Set the easily-swayed straight about Racing
 

Posted this in the 'Frustration' thread, but thought to use it as a threadstarter as well given that some of us are being confronted by friends, etc., who don't understand what goes on in racing and are being duped.

They might understand it more if we were led by industry officials presenting a unified voice in response to the inane critiques, and were on the proactive offensive here. As usual, they aren't.

A few numbers from the 1996/2005 economic impact studies of the American Horse Council:

$112 Billion -- Racing's overall contribution to the GDP

$25 Billion -- Racing's Direct Value of Goods & Services

$1.9 Billion -- Taxes/Fees generated for Federal, State & Local Govt's.

1.4 Million -- Employed full time by Racing and Racing-related industries

And we have to listen on TV and radio as ignorant buffoons are allowed to relate Thoroughbred Racing to dog and cock fighting?

This is a huge industry. It is the progenerator of ALL GAMING IN THIS COUNTRY as well.. Stand up for it because the permissiveness being allowed to run rampant and roughshod over the game right now is outrageous.

If it was Big Truck who went down instead of the filly, would any of this be happening?

Maybe PETA still would have acted in an opportunistic fashion, but I doubt the story would be drawing as much attention.

As I mentioned elsewhere, isn't it odd that those so concerned about the welfare of horses had not a word to say about the 2 that died at the Rolex 3 day event the previous weekend? 50+ competitors.. 2 dead. Not a peep.

The white Randy Moss was on Sportscenter and said whips should be removed from racing. This is one of the most ridiculous ideas I've ever heard from a racing expert. I'm not going to go into the reasons why it's ridiculous because it should be painfully obvious to anyone who watches races on a regular basis.

As a diversionary tactic, I think we ought to start a campaign to ban NASCAR. That sport has got to be much more dangerous than horseracing, and NASCAR fans are much easier to make fun of.

But, seriously...thanks, Steve, for your usual reasoned and yet passionate response to yet another issue threatening the sport we love.

Not to mention all of the gasoline used! If we could somehow roll this outrage over NASCAR way, that'd be great.

That is, of course, a good point.

PETA loves nothing more that to use shock value to make their points.

I understand your thoughts on the financial side.... personally though I'm using the more emotional approach with the people in my life who are questioning the cruelty of the sport.

What's working for me is to explain the many retirement foundations, the charities, how well these horses are cared for, how this is their job and that's a good thing, about heart..... stuff like that.

I've managed to change the perception of a few anyway...

This is a circle the wagons thread. Kinda reminds me of that cult down in Texas.

I am thankful for the Californias and Keenelands of this world and even PETA and ESPN to bring long long needed improvements to this sport.

The issue is Eight Belles and the KD and horse racing in general. The issue is not PETA.

In England, the breakdown rate is just about the same as the US on the flat (mostly turf racing).

In Australia, it's about half of England and the U.S. rate (flat, turf)

I'd say there is room for improvement .

I rest my case.

There is always room for improvement. The point was to compare the breakdown rates from countries with different legal drug use laws.

Can you name 5 initiatives that have been undertaken within the past 20 years with the goal of making horseracing safer?

I doubt it.

--Dunbar

I'm more interested in any initiatives now to make horse racing safer.

LOL, I rest my case.

My intent is not to start a conversation on the merits of synthetic versus conventional dirt surfaces, but in light of this weekend's events, maybe it's not such a bad thing (from a PR perspective) to have the Breeders' Cup being contested this year over a synthetic racing surface (assuming that's the way SA goes).

Okay, I'll bite. Why is it ridiculous?

I'm not saying it's a good idea. But I don't see it as ridiculous. Is there a valid reason we need horses being whipped for the game to be interesting?

--Dunbar

There are indeed some initiatives "now" - can you name those?

In other words, do you know anything at all about what has been done in the past, or what is being done now, within the sport of horseracing to make it safer?

LOL, I rest my case.

More needs to be done. And much faster.

The last 10 posts in this thread made my head hurt.

Like it wasn't already...:rolleyes:

Caring about the welfare of the racehorse hasn't been the black void that PETA and other detractors say it is.

How about a list of industry-driven initiatives, things that have been done for racehorses, to make their racing careers, and post-career lives, better. Here's three to start:

Ongoing reconfigurations of inner track rail: wood (splinters, dangerous) replaced by plastic/metal: vertical support posts replaced by slanted posts (less chance of horses striking them), narrow top rail replaced by wider safety top rail. Horses no longer spike themselves to death on inner track rail.

The Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit (initiated October 2006)

The initiation of serious drug testing in the 1980's

What can you tell people that don't follow horseracing?

I tell them about Eight Belles incredible will to win. That the jockey gave her a good trip.

I tell them that the connections of Eight Belles absolutely loved her. Like Barbaro, they would give anything to save her.

Bettors like me would rather lose than have anyone get hurt.

PETA is no better than the people that protest at fallen soldiers' funerals. Except PETA is only in it for the money. They look at tragedy as an oppurtunity to cash in.

