Dry Martini has a retirement plan

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by freddymo

because this is utterly absurd. ballywhoing for people that are giving a horse a place to stay after they had him for 6 or 7 years and the horse made them 1.3 mil. This is not the typical, nothing about this situation is typical.

Start a thread about a guy who claimed a horse for 5k, but the horse sucked never earned a dime and still the people found a spot to retire the horse and PAY thousands a year to keep the beast alive. That is a feel good thread. this is just utter nonsense, a horse that made 1.3 mil for people is getting a good home..Yea Think?

Seriously this is pandering for applause.. It's the same thing as the Repole speech, the guy made 400mil net and his horse won the BC Juvy and is worth 10mil tomorrow and everybody is wet in the panties because he made a donation to horse rescue.. The act of kindness is fine but isnt it something most big owners do? You think Dinny is stffing a horse resue operation when they hit him up for a significant donation? You think Ms. Webber lets her stock end up in kill pens? Satish buys all the Padua stock he bred back if his son gets the news, i have heard him tons of times explaining how it cost him 5k just to retreive vet and find a decent spot for a laimo animal just because the tatoo in its mouth was signed Padua.

Did you hear the Aga Khan found a good home for Sea the Stars. Let's all feel good that are friend Sea the Stars will be ok. lol

You know how lucky you have to be to own a horse that earns you 1.3 mil.. Come Nic its hardly a feel good story. Someone took care of a stud 7 fig earner call the Katie Couric film at 6 of the big guy romping in the paddock.

What you fail to realize is that those of us who post these stories care whether it is Dry Martini or a horse who never earned a dime on the racetrack. Most of us who post in this thread and others probably follow (and donate to) the TRF and other rescue organizations and either own an OTTB, know someone who does or ride them. Dry Martini is a recognizable name to anyone who follows the sport - it is a horse that most people have some sort of connection with and therefore someone thought it would be threadworthy. It doesn't make that horse any more important than the horse struggling to break his maiden at Mountaineer.

You of course, would post something against any story.

[OldDog]

I don’t see what’s absurd about this. The Nyrens aren’t pandering. They’re putting their money where their sentiments are. For that they happened to garnish the praise of Michael Blowen, a guy who knows a thing or two about retirement programs for thoroughbreds. Are the Nyrens unique? Perhaps among “big owners” they aren’t. I don’t know. Who can tell me? But among owners in general they must be. Otherwise thoroughbred rescue and retirement programs funded by non-industry people and staffed by volunteers wouldn’t be necessary.

I take it back: I do see the absurdity in this, which is that the industry itself doesn’t mandate providing retirement for the very horses which it professes to love and without which it wouldn’t exist, like this one:
http://thesaturdaypost.org/blog/2011...ary-racehorse/

and that because of that fact stories like this seem extraordinary.

[Dahoss]

Dry Martini will always hold a special place in my heart, as he was the horse that enabled me to win a contest. Glad to hear he's going to have a nice home.

Freddy does have a point though. I just don't think he made it the right way. If this were the norm, instead of the exception it wouldn't be a story. It's too bad we are so excited when someone does the right thing, because it means we are so accustomed to people not doing it.

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

What you fail to realize is that those of us who post these stories care whether it is Dry Martini or a horse who never earned a dime on the racetrack. Most of us who post in this thread and others probably follow (and donate to) the TRF and other rescue organizations and either own an OTTB, know someone who does or ride them. Dry Martini is a recognizable name to anyone who follows the sport - it is a horse that most people have some sort of connection with and therefore someone thought it would be threadworthy. It doesn't make that horse any more important than the horse struggling to break his maiden at Mountaineer.

You of course, would post something against any story.

Come now why in the world does someone (owners) need to create a story about the retirement of a horse? How many horses get retired daily without fanfare?

I like you care about the future of retired animals. I don't necessarily think that a horses successful retirement is anything more then being human with a beast. I give a lot of extra credit to owners who go the extra yard to make sure their horses are well provided for, I cant image Satish likes spending 5k on something that needs to be rescued and is worthless. Owners like Sanaan have to protect their name (Padua) you think he gives a fcuk about the horse? I don't.

Is claiming/buying a horse a lifetime committment to a horses welfare? It's a very difficult issue. The ones that make you 1.3mil are a lot easier to care for then the ones that dont.

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by freddymo

Come now why in the world does someone (owners) need to create a story about the retirement of a horse? How many horses get retired daily without fanfare?

Um, because people care to know what happened?

We get it Freddy, you don't care. Is it really necessary to be so passive aggressive everytime someone wants to post something they care about?

