PressCoverage said:
interesting that they've still not said if this all has anything to do with his false start (panic) out of the gates... nor the jockey's refusal to comment to reporters...
call me a bleeding heart liberal, but this is one of the reasons i don't like horse racing... they put so much stress on these extremely fragile animals, and no one really gives a **** about their well being... also evidenced by the anphetamines they stuff them with monthly...
i'm sure the tears in the crowd were more about lost revenue than the horse's mortality... it's worse for the dogs, but you never see them on tv anyway...
I couldn't disagree more. You don't know what you are talking about in this case.
Horse racing fans and especially the trainers and grooms/hotwalkers care very deeply about these animals.
As far as not giving a "bleep" about their well being..that couldn't be farther from the truth...if you stripped it down to the most sinister motives and the most cold hearted scumbag you could find...these horses are of such exquisit pedigree that they are worth Hundreds of thousands of dollars as soon as they are born and in some cases MILLIONS.
Barbaro was already going to be syndicated (stud duty) for a nice little round figure of around 30 million or so.
His "false start" was nothing of the sort. it was not due to any "panic". His "false start" was due to him being keyed up for the race and being more than ready. The gate was soft, and he bolted. Horses don't bolt out in the gate out of panic. they bolt out of being "fired up" or excitement. When they tussle and throw their heads in the gate, is when you can assign "panic" or discomfort.
I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that his injury had nothing to do with his "false start". He broke very well out of the gate.
he could only hurt his chest or nose in a bolt, like I said..those gates are soft, and easily pushed open..especially by a 1,200 pound animal.
His injury came from a misstep or clipping of heels with Brother Derek.
trust me when I tell you that tears are geniune at the track when one of these animals break down. people invest alot of themselves in these T-breds. it is a way of life. I am not talking about the drunks with a $2 bet on them BTW..I am talking about "Horse people".
As for these Horses being "stuffed with amphetamines"...
Amphetamine use in T-Breds is expressly prohibited. These horses are tested weekly for any of a bunch of substances that are banned for competition.
What makes your amphetamine arguement laughable is that all anti-depressants as well stimulants do great harm to horses reproductive systems.
These horses are worth MILLIONS in the breeding shed, so use of a stimulant would not only be stupid, but counterproductive.
Horses on stimulants are also nonresponsive to urging by a jockey.
If caught using a stimulant on a horse, you are subjected to astronomical fines and suspension (for trainers). it also puts you in a bad light with your owners. So using a stimulant on a horse you train is basically career suicide.
