Santa Anita- do you think somethings up?

[Where_sMyWhite]

I’m with Texarkana and Laurierace.

It is concerning given that I personally suspect many of the respondents (that were not just button clickers ) probably have not a clue what the racing industry is about.

I notice that the article and response they published (when I looked) talk about the horses but made no mention of the many, many people who would loose their jobs if CA had no racing.

I get the conundrum of racing to keep people employed but at this point in time… there is a racing industry and yes, it keeps people employed with food on the table and a roof over their head for themselves and their families.

[On_the_Farm]

@Where'sMyWhite

I’m with Texarkana and Laurierace.

It is concerning given that I personally suspect many of the respondents (that were not just button clickers ) probably have not a clue what the racing industry is about.

I notice that the article and response they published (when I looked) talk about the horses but made no mention of the many, many people who would loose their jobs if CA had no racing.

I get the conundrum of racing to keep people employed but at this point in time… there is a racing industry and yes, it keeps people employed with food on the table and a roof over their head for themselves and their families.

These people don’t care about the workers and participants in the industry. One FB page has people wishing for jockeys to get killed.

[Willesdon]

British racing also has a problem with public image and ill-informed social media. The industry response has been a campaign to inform the general public of the work behind the scenes to ensure the welfare and wellbeing of the horses and people working in the racing through well-made videos, effective social media and good articles in the press, a lot of transparency in reporting about deaths and injuries, dissemination of research on safety and individual trainers using their own social media to promote the same message: that race horses have a good life. However, these efforts are underpinned by a very consistent record of declining injury and fatality rates over many years of research and innovation.

[Texarkana]

@Willesdon

British racing also has a problem with public image and ill-informed social media. The industry response has been a campaign to inform the general public of the work behind the scenes to ensure the welfare and wellbeing of the horses and people working in the racing through well-made videos, effective social media and good articles in the press, a lot of transparency in reporting about deaths and injuries, dissemination of research on safety and individual trainers using their own social media to promote the same message: that race horses have a good life. However, these efforts are underpinned by a very consistent record of declining injury and fatality rates over many years of research and innovation.

Which is exactly what many of us have been clamoring for US racing to do!!! Thank you for sharing.

When TSG announced their Lasix/whip bans, I really thought it was going to be the beginning of a public image campaign. Nope, they managed to flub that up, too, by not capitalizing on the positive momentum, alienating the horsemen, and ultimately making themselves look incompetent. I don’t even know why I was optimistic. It’s like American racing is trying to make the worst possible decisions to ruin their image. It is frustrating because they have been operating in this mode for as long as I can remember. What’s even more frustrating is that the answer (like what British racing has been doing) seems so obvious and wouldn’t even require that much effort/cost.

At this point, there are only two possible explanations for their ineptitude: either those in positions of power are really that dumb or they are so deep in corruption that they would rather the sport go under than to attract public scrutiny.

A public image revitalization really needs to start at the top. Plenty of horsemen with their boots on the ground have been trying to improve image with lots of small successes. But you can only do so much when the governing bodies and track management seemingly sabotage your efforts with their incapability to connect with the public.

[Where_sMyWhite]

Even knowledgeable media seems to struggle with ‘getting things right’

Yesterday, BH re-posted an article from the Racing Post regarding the loss of the filly Sea of Class, who was euthanized after unsuccessfully being able to treat her after colic surgery July 22 to remove an abdominal mass which turned out to be a malignant melanoma

In the article, it attempted to “explain” colic for the uninitiate but included the comment

It is difficult to treat colic without major abdominal surgical intervention and intensive aftercare to ensure recovery.

While I would agree for some horses, this is true, but for many horses, they don’t require major surgical intervention and intensive aftercare. Seems like many horses get treated for colic and end up being fine without requiring surgery.

Sea of Class was a classy filly, a runner up to Enable in last year’s Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1), must have been so hard to have made the decision to have to euthanize her although also easy given the description of her last day.

[Palm_Beach]

Hollendorfer called “radioactive,” and his 6 deaths blamed for his ban.

https://www.paulickreport.com/news/the-biz/clamor-to-end-horse-racing-would-be-deafening-court-documents-shed-light-on-del-mar-hollendorfer-ban/

[Where_sMyWhite]

Yeah, this probably has the animal rights wing dancing in the streets… sigh.

No way, at least that has been made publicly available, to know if these horses died in spite or or because of being trained by Jerry (IMO).

[Palm_Beach]

Delaware just suspended Marcus Vitale for a year. Glad to see them get out a big stick.

[Pronzini]

This link will probably go away in a few hours but if you are quick, here’s the judge’s tentative in the Hollendorfer case.

http://www.sandiego.courts.ca.gov/v3…ventId=2132776

Essentially it comes down to the arbitrary nature of what happened. It doesn’t sound like Del Mar could present a good enough reason to impact a licensee’s livelihood in such a dramatic fashion.

[skydy]

@Pronzini

This link will probably go away in a few hours but if you are quick, here’s the judge’s tentative in the Hollendorfer case.

http://www.sandiego.courts.ca.gov/v3…ventId=2132776

Essentially it comes down to the arbitrary nature of what happened. It doesn’t sound like Del Mar could present a good enough reason to impact a licensee’s livelihood in such a dramatic fashion.