Whips are needed to help control the animal. Some horses need whipped to help them hit different gears and switch leads. I can only imagine the number of champions who wouldn't be if whips were banned from racing. The number of horses veering out and in would also increase.

Hell I'll even go as far to say catastrophic injuries would increase if you take away the whip.

It's a horrible idea and was a completely lazy excuse from Moss. The whip had nothing to do with what happened to Eight Belles.

Less take it from the handicapping perspective:

Anyone who watches races closely knows that MORE races are BLOWN by excessive use of the whip than any benefit that might come as a result of it.
Am I the only one tired of seeing horses DUCK/DRIFT IN upon entering the stretch under RIGHTY whipping? Or, how many times has a horse drifted out or in significantly because of overuse of the whip in the lane? How many photos have I lost because of this ****?

Taking the whip out of plays makes the jocks focus on RIDING; gives them one less things to to. And, believe me, the LESS they have to do, the better.

The most important thing on a FAIR track is having a clear/straight path to the wire. I don't see how a whip comes into play here, other than working against this.

Whip and CASTRATION need to go the way of the good-ole-boy mentality (that still seems to be pervasive in racing) ---the way to EXTINCTION.

Best.PantsPost.Evah.

I'm not that worried about the champions who wouldn't be champions if whips were barred. Other horses who respond to hand or voice or just run on sheer competitive will would have become champions in their place. If we allow all drugs, we'd probably have a lot of different and maybe faster champions, too. That doesn't mean it's a good idea.

I'm also skeptical about the necessity of the whip for steering the horse. Would you care to give an estimate on what percentage of the time the whip is used to steer the horse vs what percentage of time it is used to try to make a horse go faster? And how often has the whip been blamed for causing a horse to veer out of it's path? Possibly often enough to offset the number of times it is used to correct a path problem.

Even for the horses that have become dependent on the whip to change gears or switch leads--isn't that often a result of the training? Don't you think horses could be trained to switch leads by getting a message direct from the rider's hands?

I'm writing as a rank amateur in this area. But it seems obvious to me that 90%+ of whipping is done to make horses run faster, and it's not at all obvious to me why inflicting pain has become an integral part of the game.

--Dunbar

You say more reasonable things at 2:30 in the morning (Miller Time) than this. Stop. Now.

I laughed

Ask Steve Cauthen if he wins a triple crown without a whip.

I guess overall it would have been safer for Eight Belles to continually crash through rails. Jones has explained it. I'm not sure what Randy Moss is going with here.

Very excellent post, you should get pie.
I was thinking exactly the same thing last nite and I'm glad you posted it, especially the part about Randy Moss. I do like him and I just don't get where he is going with that.

IMO most against the whip have never trained an animal in their life. The slap of a whip on most 1000 lb. animals is not what some of you seem to think.
Whips are not solely used to make a horse go faster although it may appear that way, often times it is to focus the horse, or as pants said to stop a catastrophic event of a horse changing lanes.
Some horses don't need it like Samba Rooster. And has been mentioned there is the rule of excessive whipping the stewards may use and have used.
I have absolutely no problem with the use of the whip when used properly.

How about I ask him, instead, if he wins the triple crown without pace-favoring perfect trips? Or, maybe, if he wins if Alydar changes leads?

More terrible things the heartless horse racing industry has done to promote the safety of horses on the track over the years:

Elimination of excessively high toe grabs; what shoes are allowed on what surface

Presence of outriders in the morning and afternoon

Padded bricks as paddock and horse walkway footing

Second overgirth

Gate cards

Safety padding and alteration to construction of starting gates

Artificial racing surfaces - improved maintenance of all track surfaces

Greyson-Jockey Club Research Foundation

NTRA Charities Barbaro Memorial Fund

National equine drug testing laboratory standards and uniform protocol

Ambulances and veterinarians on-track for horses

Elimination/control over what drugs can be given as raceday medications

Yes you're correct on those points...he has nonetheless stated in every interview he has done on the race crediting the win to the only time he ever hit Affirmed left handed as what gave him the ultimate edge in that Belmont.

I am going to para-phrase my response at lunch today to several co-workers who were discussing it at the table I was sitting. Looking back I am quite proud of it (patting myself on the back lol).

Eight Belles is the exception to the rule. I invite you to sit at the track, any track for several days in a row and watch every race. Bet you a paycheck you will not see a horse euthanized. I then went on with this rant...........
Most of you know I love the track and have been a regular at Beulah, Scioto, Turfway and River for well over 5 years now. I have only seen 1 horse euthanized on track. These athletes exert incredible amounts of strength thru their legs down to their ankles. Just like your proffesional ball players. Hey, they get hurt too don't they? The difference is obvious comparing pro ball players to t-breds.

A couple of them seemed to understand the comparison.

One answer
 

I think the biggest problem is the weight of the jockeys. I think they should be replaced with all the anorexic models that are now out of work and take the weight down to 86 pounds

That's absolutely EXTRAORDINARY: how in the world did you ever find a (picture of) a woman WITHOUT a tit job?