Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Who speaks for the Race Horse?
All fans who enjoy the sport of horse racing should. There is a VERY impressive article in the Final Turn column in the latest issue of the BloodHorse by Christine Janks. She takes an important stance in holding the trainers responsible for the health of the horses they send to post. She has a very realistic vision of the profit-driven motives that drive some to send horses that are less than healthy to race and too often to their untimely deaths. The recent rash of breakdowns at Arlington, the drug-related suspension of one of the leading trainers, Steve Asmussen, really begin to appear connected. Baloo over at The Bug Boys had already raised our awareness to this issue but I am surprised and disappointed if this is widespread. Maybe it is naivete but I like to think that most people are basically honest, even with money on the line. I wonder what everyone else is thinking about this. Who does speak for our equine athletes? I know those in the TBA have put their money where their mouth is by pledging annual donations to Old Friends in support of ensuring our retired thoroughbreds a good home. But how many of the horses we love will never make it off the track due to greed?
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3 comments:
While Janks holds the trainers responsible, it seemed to me that she was calling for reforms to oversee the vets. I like that approach, as I always thought that's it was the vet, who in theory, anyway, doesn't have an ulterior motive for allowing an unsound horse to race who "spoke for the race horse".
Though Janks calls for legislative reforms, it seems to me that the vets ought to "police" their own -- how many doctors would be able to keep a license if kids were dropping dead on the football field after their physicals?
Greets to the webmaster of this wonderful site! Keep up the good work. Thanks.
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Very pretty design! Keep up the good work. Thanks.
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