Santa Anita gets 2008 Breeders Cup

[parsixfarms]

I think that your ire about over-medicated horses is properly directed towards a minority of trainers (there is a difference between a trainer and a horseman); most of these individuals train for owners who can afford to spare no expense when it comes to veterinary bills. As you probably know from your experience, owners of low level claiming horses cannot afford four-figure vet bills.

As for commercial breeders, I agree that their overemphasis on speed (perhaps over soundness) has been detrimental to the breed. However, if Polytrack and other artificial surfaces force breeders to plan matings that are more geared towards stamina, I think that's a good thing. Eventually, the marketplace will adjust, and not every son of Storm Cat or Unbridled's Song will get a chance to stand at stud somewhere.

As for your final point, I guess we can agree to disagree. I much prefer racing over the "new" Keeneland where seemingly all horses can get involved in the race than the "old" conveyor-belt Keeneland where horses drawn outside had virtually no chance; just like I enjoy turf racing.