I’m very excited about this, it has some flaws but the concept is a huge step in the right direction. I hope everybody forwards this to their local racetrack. I’m glad they are at least recognizing there is a problem, unlike Mountaineer who just denys it. Thank you Suffolk!!!
I skimmed the article quickly, but all I have to say is good for them.
No matter what excuses anyone makes, accountability is the first step in the right direction.
Very good news
CANTER NE is very pleased with Suffolk Downs’ bold and largely unprecedented move…hats off to them! :yes:
Enforcing this policy is going to be challenging, as unfortunately, there will ALWAYS be the proverbial bad apples who just cannot be made to care…but good for Suffolk for taking this step. I wish more tracks would follow their noble example.
In CANTER NE’s 6 years of operation at Suffolk, we’ve helped to transition literally hundreds of horses leaving the track, both through our trainer listings and our adoption program. We are a small, all-volunteer non-profit on a shoestring budget, without a farm or facility of our own, and we rely 100% on private contributions to continue helping the New England-based Thoroughbreds who most need us.
If you can help in any way…by donating, volunteering, opening your home to an OTTB either permanently or as a volunteer foster home…please let us know. We’d love to hear from you!
This policy has been somewhat in effect for a couple of years now. Although management has not made public threats in the past, they have stopped the known killer buyer from taking any horse off the track property. I myself am very happy that Sam has taken a public stance on the issue. And Mike is right, there is no need for it! Between the good trainers finding homes, Canter and the TRF do a fantastic job placing any horses that need new homes. I won’t go into details, but we have a horse here that ran in some VERY big races a few years back that has climbed drastically down the ladder and is with a new trainer who feels the horse may get hurt racing again, called the owner and the owner is taking him home tonite to retire (and is keeping him).
That really is awesome.
Hopefully, Suffolk will also tighten up its security so that the killer buyers can’t visit the backside w/ a little boy in tow and pick up “the horse that belongs to my kid” and drag it off to Canada.
My first OTTB was stolen from Suffolk in exactly that way in 1974. I was just a kid and it STILL kills me. 
That horse was all the family I had, and his race trainer loffed him just as much as I did.
And they’re the ONLY track in the U.S. that’s trying to put a stop to this practice?
[QUOTE=I’m EBO;3321626]
And they’re the ONLY track in the U.S. that’s trying to put a stop to this practice?[/QUOTE]
This doesnt go on at every track… it does happen at the lower end tracks though, sad as it is… hopefully with some pressure, the other tracks will follow suit.
The problem I see is the killers getting a little more savy… sending in others to wisk these horses away, unbeknownst to the trainers, or vice versa. 
[QUOTE=Acertainsmile;3321650]
This doesnt go on at every track… it does happen at the lower end tracks though, sad as it is… hopefully with some pressure, the other tracks will follow suit.
The problem I see is the killers getting a little more savy… sending in others to wisk these horses away, unbeknownst to the trainers, or vice versa. :([/QUOTE]
See my previous post. The sumb*tches have ALWAYS been like that. The way Suffolk is going now is the ONLY way. Just trust me on this. I’m the voice of bitter experience.
Big kudos to Suffolk!
Do you mean that the trainers don’t know who’s paying for the horse they just sold for $200? Or they aren’t aware that the horse was sold? Either scenario seems unlikely. It would seem to me that some horse welfare people would be glad to volunteer to check the papers of anyone trailering a horse off the backside while they were checking dot numbers, coggins papers (if necessary), other stuff.
We can hope that Dale Baird is whirling in his grave at this announcement.
At least someone is trying to do something about this. Suffolk Downs had a horse in/around the 2001-2003 seasons called Go Bam Bam Go that I liked but I cannot seem to get any info on his whereabouts now. Google turns up nothing but I hope he is ok.
I too find it hard to believe that noone notices a horse leaving the grounds with a stranger. Maybe a better security system in place to alert owners/trainers that someone claims their horse has been sold to them.
[QUOTE=azerica;3322274]
I too find it hard to believe that noone notices a horse leaving the grounds with a stranger. Maybe a better security system in place to alert owners/trainers that someone claims their horse has been sold to them.[/QUOTE]
Trailers have to stop at the security shack on the way in or out.
Nobody is really stealing horses, but rather feel good stories may be being told to the seller. I’m Ebo is just being sarcastic.
The thing to remember is: sometimes the person buying the horse is telling the truth - they do have a buyer for it or they do plan on keeping it as a project horse or whatever - but then things change and they send the horse to auction, etc. You can do your best to screen buyers, but you don’t always know for certain. And, even the ones who sound perfect sometimes just don’t know how to care for a TB properly and that can be as bad as any other fate.
Suffolk’s not the only one…
Suffolk is not the only track to create this policy. we at Philadelphia Park did it three weeks ago in an attempt to stop trainers from sending their horses to New Holland. SInce we started Turning For Home, Philadelphia Park’s racehorse retirement program, there really is no excuse.
Barbara L.
PTHA’s Turning For Home, Inc.
Philadelphia Park’s Racehorse Retirement Program
Barbara L. I’m glad to hear that. What are the consequences for non-compliance of a trainer?
ETA: I believe Little Cliff, who was saved out of a kill pen, came from Philadelphia Park. I’ll have to find the thread for you if you don’t remember the incident.
Here’s the thread: http://chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=143528
Looks like y’all have your work cut out for you.
Funny, I was just thinking, if I really decide I need yet another part-time job, I’m close enough to Suffolk to be there to walk hots early and never met a horse I couldn’t handle on the ground, but would I want to work at a track knowing where some horses end up going…and there we go.
Good for Suffolk!!!
Now they just need to put their money where their mouth is, and make sizeable donations to Canter, TRF, and the other groups that act as slaughter alternatives for the trainers. :yes::yes:
Just taking a stand against slaughter sales doesn’t help if you don’t offer alternatives…
I think this is outstanding, and I’ve just emailed the track to tell them so. I was already planning on heading down for some Saturdays, but now I will absolutely make a point to go.
[QUOTE=AppJumpr08;3323165]
Good for Suffolk!!!
Now they just need to put their money where their mouth is, and make sizeable donations to Canter, TRF, and the other groups that act as slaughter alternatives for the trainers. :yes::yes:
Just taking a stand against slaughter sales doesn’t help if you don’t offer alternatives…[/QUOTE]
That is a great point. I hope they take you up on that suggestion.
And don’t forget to give credit to CANTER New England and other groups for making the plight of the too-slow racer more obvious. As the trainers and owners have come to respect CANTER’s methods and efforts, a policy like Suffolk’s has been able to be implemented. IOW, having workable options made the policy possible, IMHO. as for you CANTER volunteers, you all are the bestest. (My CANTER -found mare agrees!)
