Great Article by Moss

Originally Posted by Dunbar

Yet another wrong knee-jerk reaction.

--Dunbar

And your wife's question after Eight Belles went down wasn't a knee-jerk reaction?

Spare us your agenda.

[Dunbar]

Originally Posted by Coach Pants

And your wife's question after Eight Belles went down wasn't a knee-jerk reaction?

Spare us your agenda.

My agenda? I don't think I've spent 5 minutes thinking about the necessity of whips before the discussion on these pages. Like most longtime fans and bettors, I'm pretty immune to the sight of horses being whipped. It's part of racing. What I have now is a newly formed opinion, not an agenda. [note to pro-whippers: emphasize and belittle "5 minutes thinking" part out of context]

Yes, my wife's reaction was knee-jerk. That's the point. Almost any non-numbed spectator of horseracing will wonder why horses that "love" to race are being whipped repeatedly. Not many will conclude that horses are masochists that "love" to be whipped. Instead they will question how sporting the sport of kings is.

As DrugS pointed out, jockeys don't carry whips in the 2-furlong races for 2-yr-olds at SA. Funny that with those inexperienced horses the jock doesn't need a whip to control the horse's path. [note to pro-whippers: be sure to quote and insert bit about needing whip to switch leads in longer races here]

Some think the risk of losing a photo because of no whip is a good argument for whips. I suspect horses would try even harder if the jockeys could carry buzzers. Maybe we should lower the bar instead of raise it and allow buzzers. It might have gotten Alydar past Affirmed which would have made a lot of bettors happy.

It would be a level playing field with no whips. I think I could adjust my capping to evaluating horses in a world where jockey's had no whips. It would be a piece of cake compared to evaluating the synthetics.

--Dunbar

[ArlJim78]

Originally Posted by Dunbar

I suspect horses would try even harder if the jockeys could carry buzzers. Maybe we should lower the bar instead of raise it and allow buzzers. It might have gotten Alydar past Affirmed which would have made a lot of bettors happy.

dunbar this made me laugh. answer to peta? we're removing the whips, but from now on all riders will carry buzzers.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Cardus

The notion that Jerry Bailey must start owning or betting on horses in order for his opinion to count is asinine.

He might not be right about this particular issue, but winning a few thousand races counts for something in my book, particularly when he is talking about a jockey-related issue.

I'm pretty sure that he wasnt a big proponent of banning whips when he rode considering he hit horses about as hard as anyone. Of course he hasn't actually said anything publicly about this to my knowledge, Moss just dropped his name a few times. Of course it is idiotic to not pay attention to people who press for rule changes that will have no effect on them or to think he would have thought about the long term consequences of such a rule change. Maybe he can sell a video about how to bet on a race where there is no whips used?

Originally Posted by Dunbar

My agenda? I don't think I've spent 5 minutes thinking about the necessity of whips before the discussion on these pages. Like most longtime fans and bettors, I'm pretty immune to the sight of horses being whipped. It's part of racing. What I have now is a newly formed opinion, not an agenda. [note to pro-whippers: emphasize and belittle "5 minutes thinking" part out of context]

Hurrrrr

Originally Posted by Dunbar

Yes, my wife's reaction was knee-jerk. That's the point. Almost any non-numbed spectator of horseracing will wonder why horses that "love" to race are being whipped repeatedly. Not many will conclude that horses are masochists that "love" to be whipped. Instead they will question how sporting the sport of kings is.

No offense to your wife and the other "fans" who tune in for the Derby but they can go **** themselves. Their thoughts, for the most part, are borderline retarded concerning horse racing.

It's absolutely ridiculous that the powers that be are considering speaking with PETA and other imbeciles over the sport.

Originally Posted by Dunbar

As DrugS pointed out, jockeys don't carry whips in the 2-furlong races for 2-yr-olds at SA. Funny that with those inexperienced horses the jock doesn't need a whip to control the horse's path. [note to pro-whippers: be sure to quote and insert bit about needing whip to switch leads in longer races here]

Yes and those races are unbettable and an utter disaster from start to finish. Bad example.

Here's a note for you. I'll reply however the hell I want to. Keep your smug know-it-all caption to yourself next time. It doesn't make you look smart nor clever.

Originally Posted by Dunbar

Some think the risk of losing a photo because of no whip is a good argument for whips. I suspect horses would try even harder if the jockeys could carry buzzers. Maybe we should lower the bar instead of raise it and allow buzzers. It might have gotten Alydar past Affirmed which would have made a lot of bettors happy.

Who is this "we" you speak of? You aren't a part of any committee or lollipop guild who makes decisions.

I agree with the buzzers though. I think they should be used on humans who fail at comedy.

Originally Posted by Dunbar

It would be a level playing field with no whips. I think I could adjust my capping to evaluating horses in a world where jockey's had no whips. It would be a piece of cake compared to evaluating the synthetics.

--Dunbar

So it isn't a level playing field now because whips are used? And then magically it will be a level playing field without them? Ok...hurrrrrrr.

--Pillow Pants

[Just in case I forget my name on here]

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by Coach Pants

--Pillow Pants

[Just in case I forget my name on here]

Oh man, I don't know how to tell you this.....but it seems like you already did forget. You aren't Pillow Pants anymore. You're Coach Pants now. Apparently we all need to start reminding ourselves like Dunbar.

-- miraja4

Originally Posted by miraja2

Oh man, I don't know how to tell you this.....but it seems like you already did forget. You aren't Pillow Pants anymore. You're Coach Pants now. Apparently we all need to start reminding ourselves like Dunbar.

-- miraja4

[Danzig]

i don't see how waiting to breed an unsound horse til they're five or six is going to strengthen the breed. if they want sound, you'll see a change. but simply dictating the age at which a horse can be bred won't change anything. many of the horses are still not what breeders used to seek. most now want speed-well, you've got that, but at a price. eight belles gets the attention since she was lost-but what about the winner? no one really says much about the fact that they derby was his fourth lifetime start. yet farms are already foaming at the mouth at the thought of getting him for their farm.