Monzante
 

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...onzantes-death

By now I'm sure many of you know about former Eddie Read (G1) winner Monzante breaking down in a $4,000 claiming race at Evangeline Downs. It sounds like there's going to be more to this story, and it warranted more than brief mentions on the Eddie Read or Angels threads. Supposedly there will be an investigation, although who knows what will actually happen following it.

Did anybody get a chance to read Steve Haskin's piece before Bloodhorse pulled it? It's been reposted online various places, but I'm concerned about stating where on a forum like this in the event that it could get someone in trouble. You should be able to find it. The fact that it's now down on Bloodhorse.com is creating a bit of a stir because it Steven didn't pull any punches. I didn't even realize he'd posted it until people started complaining that it was no longer there. It was short and bittersweet. He called Monzante's death a disgrace and laid out the steps of this horse's career and the people who were with him. Not that you couldn't find the pieces on your own via Equibase, but given how well Steve writes, it was particularly impactful. I'd just like to recommend it.

Horses can run in low level claimers and they can do it as 9 year olds, neither of which is a problem on its face, but Monzante telegraphed for years that he shouldn't still be on the track and yet back he came. He's not the first horse to have this happen, but it's resonating with a lot of people. It may or may not have the impact that Ferdinand did on keeping track of stallions shipped overseas, but Monzante deserves better than he got.

They didn't pull Haskin's piece and I thought it was well written and fair as always.

http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/horse...-Disgrace.aspx

I'd also say that Monzante shouldn't be saved anymore than Zippy Chippy should be. I find it a bit insulting that only horses that run well in circles are deemed to live out there days in a happy pasture while the slow ones don't.

I always found good homes for my gals, even though a couple couldn't outrun a fatman .give a kid a free hoss who lives on a farm, everybody is happy.

in fairness he said all hosses, especially ones like Monzante.

That was not a criticism of Haskin at all...I was talking about the general idea of finding great horses homes while the others....

I'm in the others category, and you are right. once got barred from the backside for hitting a guy who was making the rounds yelling "anything for the killers".

P.S. it was a wicked overhand right that crumpled him.

More . . .

http://www.raceday360.com/wire/items/tag/monzante

use randalls link.
i used the one from raceday, and it said page not found.


also

i agree. but if no care can be found for a monzante, what chance do the zippy chippys have?

They did pull the piece, they just put it back up. Haven't read the version that's there now, not sure if there've been any edits or if they figured the fact that it was getting spread around and talked about meant the cat was out of the bag so they should just repost.

ETA: Steve just thanked everybody for their kind words on FB. He said with subjects this controversial Bloodhorse likes to review all commentaries, but they reposted it. I still think someone had a moment where they went 'oh look a new piece by Haskin, I'll just read this--ahhhh, take it down, take it down!'

Did you really follow what Monzante's career's been like at all? Hard to believe that if you're comparing him to Zippy Chippy. Monzante practically had a neon sign over him saying 'old and not sound, stop racing.' Some people treat horses well while they're at the top and then either dump them when they go off form or simply don't try to keep track. If you're going to benefit from their talent, you gotta pay it back. Zippy Chippy was endearing, but the very nature of his many many (many) losses was that he was sound enough to achieve them. It's not about old horses not running. It's about not running them to death when they give every indication that it's inevitable.

With Haskin's reputation I am shocked they would take down anything of his.

I'm sure it was just about making sure he didn't say anything that could get them sued.

Seems the dozen unnamed plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed against the racing commission alleging excessive vet scratches in 2011 have to bear some blame:

[url] http://www.katc.com/news/horse-racing-law-suit

I'll try and locate the lawsuit later

Just hope the current vet isn't named Beth

Story has changed significantly this morning with it turning out that Monzante was not put down on track.

http://www.drf.com/news/monzante-dee...regulator-says

Wow.

Un****ingbelievable.

Now I'm pissed. :mad: There ought to be a way to indicate that he wasn't euthanized for his injuries. He was euthanized because his trainer was a loser.

Uh oh.

http://articles.latimes.com/1990-03-...ing-commission

This is very sad

New leaf for him then. Didn't starve the horse to death

If anybody remembers Convocation and would like a brighter piece of news, check this out: http://www.paulickreport.com/news/ra...r-old-gelding/

... and just because I know not everyone reads the retirements thread (and because this thread is so sickeningly sad) here's another nice story...

On Who's the Cowboy.... :)

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...#ixzz2Xe8nUdvh

good god.

i bet it turns out that the trainer is the same guy as the person charged for cruelty...they need to change that bs about keeping a trainers license!

How nice!

Regarding Monzante, I can get as worked up as about anyone, but I'd like to see what information the investigation brings to light -- including the severity of the injury -- before I want to lynch anyone.

That makes me sick. :(

http://www.drf.com/news/trainer-says...-was-suffering

:zz: He does know you can give a horse more drugs, right? If this guy thinks he's a good guy for what he did and why he did it, I'm just not seeing the evidence for that. Saving a horse and rehabbing them costs a lot of money. Putting that much into Monzante and then he might get an infection and die anyway causing you to lose what you put in is a risk you take. You can balance that with the chance of success from a person who's going to give it to you straight, not that Thacker really did that. He's not a doctor, he's not the one who should be judging the horse's medical condition. Of course he's in pain, he's got broken bones. Bones can heal.

That private vet is gonna do what he tells'em regarding saving or not saving a horse with a sesamoid injury even if they would've tried it were it their horse. It doesn't seem like a medical opinion was even what swung it. He's not saying 'we asked the vet and they really thought the odds were poor.' He went with his gut emotion (he claims) and his wife using google. We're only hearing his side on the horses that starved. No telling what that was really about. Feels weird that someone could send you malnourished horses and the situation isn't dealt with before some drop dead. If nothing else, cover your butt and report the other person.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...-monzante-case LA Plans No Further Action in Monzante Case

Of course they don't. :rolleyes:

ETA: I listened to the ATR guests today, and I just wanted to say, Steve, that I appreciated the discussion and the issue that many people, when offered money to buy these horses for retirement, just don't want to do it. They want to campaign the horse, and probably don't like to admit that the horse may be a ticking time bomb because that would reflect negatively on them. They might believe there are a few more races in them. Having a former G1 winner like Monzante makes me think Thacker would've said no to selling unless it was to more than he was worth. I've seen it happen frequently that connections won't let the horse go or if they do, they jack up the price trying to make money off what they see as a bleeding heart. So frustrating that this is part of the situation, but it is.

On the happy side of things, a horse we've all seen run in NY -

Stud Muffin has been selected as part of the Retired Race Horse Project:

http://www.retiredracehorsetraining....son&Itemid=402

Learning to jump:

http://www.retiredracehorsetraining....son&Itemid=402

:tro:

* * *

For anyone interested...


In memory of Monzante

Remember Me Rescue is setting up a special fund to allow us to contact owners and trainers of horses that have earned more then $500,000 and are running for a claiming price of $5000 or less and offer them retirement, rehabilitation, retraining and rehoming.

Donate to help us help our horses who have contributed so much to racing. Now it is our turn to contribute to them by funding their retirement

http://www.teamkeen.com/monzantememorialfund.html