CushionTrack: "We'll fix or replace SA surface"

[hoovesupsideyourhead]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Since cmorioles thinks I am a know it all I will defer to Dr Larry Bramlage in his recent Bloodhorse chat.



Maple Shade, NJ:
Hi Dr. Bramlage, So glad you are chatting with us! My question is about the source of breakdowns. I have done some research on this and it does seem that horses started to breakdown more regularly and with lighter schedules in the late sixties. Now, it seems commonplace. Do you think it has more to do with steroid use, light training or inbreeding to a few sire lines. Also, how do you feel about horses that were not that sound themselves being hot property in the breeding world? Isn't this just passing along more unsoundness?

Bramlage:
Please refer to the earlier question on weakening of the breed. We don't place a premium on longevity or soundness in the market. Because the market does not pay a premium for it, horses are not selected for soundness, just extreme ability. Extreme ability comes at a price. A bigger engine with a lighter undercarriage is lighter and faster, if it is a car or a horse. Data shows that even though horses race fewer times, the training and the races are tougher, so the demand is higher than 50 years ago. So many factors weigh into this analysis we could discuss it for a long time, but it does not mean that we should accept anything that we can modify for the better as unchangeable. That is why the new nationwide documentation of injury is so vital, important and promising. It is time we critically assess each injury.



and...



Lexington, KY:
What in your opinion would happen to field sizes if U.S. racing were to go to absolutely no race-day medication?

Bramlage:
My opinion, nothing. The average field size has decreased less than one horse per field in the last 60 years. When we calculated the average field size it went from approximately 8.9 horses/field to 8.1 horses/field in 60 years. The leveling influence in the field size is that there is not a lot of demand to run 10th through 14th. If you enter and the field comes up very tough, the current mentality is to scratch and run the next opportunity. That is not how it is supposed to be, but it is the reality, partially driven by the cost of keeping a horse in training, and the need to be competitive when you run. We raise five times more horses each year than we did in each year in the1950’s. The number of racing opportunities is about equal. We have fewer tracks, but they have more dates. This means that if each horse was willing to run in about the equal proportion to what they ran in 1950, the average field would be 40 horses. Field size is most closely linked to the opportunity to be competitive.

yea chuck ya know it all....zip it mr....stop running your sewer...