[richard]

Horse racing is best served to mandate responsibility for a racer's retirement . I agree with the owner of Dry Martini .

[my miss storm cat]

Freddy you keep talking about how much this horse has made and it's making me wonder something...

I'm not an owner and have no idea but is 1.3 million really a huge amount in the scheme of things?

I mean he's 8 now, right?

Chances are he's not halfway through his life so taking into account all the expenses he'll continue to incur it's not like he won the Dubai World Cup here.

It's a hell of a lot of money, I know, but still... it's a big commitment.

I just wanted to add that as I agre with everything Sightseek has said and second it (all).

Oh yeah and Rudy you were asking earlier who should be responsible?

I don't have the answer but hopefully more and more horses will have someone at some point in their career who will step up.

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

Freddy you keep talking about how much this horse has made and it's making me wonder something...

I'm not an owner and have no idea but is 1.3 million really a huge amount in the scheme of things?

I mean he's 8 now, right?

Chances are he's not halfway through his life so taking into account all the expenses he'll continue to incur it's not like he won the Dubai World Cup here.

It's a hell of a lot of money, I know, but still... it's a big commitment.

I just wanted to add that as I agre with everything Sightseek has said and second it (all).

Oh yeah and Rudy you were asking earlier who should be responsible?

I don't have the answer but hopefully more and more horses will have someone at some point in their career who will step up.

How many horses win 1.3 mil? It's not a lot of money if you are the Aga Khan. I think you all totally missed the point. How could they not take care of the horse? I am stupidfied its a friggin topic. Congrats the owners they are seeing there horse is cared for..

[randallscott35]

Freddy,

How much money should a horse have to make to avoid the meat truck? 200k? 500k? Inquiring minds want to know.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by freddymo

How many horses win 1.3 mil? It's not a lot of money if you are the Aga Khan. I think you all totally missed the point. How could they not take care of the horse? I am stupidfied its a friggin topic. Congrats the owners they are seeing there horse is cared for..

Respectfully, I think your're the one missing it.

[Rudeboyelvis]

I wasn't asking who should be responsible; it was more a rhetorical question because the term "Owners" is bandied about in all of these stories like it's a clear case, when in reality there are typically many, many owners in a gelding's lifetime.

This particular case is quite the exception; not the rule.



"should" and "will" are semantics - personally don't believe you should own horses if you cannot provide care for them or place them in a suitable environment after their career - but I, and this is just me- draw that line once a horse is taken off me.

If I claim a horse and lose it 10 days later, should I feel as though I should be held accountable to pay the way for this horse the rest of his life after racing?

I can tell you that I have personally placed every horse I've ever had that was in my care when it's career ended.

These include horses purchased from the sales, horses I've claimed and horses that were bought and never even made it to the track.

I know where each of them are and can visit them anytime I choose. And do.

The ones claimed away? I still have a soft spot in my heart for them, but they are not mine, thus not my responsibility.

In fact if every "owner" adopted that model, there would be a whole lot less of an issue.

[my miss storm cat]

Rudy I don't know if the greater percentage of owners are like you or not.

I hope that they are, but...

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by Rudeboyelvis

I wasn't asking who should be responsible; it was more a rhetorical question because the term "Owners" is bandied about in all of these stories like it's a clear case, when in reality there are typically many, many owners in a gelding's lifetime.

This particular case is quite the exception; not the rule.



"should" and "will" are semantics - personally don't believe you should own horses if you cannot provide care for them or place them in a suitable environment after their career - but I, and this is just me- draw that line once a horse is taken off me.

If I claim a horse and lose it 10 days later, should I feel as though I should be held accountable to pay the way for this horse the rest of his life after racing?

I can tell you that I have personally placed every horse I've ever had that was in my care when it's career ended.

These include horses purchased from the sales, horses I've claimed and horses that were bought and never even made it to the track.

I know where each of them are and can visit them anytime I choose. And do.

The ones claimed away? I still have a soft spot in my heart for them, but they are not mine, thus not my responsibility.

In fact if every "owner" adopted that model, there would be a whole lot less of an issue.

Exactly well put!

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by richard

Horse racing is best served to mandate responsibility for a racer's retirement . I agree with the owner of Dry Martini .

What does that mean you should escrow dollars for a horses retirement upon you taking ownership? Maybe we should have horse support courts that make sure you make your horse support retirement payments or you go to jail? Obviously I agree it is VERY human to provide for your animals welfare. BUT it isn't a perfect world and horse is still a horse. If you have it like some you can send people to pick up rescues that you bred and lost touch with like Sanaan. Is that really realistic for 95% of horse owners?