What Kind of Hit Will Racing Take If Barbaro Dies?

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Bold Brooklynite

Hey ... get with it fella ... before long we'll all be eating polytrack for breakfast ... wearing polytrack clothes ... and living in polytrack houses.

In fact ... I just switched to a polytrack keyboard ... and man-oh-man ... do my fingertips feel great !!!

lol

maybe highways should be paved with the stuff. think of the possibilities. matter of fact, i think i'll put it in my yard, to heck with mowing!

Well...I love racing! I'm also a PETA member. I can balance the two by demanding that racing continue to police itself, cut down on illegal use of drugs and other abuses, and constantly seek safer surfaces, equipment etc. I think folks that take the "all or nothing" point of view are indeed well-intentioned but misguided. There is a time to work within the system and a time to tear the system down and start anew...at this point, I feel racing is populated mainly by good folks who love horses are really do want to make it safer for horse and jockey alike. It's easy to see the dishonesty and cruelty, tougher to see the everyday acts of compassion and caring! Racing will survive as long as it has a right to survive....if it turns it's back on it's problems, it loses that right!
__________________


Hmmm Love racing but im a Peta member. Dont make sense to me , Actually its a definite conflict of interest. You are commenting why? Racing is run by a bunch of rich people whom use the poor's labor to get wealthier. As a Peta Member you should be trying to BAN all types of racing not commenting on how it can be safer or better. BAHHHHHH

[Danzig]

or tao, maybe it's yet another example of life not being a clear cut matter of black and white!!

sure are a LOT of judgemental people herabouts.....taking others to task about voicing their opinion, and now telling a poster he is conflicted.

oh, and why would PETA care that the rich are employing the poor??? (on a side note, how many poor people do you know who employ others?)

[GenuineRisk]

I'm always amused (when I'm not annoyed) by the people who say, "But it's so cruel to force those horses to run around like that!" I usually respond, "Have you ever tried to get a 1000 pound animal to do something he doesn't want to do?"

Personally, I don't think anyone who isn't a vegan should be lecturing horse racing fans about "cruelty," as the conditions feed animals are kept in make a $5000 claimer's life look like the Ritz. And these lecturers are directly supporting that cruelty with their lunch money.

(And no, I'm not a vegan. Giving up cheese would just about break my heart. )

[sumitas]

Danzig, i can't believe a sober person would make some of your posts...in any event, i'm all for improvements to horse racing and the world as a whole.

[alysheba4]

there will be zero loss of fan base / wagering $$$ because of barbaro...... the people who will never watch another horse race again are the folks who come outta the woodwork once a year for the derby.



p.s i am not brushing aside the heartbreaking barbaro tragedy...... he was my favorite horse since 1987 and the preakness was a punch in the gut for me.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by alysheba4

there will be zero loss of fan base / wagering $$$ because of barbaro...... the people who will never watch another horse race again are the folks who come outta the woodwork once a year for the derby.



p.s i am not brushing aside the heartbreaking barbaro tragedy...... he was my favorite horse since 1987 and the preakness was a punch in the gut for me.

I agree 100%.

[randallscott35]

This article is pretty much what you can expect here on in.

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercu...s/15033159.htm


BY the way, I would like to see additional fan base too. Not just old guys at the OTB everyday. Yes, I realize they aren't going anywhere.

[Suffolk Shippers]

Originally Posted by alysheba4

there will be zero loss of fan base / wagering $$$ because of barbaro...... the people who will never watch another horse race again are the folks who come outta the woodwork once a year for the derby.



p.s i am not brushing aside the heartbreaking barbaro tragedy...... he was my favorite horse since 1987 and the preakness was a punch in the gut for me.

Im not even sure you lose the wood work people...the fact is, America loves a winner and if the Derby winner has some kind of compelling story, or dramatic victory, they are immediately ushered in as America's Darling animal for five or six weeks.

Regardless of how Barbaro turns out, next year, 18 or 20 3 year old will launch from the gate at Churchill Downs and become the "next big thing" when they win it. Its just as likely when they win, they become a horse like Funny Cide, Afleet Alex or Smarty Jones. A fun, popular, easy to root for animal. America lives for that stuff and falls in love with that.

I'm not a wood worker, I love the game, every day of the year. But, like Alysheba says, this is just a kick in the gut. One that really hurts.

[Dunbar]

Originally Posted by alysheba4

there will be zero loss of fan base / wagering $$$ because of barbaro...... the people who will never watch another horse race again are the folks who come outta the woodwork once a year for the derby.

p.s i am not brushing aside the heartbreaking barbaro tragedy...... he was my favorite horse since 1987 and the preakness was a punch in the gut for me.

Agree with Alysheba (who shares one of my all-time favorite horses). In fact, I'll go one further. Regardless of what happens to Barbaro from here out, the result will be a net increase in horseracing's fan base. Racing hasn't had this kind of exposure in decades, and much of it has been on the positive aspects of the care and love the stars receive. If Barbaro were to be put down tomorrow, his death would be a 1-2 day story whose impact was much softened by the great effort that went into saving him.

The bottom line is that year-to-year, horseracing is barely on the radar of even avid sportsfans. I doubt if 1% of the people at a World Series game or a Super Bowl would recognize the name Ghostzapper. And fewer still would recognize St Liam. So much for our last two HOY's. Of course, those already in the game DO recognize those names. But those in the game see breakdowns on a regular basis. In the current environment, a story like Barbaro's, where compassion and heart are the main ingredients, will probably have a (small) net positive impact on horseracing.

--Dunbar

Originally Posted by Danzig188

lol

maybe highways should be paved with the stuff. think of the possibilities. matter of fact, i think i'll put it in my yard, to heck with mowing!

Great idea ...

... let's repave and re-ceiling The Big Dig with polytrack ...

... and rename it The Big Sumitas.