Horse of the Day: George Washington

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

This shot is so beautiful... it looks like a painting.

It's almost hard to look at because of it's tragic quality of foreshadowing... Murtaghs body language and expression, the look in GWs eyes...it's lovely, sad and evocative and for the many of us who loved him a reminder of just how brilliant he was and of the greed of men, as my friend smuthg said.

I can't imagine being AOB and living with this or the guilt of Horatio Nelson.

It's easy to judge others from afar and terribly unfair on my part but I'm human and will continue to display my flaws and blame him.

I'll never forget the feeling, that day, seeing that tarp on the tv and sobbing and frantically posting who IS that, that's not George right, and the sickening feeling afterwards that lasted for days, the profound sadness and unexplainable sense of loss that so many of us felt.

Thanks for reminding us of George... brilliant and a little bit nutty, winners circle rebel, larger than life champion. God he was stunning.

There horses they are bred and trained to run..The colt was infertile and was still young why wouldn't he continue his career as a race horse.. The game is brutal, it's brutal when any horse breaks down on the track.. And if he was so stunning and such a great horse why wouldnt you want his connections to race and expose him to the great fans of racing?

You think they wanted or thought he was going to breakdown? I am sure we are all sad he is gone but mostly because we didnt get to see a really nice miler race more!

[smuthg]

Originally Posted by freddymo

There horses they are bred and trained to run..The colt was infertile and was still young why wouldn't he continue his career as a race horse.. The game is brutal, it's brutal when any horse breaks down on the track.. And if he was so stunning and such a great horse why wouldnt you want his connections to race and expose him to the great fans of racing?

You think they wanted or thought he was going to breakdown? I am sure we are all sad he is gone but mostly because we didnt get to see a really nice miler race more!

I agree he should have continued to run, but if there was no need to increase his breeding value (infertile), why not put him back on the grass where he was truely special. The dirt/Classic win adds nothing.

I was at Monmouth and I've never left a racetrack in a worse more depressed mood in my life. I still have not watched a replay of single race from that Breeders' Cup and have absolutely no interest...

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by smuthg

I agree he should have continued to run, but if there was no need to increase his breeding value (infertile), why not put him back on the grass where he was truely special. The dirt/Classic win adds nothing.

I was at Monmouth and I've never left a racetrack in a worse more depressed mood in my life. I still have not watched a replay of single race from that Breeders' Cup and have absolutely no interest...

I love animals as much as the next guy.. I feed the deer in my backyard have 5 birdfeeders 3 cats and 2 dogs and a pig well he is actually a 5k claimer.. So I never want any animal to suffer..

George Washington was running for money as he was intended to do when he first galloped on a racetrack. His owners wanted to earn with the animal, the Classic was the biggest purse and while I always suggest purses ARENT the main motivation in stakes quality animals in this case the purse was a major factor.. Again, I never like seeing horses injured or in pain but clearly this is a brutal game.. Like it or not people racing horses and consquently loving racing is endorsing a brutal sport.. There is nothing natural about this sport period! So I don't wish to suggest I am am better or worse then any other racing fan.. We enjoy a brutal sport like it or not!

[Scav]

Originally Posted by freddymo

I love animals as much as the next guy.. I feed the deer in my backyard have 5 birdfeeders 3 cats and 2 dogs and a pig well he is actually a 5k claimer.. So I never want any animal to suffer..

George Washington was running for money as he was intended to do when he first galloped on a racetrack. His owners wanted to earn with the animal, the Classic was the biggest purse and while I always suggest purses ARENT the main motivation in stakes quality animals in this case the purse was a major factor.. Again, I never like seeing horses injured or in pain but clearly this is a brutal game.. Like it or not people racing horses and consquently loving racing is endorsing a brutal sport.. There is nothing natural about this sport period! So I don't wish to suggest I am am better or worse then any other racing fan.. We enjoy a brutal sport like it or not!

This is classic!! Friggin zoo

[freddymo]

Come folks horses run every friggin day with major injuries.. Let's get our heads out of the sand maybe 1 out of 50 horses come to the track 100%. If a vet clears a horse to race and a trainer of O'brien's esteem is ok running ahorse you have to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Chuck ran a DT horse on soft KD turf, he didn't know your horse would hate it? Does that make Chuck irresponsible if something would have happened to your horse.. Please OBrien nor Chuck or any other trainer for that matter are G-d.. If they are responsible they make logical decision based on past experience and expertise.. Sometimes horses die in racing period!

As for the sloppy track causing GW his demise..Please have a heart you think horses in the wild can't run on wet dirt? Even if he had never trained on a sloppy surface haven't we all seen some horses thrive on horrendous sealed surfaces. Some horse glide over it like they are skating on ice, so is it so impossible GW would like it..Who knows till they try?