That was an interesting read. Thanks.

Precedent doesn’t allow for trainers to be arbitrarily excluded from a meet. Even when the meet is held by a private organization.

Any guesses as to why has he not sued Santa Anita? Would the fact that his horses were at the top of the breakdown stats be reason enough for a court to rule against him?

[Where_sMyWhite]

@Pronzini thanks for posting that link. Had to kinda skip through the legalese but sounds like the courts agreed that Del Mar was arbitrary in denying Jerry stalls or the ability to race.

Now to hope that Jerry has no problems while racing at Del Mar (IIRC, Los Al TB meet is done for the time being.) Jerry has to know that he’ll be scrutinized more than other trainers for sure.

[anon6923113]

I was skimming along and checking out a few things from Paulick Report today, and 2 reports made me think of this thread.

1. I listened to “The Friday Show” and their take on the Jerry Hollendorfer ban vs. Marcus Vitali suspension. I found it interesting. Curious about other’s opinions who have much more knowledge and experience… if any of you listened to it as well. I do understand that it’s a matter of different states and different tracks and different jurisdiction… but nonetheless, the comparison is pretty striking.

2. The recent news regarding proposed medication rule changes for Churchill and Keeneland. Including some limits on Lasix use. Anyone care to comment? The rationale behind changes to nsaid rules, etc, and ban of bisphosphonates all makes sense to me. But I still simply don’t grasp the argument behind these proposals for slowly phasing in race-day bans on the use of Lasix. By age group. I’ve tried to listen to arguments made by both sides, 1 saying Lasix is a necessary med, and really doesn’t have a meaningful scientific impact on bone density, etc, and the other saying it’s abused, etc etc. I can appreciate that these slowly phased in, race day nans are an attempt at a “compromise” and some sort of PR strategy… but they don’t seem likely to be positive for horses. At all. If you are of the opinion Lasix is a useful med for TBs that protects them from EIPH damage to their lungs… then the bans are a step backwards. If you are of the opinion that widespread Lasix use has somehow weakened the overall population of racing TBs over multiple generations, and is correlated with breakdown risks… a phased in race day ban won’t really impact anything positively. So that leaves “positive PR strategy” as a major reason for it… and it seems like more effort could go toward other issues and be more effective in terms of positive PR.

Can an anyone explain what I am missing about the race day Lasix bans? A reason why they are likely to be a positive thing for horses and the survival of the sport?
I understand a need for “medication reform”… but I haven’t really seen a clear scientific case yet that race day bans on Lasix are going to have a positive impact…

[snaffle1987]

@Palm Beach

Delaware just suspended Marcus Vitale for a year. Glad to see them get out a big stick.

Vitale is a prime example of a trainer who should be banned for life and a prime reason why there should be a national governing body. He has a long history doing what he does. And it is not a hidden secret. Kick him to the curb for the sake of the horses in the barns!

[snaffle1987]

@Where'sMyWhite

@Pronzini thanks for posting that link. Had to kinda skip through the legalese but sounds like the courts agreed that Del Mar was arbitrary in denying Jerry stalls or the ability to race.

Now to hope that Jerry has no problems while racing at Del Mar (IIRC, Los Al TB meet is done for the time being.) Jerry has to know that he’ll be scrutinized more than other trainers for sure.

it shouldn’t matter. if the track is private property and owned privately; it is up to the ownership to decided who and who doesn’t step foot and operate their own businesses on THEIR property. Having stalls and the ability to race and train at a track is not a God given right. One would think that Santa Anita’s reasoning would hold up in a court of law and it has been whispered since he was banned that the veterinarians on staff were the whistle blowers which led to his ban. If things were documented properly; those veterinarians should be testifying

[skydy]

@snaffle1987

it shouldn’t matter. if the track is private property and owned privately; it is up to the ownership to decided who and who doesn’t step foot and operate their own businesses on THEIR property. Having stalls and the ability to race and train at a track is not a God given right.

Apparently you didn’t read the Judge’s opinion re; Hollendorfer.

[vineyridge]

From what I read, the judge found that the track was a quasi-governmental entity and must provide some form of due process to licensed trainers in making its decisions.

[skydy]

Yes, that is inexplicable.

I understand that now, since the stay has been denied, he will not be able to race. Am I getting it wrong?

[anon6923113]

@Laurierace

Not sure if this is going to be readable or not in this form but thought it was crazy that TSG gave stalls to Vitale. They are so random.

Wow. I can’t blame anybody who questions their choices with respect to Hollendorfer…

The only thing worse for racing right now than no attempt at any sort of PR measures, is an utterly uncoordinated PR strategy that creates ADDITIONAL skepticism about the sincerity and motivation of the people who claim to be on the side of “reform.”

[vineyridge]

Aren’t suspensions supposed to be reciprocal?

[Palm_Beach]

@vineyridge

Aren’t suspensions supposed to be reciprocal?

I think he was suspended and appealed, and usually you automatically-ish get a stay of the suspension until you appeal is heard, hence Stronach taking Vitale’s entries. But then John Wayne nixed the stay and refused to allow him to enter horses at DE. I will consult with someone closer to the action than I when he gets back from his beverage run.