What's wrong with this picture?

[Sightseek]

Trying to get him to Old Friends.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/note.php?...&id=1076543440

Donations can be mailed to: (please make a note on either that it is for Ball Four)



Please make checks out to "Old Friends" and mail to:

Old Friends, Inc.

1841 Paynes Depot Rd.

Georgetown, KY 40324



Or Paypal to: michael@oldfriendsequine.org

[my miss storm cat]

Oh that's great!

Thanks for posting this.

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

Trying to get him to Old Friends.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/note.php?...&id=1076543440

Donations can be mailed to: (please make a note on either that it is for Ball Four)



Please make checks out to "Old Friends" and mail to:

Old Friends, Inc.

1841 Paynes Depot Rd.

Georgetown, KY 40324



Or Paypal to: michael@oldfriendsequine.org

Shouldn't we be looking to retire all the horse in that race? I mean he won so arent the losers behind him better candiates. What are you saving him from the winners circle?

[my miss storm cat]

Sightseek... am thinking perhaps it's time for us to retire Freddy.

What do ya think... start a fund?

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

Sightseek... am thinking perhaps it's time for us to retire Freddy.

What do ya think... start a fund?

You really think the horse needs to be retired off a win and if so why arent you worried about the horses that finished behind him. Because this horse earned X dollars qualifies him for an earlier trip to the retirement home? BTW what are the qualifications? Is it money earned? Graded races you were a rabbit in?

[my miss storm cat]

I know you're not trying to start a problem with me, Federico... just so you know that I know that.

I'll try to answer.

Should he be retired? I have no idea. I was shocked to seem him entered here. That's the reason for the thread.

Now that he won? Who knows... BUT if there's a fund that's set up to help him damned right I'm for it.

The other horses...

This is silly and it all goes without saying.

You know, anyone who reads the waiting for news on and angels threads knows, there is no discrimination on either. It doesn't matter if it's a G1 winner or a claimer at Sunland... the people who post on either or both do so for any horse.

I posted a link on another thread but will repeat myself...

http://oldfriendsblog.wordpress.com/

... the point being it needs to start somewhere... the point being that any little act of kindness helps.

I wish every race horse had a guardinan angel.

The best that can happen for now is that, for whatever reason, one by one, some are given a chance at a decent life after retirement.

You know all of this...

It's too bad that only occassionally one comes along and gets attention and thankfully something is done. For every one who knows where the other how ever many hundreds / thousands end up.

In order to try to have balance in life though you need to start somewhere. You need to see where it is unbalanced and try to change it little by little so that's what this is about...

Maybe some day any horse who had ever been a stakes horse will automatically be protected and the ones at lower levels will be focused upon.

For now this is the reality... people noticing something simultaneously and collectively about a horse like Ball Four.

It's not much and it's not enough but it's a start. It's something. Maybe it's unfair but the world is unfair and so you've got to search for the good and keep finding it cause it's always there somewhere.

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

I know you're not trying to start a problem with me, Federico... just so you know that I know that.

I'll try to answer.

Should he be retired? I have no idea. I was shocked to seem him entered here. That's the reason for the thread.

Now that he won? Who knows... BUT if there's a fund that's set up to help him damned right I'm for it.

The other horses...

This is silly and it all goes without saying.

You know, anyone who reads the waiting for news on and angels threads knows, there is no discrimination on either. It doesn't matter if it's a G1 winner or a claimer at Sunland... the people who post on either or both do so for any horse.

I posted a link on another thread but will repeat myself...

http://oldfriendsblog.wordpress.com/

... the point being it needs to start somewhere... the point being that any little act of kindness helps.

I wish every race horse had a guardinan angel.

The best that can happen for now is that, for whatever reason, one by one, some are given a chance at a decent life after retirement.

You know all of this...

It's too bad that only occassionally one comes along and gets attention and thankfully something is done. For every one who knows where the other how ever many hundreds / thousands end up.

In order to try to have balance in life though you need to start somewhere. You need to see where it is unbalanced and try to change it little by little so that's what this is about...

Maybe some day any horse who had ever been a stakes horse will automatically be protected and the ones at lower levels will be focused upon.

For now this is the reality... people noticing something simultaneously and collectively about a horse like Ball Four.

It's not much and it's not enough but it's a start. It's something. Maybe it's unfair but the world is unfair and so you've got to search for the good and keep finding it cause it's always there somewhere.

This was excellent.

[Dahoss]

It was a nice post MMSC, but allow me to try and better put what Freddy was trying to say.

