so glad to learn of this - I was particularly concerned she was being run with an injury as were many others.
About Lasix ~ I know of some folks that used this for known bleeders during barrel racing. One thing important to remember about Lasix (Furosemide… Lasix is actually the brand name >>> “Lasix” aka “Lasts Six Hours”) is that it can cover up the use of other drugs.
Bleeding can decrease lung function over time so folks also use Lasix to prevent the condition in the first place, even when they’ve never bled. Another reason the race industry uses it is it inhibits the absorbtion of sodium, sending the fluid to the bladder in order to make a horse a few pounds lighter and hopefully run faster. It’s a diuretic, so using it has it’s risks. It causes dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, (the use of corticosteriods with Lasix increases that potential for electrolyte imbalance), decreases the kidney’s ability to excrete bute, apirin, and the like, so a lower dose of these pain killers/anti-inflammatories is in order as well.
Congratulations Kevin and Amy on the potential new addition to the family!