Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Cannon Shell
Give me a break. This isnt some non-descript 8 year old and I am not some bleeding heart. But if I was writing a script on an anti-horse racing story, this would be about the perfect scenario to have presented to me. IF he were to have an untimely end on a racetrack, please tell me that this wouldnt look horrific? An old gelding, retired and so far gone that a retirement home is already booked and publicly announced, is suddenly put back in training and winds up dead on the track. Yeah try to spin that one positive. The difference between this horse and others like John Henry was that JH was never retired and brought back. The difference between this horse and Brett Favre is that Favre wont get hurt bad enough to have to be put down (no matter how hard Scavs roots for this). The difference is that this horse was the centerpiece of the 2007 Breeders Cup Marketing blitz (Lava Man vs Bernardini) yet is still competing in late 2009/2010 despite not having won an important race since June of 2007. The difference is that he didnt exactly go out on top and is coming back to clean up some unfinished business. The difference is that he still has 9 year old bones and he tries hard, very hard. The difference is the last time these connections "unretired" a horse, she was soon dead. There is almost no upside to this story but there is a whole lot of downside. And no, that isnt my opinion or feeling, it is the reality that we now live with in horse racing.
|
No, it is your reality. Please put me in the "this is good" camp. Some of this anti-O'Neill stuff seems libelous to me and I'm glad he has the balls to answer the questions of people he surely does not have to give the time of day.