This guy is writing really fascinating articles. Really interesting to see how Japan runs their horse-racing industry. I’ve never looked up the stats on injuries/breakdowns in Japan compared to the rest of the world, but it would be interesting to see how they measure up.
http://deadspin.com/how-japan-built-the-worlds-best-horse-racing-1666276824
I think other stats would be far better indicators of the industry.
After all, Ferdinand survived his tenure on the track just fine.
I wasn’t referring to horses going to slaughter. And considering Ferdinand never raced there it’s beside the point.
I was interested in the breakdown rate in light of the drug rules, the trainers being required to use a JRA-employed vet and what appears to be stringent oversight of anyone involved in racing there.
Didn’t the Japan Cup have a fatal breakdown? Then didn’t the Japanese favorite for the Melbourne Cup die from a heart attack of some type metabolic meltdown shortly after the race? Not sure I’d hold the Japanese as saviors of the TB racehorse.
[QUOTE=Cammie;7905507]
I wasn’t referring to horses going to slaughter. And considering Ferdinand never raced there it’s beside the point.
I was interested in the breakdown rate in light of the drug rules, the trainers being required to use a JRA-employed vet and what appears to be stringent oversight of anyone involved in racing there.[/QUOTE]
Over regulation, especially by people who are not familiar with the individual horses, is not in the animals’ best interest.
Maybe I need to re-title the thread or start anew. The article is titled “How Japan Built the World’s Best Horse-Racing”. I’m not claiming that, or defending the author’s opinion on it. I thought it was an interesting look at how Japan manages horse-racing in their country. Granted, all of the oversight and stringent rules are for the protection of gamblers, but it seems like the horses would benefit from it as well.
Didn’t the Japan Cup have a fatal breakdown? Then didn’t the Japanese favorite for the Melbourne Cup die from a heart attack of some type metabolic meltdown shortly after the race? Not sure I’d hold the Japanese as saviors of the TB racehorse.
I’m not holding them up as saviors of racehorses. I was referring to OVERALL statistics. Of course there will be breakdowns everywhere, no matter how well the horses are taken care of.
Over regulation, especially by people who are not familiar with the individual horses, is not in the animals’ best interest.
What about the Japanese regulations are not in the animal’s best interest? Are you coming to the conclusion based on the article, or on personal experience? I’m honestly asking, no snark intended.
Limiting a trainer to 70 horses is interesting. As is the fact that the licensing requirements are so difficult. It is such a different ball-game there.
[QUOTE=Cammie;7905690]
What about the Japanese regulations are not in the animal’s best interest? Are you coming to the conclusion based on the article, or on personal experience? I’m honestly asking, no snark intended.
Limiting a trainer to 70 horses is interesting. As is the fact that the licensing requirements are so difficult. It is such a different ball-game there.[/QUOTE]
The 70 horse rule is a good example. Sure, that sounds like a good idea, right? But if we take a closer look and think about it a little bit, it isn’t the greatest idea. A trainer with upwards of 70 horses is not one that is going to be prone to mistreating his stock. In order to get that many horses to train you HAVE to be doing things right.
My gripe is based on experience; I see it all the time, people think they can watch TVG and read the racing form and know what is best for a horse. They don’t realize how much you don’t know if you aren’t there with the individual animal. You can look at the form and see that the horse ran poorly in his last out; what that form won’t tell you is that the trainer got stuck in traffic that day on the way to the race and the horse sat in the trailer pawing the floor for three hours. Letting people who don’t know the individuals and what goes on each day dictate what can and can’t be done with a horse is a very bad idea. In the end, the horse’s connections are the only ones that have the knowledge to make the best decisions for it.
Licensing is not as easy over here as some think. Try walking up to a racing commission not knowing anyone and applying for a license of any sort. You can’t even get a license to hot walk without a signature. In order to become an owner you need to have an eligible horse in your name and preferably with their papers on file at a track in that state. The written trainer’s test itself is not all that hard IMO, but getting in and approved to take it as well as the interview and the hands on evaluation in most jurisdictions is like pulling teeth.
[QUOTE=Angelico;7907303]
The 70 horse rule is a good example. Sure, that sounds like a good idea, right? But if we take a closer look and think about it a little bit, it isn’t the greatest idea. A trainer with upwards of 70 horses is not one that is going to be prone to mistreating his stock. In order to get that many horses to train you HAVE to be doing things right.
My gripe is based on experience; I see it all the time, people think they can watch TVG and read the racing form and know what is best for a horse. They don’t realize how much you don’t know if you aren’t there with the individual animal. You can look at the form and see that the horse ran poorly in his last out; what that form won’t tell you is that the trainer got stuck in traffic that day on the way to the race and the horse sat in the trailer pawing the floor for three hours. Letting people who don’t know the individuals and what goes on each day dictate what can and can’t be done with a horse is a very bad idea. In the end, the horse’s connections are the only ones that have the knowledge to make the best decisions for it.
Licensing is not as easy over here as some think. Try walking up to a racing commission not knowing anyone and applying for a license of any sort. You can’t even get a license to hot walk without a signature. In order to become an owner you need to have an eligible horse in your name and preferably with their papers on file at a track in that state. The written trainer’s test itself is not all that hard IMO, but getting in and approved to take it as well as the interview and the hands on evaluation in most jurisdictions is like pulling teeth.[/QUOTE]
I’m going to beg to differ with a tiny little bit of your post. One trainer in my area dominated for years, and was notorious for spending very little time with the horses. The trainer was great at crunching data and running the horses in spots where they could win. Another successful claiming trainer was always at the track, but spent more time watching and assessing the competition than paying attention to the horses in his barn. He also judiciously entered horses where they could win. They were great trainers, not necessarily the best horsemen.
Bad horseman do not win many races regardless of how much time they spend in the barn. They obviously hired good help which makes them not only a good horseman but also a good business person.
There is a big difference between “not the best,” and “bad.”
[QUOTE=Flash44;7907593]
There is a big difference between “not the best,” and “bad.”[/QUOTE]
You won’t win much with either in racing, in spite of what some people think.
While I really enjoyed reading the article, if the JRA is truly that controlling about press coverage, did anyone actually think the writer was going to give a negative review of their industry?
Another interesting thread would be about Hong Kong racing. They maintain a very high quality of racing in a very small area of land. As an example, their back stretches are similar to our multi-level car parking garages.
This dated TDN Op/Ed by John Sparkman might interest some of you.
http://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/restricted/pdf/oped/oped121005.pdf
If you are interested in an English speaking take on Japan’s and Australasia horseracing. I enjoy being a member of this site.
http://forum.thoroughbredvillage.com.au/forums.html
I’m one of few yanks that are members and if you can stand mostly offensive humor :yes: the experience and knowledge gained is invaluable. If you post be ready to “snap” back with something like “I don’t agree but I was a fan of Crocodile Dundee and I’ll ignore your stupidity on this subject.”
Many Aussies still believe that they could won the war in the Pacific without us.:yes: As a Marine infantryman in the Vietnam War, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet some Aussie soldiers serving in the same area. They are a great lot though they’ve long lost proper use of the King’s English. You always have to ask them to repeat comments or had them a pad to write down comments so you can read what they mean to say.:winkgrin:
Australians also flock to our Kentucky Derby. If you are there, strike up a conversation with an Aussie, and they’ll be buying the drinks (maybe chow) for you for the remainder of the racing day.
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