There are those who say we need a triple crown winner to help the sport of horse racing. Horse racing hasn't seen a triple crown winner since 1978 when Affirmed ran his heart out to win the final leg of the triple crown series. Over the years we have had close calls, but the sport has carried on regardless of a triple crown winner. Would having a horse win the triple crown be a major event for horse racing? Absolutely it would be, but there are more pressing issues that need racing attention that not even a potential triple crown winner like California Chrome can solve.
HBO Real Sports brought the unfortunate side of horse racing to a national audience in its documentary series. The program picked up where the Peta controversy left off, adding fire to the fuel. They showed horses going down on the track and highlighted trainers Steve Asmussen and Bob Baffert. Steve Asmussen whose stable was infiltrated by Peta was asked once again to answer questions about his barns throughout the country, and the comments made by his former assistant Scott Blasi. Asmussen tried his best to answer the questions regarding the drugs Thyroxin and Clenbuterol, which was given to Finesse, a horse trained by him. The horse died on the track, and the Real Sport series showed him falling pass the wire. In addition to Finesse, the program also showed other horses going down on various tracks and being euthanized as a result of life threatening injuries.
Bob Baffert was mentioned in the program because several of his horses died after the drug Thyroxin was administered to them. As a result of his horses dying, Baffert, according to the program no longer administers this drug to his horses. The program also showed a former exercise jockey who went down after a horse he was working broke down on the track. The horse didn't survive the incident and the exercise jockey who will never walk again requires around the clock assistance from family and friends. That exercise rider's life didn't have to be ruined if proper measures were taken with the horse. Years later the revelation that the horse was hurt prior to going out to work makes the incident sickening and sad. Two lives forever changed.
The drugs Thyroxin and Clenbuterol are two drugs that are banned in Europe. Why is it that the European racing industry can have a handle on horse racing and in this country we are so backwards? On the HBO program, Dr. Mary Scollay said, "When the purse is worth more than the horse, the horse becomes a commodity." What an indictment on the state of affairs in the sport of horse racing! There are trainers who are willing to sacrifice the animal for a hefty purse and are also willing to put the life of jockeys at risk for money. I have been watching this sports since I was a child, and unfortunately I have seen countless horses go down and put to sleep on the track. I have seen many jockeys fall only to have their lives destroyed as a result of a fallen horse. Not all incidents on the track are due to horses breaking down, but several of the cases I have witnessed are a direct result of this type of accident. Were all these horses injured prior to going to the track? Were their injuries masked by powerful pain killers? I would say definitely not, but the doubts can't help but sit at the doorstep of one's mind.
There are many outstanding trainers in the game of horse racing. I have seen trainers and owners claim a horse just so they can give him/her a proper home. They didn't want the horse to compete anymore. Unfortunately those type of practices weren't exposed in the Real Sports series.
A triple crown winner would be tremendous for the sport of horse racing come June 7th but it would not help the sport in the immediate future. The sport needs an overseer who can help bring it under one umbrella. I have said in the past and will state once again, the sport needs a commissioner, no different from the NFL or NBA. We need to bridge the divide between all these varying jurisdictions. If the New York Racing Association can quickly get rid of a stupid nasal strip rule to accommodate California Chrome and his owners and trainer, then why are we so slow to change other things in the sport that are very pressing. These drugs that are given to horses need close inspection. If horses are dying and evidence leads to one culprit, then the time is ripe to get rid of that culprit. Veterinarians who are administering drugs to mask injuries need to have their license revoked. Dr. Kate Papp, a veterinarian at Penn National, was also featured on the Real Sports program. She stated, “One injection takes two seconds and makes you $30. And if you multiply that times ten in one day, that's $300 for five minutes worth of work.” This is a sad commentary on her profession and colleagues. How can people and their decision making be so callous when animals and people's lives are at stake is beyond my comprehension.
