Press Conference

Originally Posted by Hoisttheflag

Horses die, just like people. It is part of life. The important thing is they are trying.

There's only one way to prevent these fragile animals from getting seriously injured ... and being put down ...

... and that's not to breed them.

As long as the thorougbred exists ... there are going to be tragic breakdowns. Those who can't stand the experience ... will have to eschew any contact whatsoever with the sport.

[sumitas]

Let's face it, a synthetic surface is safer. Your call to just go with the horrific status quo is irresponsible. Dirt cause Barbaro's tragedy and don't anyone forget it.

[zippyneedsawin]

Originally Posted by sumitas

Let's face it, a synthetic surface is safer. Your call to just go with the horrific status quo is irresponsible. Dirt cause Barbaro's tragedy and don't anyone forget it.

Stop it. You use ANY injury to get on your soapbox to preach the evils of dirt. Barbaro took a bad step, but there's NO WAY you can prove that the outcome would have been different on a synthetic track. NO WAY. A bad step is a bad step, dirt or not. I haven't heard anyone blame track conditions for this injury, not once. Have some respect and don't push your agenda using this tragedy.

It really is a matter of weighing the horse's discomfort v. survivability. If he is on heavy pain killers, which it sounds like he is, and he gets worse... its not fair to the animal to put him through the extreme pain. That is really what the owners and Doc have got to weigh. They knew this when they tried to save the horse in the first place. An animal that does not have a clue what is going on cannot be allowed to suffer unduly... No matter how bad we all want him to live.

[jpops757]

Originally Posted by pgardn

It really is a matter of weighing the horse's discomfort v. survivability. If he is on heavy pain killers, which it sounds like he is, and he gets worse... its not fair to the animal to put him through the extreme pain. That is really what the owners and Doc have got to weigh. They knew this when they tried to save the horse in the first place. An animal that does not have a clue what is going on cannot be allowed to suffer unduly... No matter how bad we all want him to live.

The doc said basicly the same thing.

Originally Posted by jpops757

The doc said basicly the same thing.

Sorry. Did not hear the conference.

[pdrift1]

God bless you barbaro

[Scav]

Originally Posted by zippyneedsawin

Stop it. You use ANY injury to get on your soapbox to preach the evils of dirt. Barbaro took a bad step, but there's NO WAY you can prove that the outcome would have been different on a synthetic track. NO WAY. A bad step is a bad step, dirt or not. I haven't heard anyone blame track conditions for this injury, not once. Have some respect and don't push your agenda using this tragedy.

I agree, they could have been running on cotton and with the way that Barbaro conformed his body, he would have gotten hurt on anything...All Polytrack is going to do is lead to all turf racing like in Europe....When that stuff hits California, not one penny of my money will be anywhere near it, only playing the turf races out there

[Betsy]

Originally Posted by zippyneedsawin

Stop it. You use ANY injury to get on your soapbox to preach the evils of dirt. Barbaro took a bad step, but there's NO WAY you can prove that the outcome would have been different on a synthetic track. NO WAY. A bad step is a bad step, dirt or not. I haven't heard anyone blame track conditions for this injury, not once. Have some respect and don't push your agenda using this tragedy.

Great post, Zippy. I agree.

Nature giveth and she taketh away. Horses are noble, beautiful animals, but they are not built very well; any misstep, by any horse (whether racehorse or not) always has the potential to be fatal. You can't put fences around them in the hopes that nothing will happen and I don't believe you can "fix" every potential wrong in horse racing (changing the tracks, etc......). The fact is, horses will always break down because they are very fragile animals; they will always be susceptible to infection because of their anatomy. Nothing human beings can do, no artificial changes we make, will change the nature of beast.

The only good thing that came out of this tragedy is that non-racing fans have seen that these animals are well-loved and taken care of.

Poor Barbaro - I just hope he doesn't linger in pain for very long. What a shame; I guess I fooled myself into thinking that he was over the hump.

[Scurlogue Champ]

Originally Posted by sumitas

Let's face it, a synthetic surface is safer. Your call to just go with the horrific status quo is irresponsible. Dirt cause Barbaro's tragedy and don't anyone forget it.

bull****....

you polytrackers are getting to be as bad as the pro-lifers

Originally Posted by moodwalker

bull****....

you polytrackers are getting to be as bad as the pro-lifers

... and the pro-deathers.