Huzzah!

Very well put Andy. A great read.

Outstanding piece, Andy... couldn't have voiced what I was thinking it better. Would love to see it in an op/ed in the Times, which has printed some things this week which were not in their best character.

Thanks again for a truly heartfelt read.

Very well put Andy...this IS the greatest sport :)

As everyone has said, great post. Agree with every word. :)

Excellent piece...should be a letter to the editor in papers across the country.

Outstanding, this belongs in the paper or on the news instead of the peta drivel being dished out.

Thanks Andy, very well said.

My girlfriend asked me tonight what I thought about all this national media noise about Eight Belles and how cruel racing is and blah blah. Purposely, I have been trying to avoid it because I know it's just another uninformed, lazy, headline grabbing story after another, from people who don't know the game or the animals.

Hell, I don't claim to know the game that well. I love the animals and I like my gambling now and then. That's why I am here. To me, I'd like to see one of these reporters/columinsts out there on a sweltering August Wednesday in Minnesota at Cantebury or a cold November Monday at Suffolk Downs in $5,000 NWX2 claiming event. I'd like to see them when some 6 yr old gelding breaks down in a race like that at a track like those. Not to diminsh Eight Belles' life or her career, but she is no different than that 6 yr old gelding. If they were there to report the demise of that gelding, than hey, maybe they had some business sensationalizing Eight Belles passing.

But of course, that will never be the case. Don't get me started on the whole advance wager bullsh**t. :rolleyes:

This is the best piece I have read anywhere. In four paragraphs you have captured our feelings and put a mirror to our souls. Outstanding!!

a mirror to our souls...



:rolleyes:

not as good as vocal nuts

This race brought many suspicions harbored by many to the fore. Questions that will remain on the minds of many for some time.

i hate to be one to pile on, and be redundant, but that was fantastic. you should be a regular columnist somewhere in the industry. every point was spot on and very concisely summed up a frustrating weekend. great job.

Maybe I'm very naive but I'm having a hard time buying that undetectable drugs played a role in this years derby...or for that matter the races in Dubai

why? because the trainers aren't stupid??

they may have been on the up and up. fact is, many will wonder and doubt, because of the trainers of record.

Andy

Thank you for putting it into words. I have for days been trying to write my thoughts on the last few days and you said it a lot better than I could ever hope to.
Thanks
Joe

no.....because drug testing technology has become quite advanced

The best day of the year in this sport shouldn't make me this nauseous. I agree with everything Andy said but I wish I shared his optimism.

tracks have to know what to test for.
biancone never had a positive for cobra venom. there's no test for it. he only got busted because they found a vial in his fridge.

and the 'not stupid' line comes from assmussens famous defense for his six month suspension for an overage. what, do you think i'm stupid?

Agree 100%..I went from jumpimg up and down in joy to wanting to throw up in 20 seconds... Felt the same when Barbaro broke his leg. Was hoping not to have that feeling again so soon. Thank You Andy for the words that none of us could say in quite that way. I, as most of us on here hope to see it published for all the public to see. You have risen from the bottom page in my book, to the front cover.