Right now horse racing is safe from major public scrutiny because major networks haven't made their ignorance a priority. They are given some negative spotlight but nothing that has provoked the average Joe to pay attention. That can all change in a flash and once that barrel starts to roll down stream then we all better get out of the way. Some tracks are ghost towns during the week, resembling abandoned cities after the gold rush dried up. Horse racing could permanently become a ghost town if sweeping changes are not made. Greed is not good, and will eventually kill those in its path.
California Chrome may bring home the jewel come June 7th, but I hope along with his possible victory, those who are in places of power will love their pay checks and notoriety enough to bring help to the sport, making it a safe for both horses and jockeys. Like California Chrome we can all hope.
Bob Baffert was mentioned in the program because several of his horses died after the drug Thyroxin was administered to them. As a result of his horses dying, Baffert, according to the program no longer administers this drug to his horses. The program also showed a former exercise jockey who went down after a horse he was working broke down on the track. The horse didn't survive the incident and the exercise jockey who will never walk again requires around the clock assistance from family and friends. That exercise rider's life didn't have to be ruined if proper measures were taken with the horse. Years later the revelation that the horse was hurt prior to going out to work makes the incident sickening and sad. Two lives forever changed.
The drugs Thyroxin and Clenbuterol are two drugs that are banned in Europe. Why is it that the European racing industry can have a handle on horse racing and in this country we are so backwards? On the HBO program, Dr. Mary Scollay said, "When the purse is worth more than the horse, the horse becomes a commodity." What an indictment on the state of affairs in the sport of horse racing! There are trainers who are willing to sacrifice the animal for a hefty purse and are also willing to put the life of jockeys at risk for money. I have been watching this sports since I was a child, and unfortunately I have seen countless horses go down and put to sleep on the track. I have seen many jockeys fall only to have their lives destroyed as a result of a fallen horse. Not all incidents on the track are due to horses breaking down, but several of the cases I have witnessed are a direct result of this type of accident. Were all these horses injured prior to going to the track? Were their injuries masked by powerful pain killers? I would say definitely not, but the doubts can't help but sit at the doorstep of one's mind.
There are many outstanding trainers in the game of horse racing. I have seen trainers and owners claim a horse just so they can give him/her a proper home. They didn't want the horse to compete anymore. Unfortunately those type of practices weren't exposed in the Real Sports series.
A triple crown winner would be tremendous for the sport of horse racing come June 7th but it would not help the sport in the immediate future. The sport needs an overseer who can help bring it under one umbrella. I have said in the past and will state once again, the sport needs a commissioner, no different from the NFL or NBA. We need to bridge the divide between all these varying jurisdictions. If the New York Racing Association can quickly get rid of a stupid nasal strip rule to accommodate California Chrome and his owners and trainer, then why are we so slow to change other things in the sport that are very pressing. These drugs that are given to horses need close inspection. If horses are dying and evidence leads to one culprit, then the time is ripe to get rid of that culprit. Veterinarians who are administering drugs to mask injuries need to have their license revoked. Dr. Kate Papp, a veterinarian at Penn National, was also featured on the Real Sports program. She stated, “One injection takes two seconds and makes you $30. And if you multiply that times ten in one day, that's $300 for five minutes worth of work.” This is a sad commentary on her profession and colleagues. How can people and their decision making be so callous when animals and people's lives are at stake is beyond my comprehension.
Right now horse racing is safe from major public scrutiny because major networks haven't made their ignorance a priority. They are given some negative spotlight but nothing that has provoked the average Joe to pay attention. That can all change in a flash and once that barrel starts to roll down stream then we all better get out of the way. Some tracks are ghost towns during the week, resembling abandoned cities after the gold rush dried up. Horse racing could permanently become a ghost town if sweeping changes are not made. Greed is not good, and will eventually kill those in its path.
California Chrome may bring home the jewel come June 7th, but I hope along with his possible victory, those who are in places of power will love their pay checks and notoriety enough to bring help to the sport, making it a safe for both horses and jockeys. Like California Chrome we can all hope.
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