If Ball Four is still relatively sound (since we don't know for sure let's assume he is) and if he still wants to compete, which based on his last two races he does, the level he is at shouldn't matter. If the idea that the level is beneath him, than the level should be beneath everyone in the field. He ran for 5k last year at Monmouth and no one seemed to notice or care. This is the level he is competitive now.

I don't think anyone wants to see a horse injured, but if every indication is that the horse is okay, than let him run. I could see objecting if he was finishing up the track, but he isn't. I hope he lives the good life when his connections decide to retire him. But until then, why not let him do what he was bred to do.

[my miss storm cat]

Point taken, Hossy.

(Thanks, Sighty).

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

I know you're not trying to start a problem with me, Federico... just so you know that I know that.

I'll try to answer.

Should he be retired? I have no idea. I was shocked to seem him entered here. That's the reason for the thread.

Now that he won? Who knows... BUT if there's a fund that's set up to help him damned right I'm for it.

The other horses...

This is silly and it all goes without saying.

You know, anyone who reads the waiting for news on and angels threads knows, there is no discrimination on either. It doesn't matter if it's a G1 winner or a claimer at Sunland... the people who post on either or both do so for any horse.

I posted a link on another thread but will repeat myself...

http://oldfriendsblog.wordpress.com/

... the point being it needs to start somewhere... the point being that any little act of kindness helps.

I wish every race horse had a guardinan angel.

The best that can happen for now is that, for whatever reason, one by one, some are given a chance at a decent life after retirement.

You know all of this...

It's too bad that only occassionally one comes along and gets attention and thankfully something is done. For every one who knows where the other how ever many hundreds / thousands end up.

In order to try to have balance in life though you need to start somewhere. You need to see where it is unbalanced and try to change it little by little so that's what this is about...

Maybe some day any horse who had ever been a stakes horse will automatically be protected and the ones at lower levels will be focused upon.

For now this is the reality... people noticing something simultaneously and collectively about a horse like Ball Four.

It's not much and it's not enough but it's a start. It's something. Maybe it's unfair but the world is unfair and so you've got to search for the good and keep finding it cause it's always there somewhere.

Ball Four is making money for people and winning. Two things that are a lot more productive then eating hay in a field growing old fast. The point of racing a horse is winning and finding spots were they can win. The thread is titled What is wrong with this picture? The answer is NOTHING.

Your kindness is wonderful. I just wonder way you dont contact the last place finisher owners and help them out instead of Ball Four?

[reese]

Originally Posted by freddymo

Ball Four is making money for people and winning. Two things that are a lot more productive then eating hay in a field growing old fast. The point of racing a horse is winning and finding spots were they can win. The thread is titled What is wrong with this picture? The answer is NOTHING. Your kindness is wonderful. I just wonder way you dont contact the last place finisher owners and help them out instead of Ball Four?

The question is What is wrong with you?

The horses in question are racing at the lowest level in racing.
95% of them have physical infirmaties from the concussive pounding on their bodies from racing in scores, and scores of races.

Specious reasoning seems to be your stock in trade. You state, "these horses are running at low level claiming races "because this is the level they can win a race...as if that is the only conclusion. Conveniently, you omit the part where Ball Four has sunk to this low level becasue he is physically unable to perform against better competion.

Take Honor Ernesto...the horse who broke down at AQU causing a 4 horse terrible collision and spill. When I commented that "that horse was ridden too hard by a lousy jockey" and broke both seismoids and had a totally collapsed knee...your stupid, stupid comment was "the jockey should ride gently and nice".
The horse Honor Ernesto...racing on Feb 13th in a low level ny claimer...just raced in another lower level claimer Feb 4th. Grinding hard the way for a 2nd place finish.

According to your limited reasoning ability...Honor Ernesto had "nothing wrong wrong with him" except the total destruction of all his legs and knee.
According to you...Honor Ernesto and Ball Four are "just running in races where they can win...and make "money".

The last part I agree with. It is cheaper for the owners/trainers to have these low level claimers breakdown on track. Cheaper than having the expense to cart the bodies away privately.

And I don't want to hear any PETA %%IT from you. I watch and gamble every day.

YOU are the poster boy for the Dunning-Kruger effect.
I'd elaborate, but I doubt you have the capability of understanding the concept.

[my miss storm cat]

Ball Four Retired, Sent to Old Friends

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...to-old-friends

[Sightseek]

[my miss storm cat]

Ball Four to Appear at Keeneland April 16

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...eland-april-16

[Mike]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

Ball Four to Appear at Keeneland April 16

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...eland-april-16

Ball Four at Keeneland! I've been waiting for him to get back on synthetics, which I feel is his preferred surface