[chucklestheclown]

I was expecting the "in the wild" argument.

[Revidere]

For those who were not affected by GW's plight, he stopped right in front of me.

As a fan and lover of the principals, I needed to turn away. As a photogrpaher, I needed to shoot. They are three of the most gruesome photogrpahs taken on track.

I don't show them to anyone, and choose to remember him as he was in the paddock that day, alert and ready to run.

[SuffolkGirl]

Really stunning photo. Brings tears to my eyes as I was at Monmouth that day and was sick when he went down. He looked beautiful in the paddock and your photo beautifully captured it.

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by freddymo

There horses they are bred and trained to run..The colt was infertile and was still young why wouldn't he continue his career as a race horse.. The game is brutal, it's brutal when any horse breaks down on the track.. And if he was so stunning and such a great horse why wouldnt you want his connections to race and expose him to the great fans of racing?

You think they wanted or thought he was going to breakdown? I am sure we are all sad he is gone but mostly because we didnt get to see a really nice miler race more!

you are probably the only one who feel's that way. Sure being able to see good horses do what they do best is a good thing, but the life of the animal is much more important and "I am sure we are all sad he is gone but mostly because he had a tragic death in a situation he shouldnt have been put in in the first place."

[johnny pinwheel]

Originally Posted by Antitrust32

you are probably the only one who feel's that way. Sure being able to see good horses do what they do best is a good thing, but the life of the animal is much more important and "I am sure we are all sad he is gone but mostly because he had a tragic death in a situation he shouldnt have been put in in the first place."

so his connections thought he was at risk and raced him anyway? i highly doubt it. i was right there at the rail when it happened. nobody wants things like this to happen, but for some reason they need to blame someone after the fact. someone said this sport is brutal, its not brutal its DANGEROUS. just like most sports there is risk involved. watch football sunday, someone will leave on a back brace or with a concussion. NASCAR, at least one car will hit the wall. the world series, someone will be hit by a ball. we don't live to be in padded rooms. you could easily get hit crossing the street today. is it your fault for leaving your house ? the people pointing fingers should not because i'm sure these folks were crying all the way home after what happened to their horse. they are after all thoroughbreds, bred to run. it was an awful accident which unfortunatley is part of any contact sport. should people and animals stop competing because its risky? its what these individuals live to do. do you want to tell them they can't! we can all stay home and play checkers, nobody gets hurt but what kind of life is that!

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by freddymo

There horses they are bred and trained to run..The colt was infertile and was still young why wouldn't he continue his career as a race horse.. The game is brutal, it's brutal when any horse breaks down on the track.. And if he was so stunning and such a great horse why wouldnt you want his connections to race and expose him to the great fans of racing?

You think they wanted or thought he was going to breakdown? I am sure we are all sad he is gone but mostly because we didnt get to see a really nice miler race more!

I didn't have a problem with his coming out of retirement. I've defended individuals, groups, Godolphin... anyone has the right to do what they wish with their horses.

What scared me was the track... he'd run on dirt once but he'd never run in the slop and the track was, well I don't have to tell you what it looked like that day.

Horatio Nelson... before the race, Kieren Fallon had been concerned to put it mildly. Horatio didn't feel right. After a vet check AOB tragically gave the go-ahead and we know how that turned out.

I know it can be a brutal game and like I said I am being unfair, but i'm being honest at the same time. Just my opinion...

This photograph... there are layers to it. Every time I look at it something else stands out to me.

The rainsoaked frame, the plastic over the goggles, the expression of the gentleman who is looking directly at the camers (apostle? executioner?), the otherworldly, ethereal look in George's eyes... there's no joy in this picture. It's perfection is in it's composition and its lack of joy makes it even more powerful.

Poor George.

[smuthg]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

I didn't have a problem with his coming out of retirement. I've defended individuals, groups, Godolphin... anyone has the right to do what they wish with their horses.

What scared me was the track... he'd run on dirt once but he'd never run in the slop and the track was, well I don't have to tell you what it looked like that day.

Horatio Nelson... before the race, Kieren Fallon had been concerned to put it mildly. Horatio didn't feel right. After a vet check AOB tragically gave the go-ahead and we know how that turned out.

I know it can be a brutal game and like I said I am being unfair, but i'm being honest at the same time. Just my opinion...

This photograph... there are layers to it. Every time I look at it something else stands out to me.

The rainsoaked frame, the plastic over the goggles, the expression of the gentleman who is looking directly at the camers (apostle? executioner?), the otherworldly, ethereal look in George's eyes... there's no joy in this picture. It's perfection is in it's composition and its lack of joy makes it even more powerful.

Poor George.

very well put...