Weekend races

[Pronzini]

OK speaking as someone from California which had to live with the grand experiment almost before anyone else in the country and whose horses raced on synthetic tracks, trained on synthetic tracks and got hurt on synthetic tracks (humblebrag, I even scored 10 wins on synthetic tracks with homebreds), they are not safer. Synthetics are just less likely to cause the horrible breakdowns we have seen at Saratoga this year. I think synthetics are better PR for the sport but not necessarily better for the sport. I would also carefully look at the people promoting them and the type of horses they generally have the barn.

That said, I happen to chat with someone who has been in the industry for decades after the New York Thunder race. It was pretty sobering “I can’t take it and pony petters might describe me as a callous SOB. And if I can’t take it…”

He left the rest unsaid.

[punchy]

Another plug for synthetics, from an NPR show (1a) back in June. (With Natalie Voss, Graham Motion, a vet, and one other). It sounds like the thought is that the surfaces weren’t right or maintained right, and that the industry just kind of gave up on them too soon and went back to the known.

https://the1a.org/segments/racehorses-are-dying-during-competitions-what-can-be-done/

[mommy_peanut]

Except for watching the dozen or so bigger races every year, I’ve not spent much time researching international racing as a whole.
Curious how the fatal breakdown/injury percentages overseas (UK, Japan, AU, etc) compare to here.
There is racing all over the world. Are there more/less fatalities in those places?
Why?
What are the key differences in the breeding & training from here to there?
What could be learned & used here to try & lower the frequency of fatal injuries?

[Lauruffian]

I don’t know what the cause is, nor do I know the solution. The talking heads and keyboard warriors will spin in circles endlessly and futilely once again, many claiming they know the problem and/or the answer. Talk, talk, talk. Will something major change? Maybe. Likely, eventually. But until then, suggestions of change brings more talk and more debate and more fingers tapping on computer keys and more shaking fists and figurative torches set alight.

If something as clear cut as a medication positive leading to a disqualification (in a grade 1 race, not that that should make any difference) can lead to years of litigation and denial and appeal that still hasn’t resolved, then how can the more amorphous and sometimes unknowable chain of events leading to a catastrophic breakdown be distilled into rules and regulations? And moreso, how can those rules and regulations be embraced by those who benefit greatly by things As They Have Always Been?

My GenX “whatever” attitude is leaking through, but I do have hope. The televised coverage is more willing to address breakdowns head on, rather than brush them under the rug and move on to the next race as soon as possible. Hearing emotion in the various horsefolk’s interviews confirms that yes, they care, and yes, it’s devastating.

I yelled “F@@K!!! FUUUUUUUU@K!!” when New York Thunder broke down. My husband came to see what happened, so I rewound to show him (kinda wish I didn’t). In all the races he’s seen with me, in person and on TV, this is the first time I’ve heard him yelp in horror. He kept saying “Oh God!” and walked away. Both of us did. I couldn’t keep watching. We both felt nauseous and really wanted to go see our ponies and give them a hug, so we hugged each other instead.

I went back to watch the Travers after going outside for a bit, and damn, what a fantastic race. So conflicting, so confusing.

Hugging our fuzzballs a little more tightly

[skydy]

Well said. I understand your feelings and your opinion.

I don’t know whether the horses in the UK, or Australia, have fewer fatalities per start . They do race on turf and they do often race longer distances than in the U.S. but someone more knowledgeable about international racing statistics will have to break the stats down to find the nitty gritty that gives everyone a chance to see if there is a difference in mortality compared between surfaces, distances and other racing circumstances, breeding being another factor to complicate the matter.

Horse racing in the U.S. better begin funding as much study as they can to TB racing and training breakdowns. If that doesn’t happen we will lose the Thoroughbred breed in the U.S.

Every horse person is (or should be ) aware that more health and safety research has been done by the TB racing industry over the years than any other organization, especially for the study of (but certainly not limited to) musculoskeletal issues.

[endlessclimb]

Maybe. I know that a lot of the people that were posting this stuff have racehorses that they’re actively running. I also know that person is anti medication, lasix included. Her horses live as natural of a life as they can, and get hauled into tracks to race.

[Pronzini]

@mommy_peanut

Curious how the fatal breakdown/injury percentages overseas (UK, Japan, AU, etc) compare to here.

I know it happens because I have seen it happen. The shape of European turf races tend to be different though with relatively slow opening fractions and then a sprint to the end.

Of note, the “other” breakdown at Saratoga last weekend was an Irish bred horse called Nobel making his US debut on the turf for Brendan Walsh. I don’t think I have ever seen something like that and even weirder still, he broke down on the gallop out. I’m not sure how that one gets processed.

Let’s not sugar coat it - last weekend was horrible. However, after the shitshow of that terrible Santa Anita season, the track regrouped and there was a subsequent racing meet where there were NO racing deaths on the dirt all season. Del Mar has done that too but no one ever talks about it. As a long time owner/ fan etc, I didn’t think that was possible but they did it. Of course, on both instances, when the spell was broken and there was a fatal event, the media rediscovered racing again.

And let’s not get all misty eyed about the past. Ruffian was in the past and so was Timely Writer. So was a filly called Lamb Chop if you want to go way back. But there were no online forums, no Twitter and sensibilities about everything were a lot different. Language was different–I remember news articles that referred to a horse being euthanized as being “destroyed”. Can you just imagine if that was how it was referenced today?

But of course we live in the here and now. My point is that we shouldn’t look to a past that never probably was to govern what we do today.

[libgrrl]

I do recall that there was a string of breakdowns in the Melbourne Cup that led to some changes
What checks are done to make sure horses are fit to run in the Melbourne Cup? - ABC News

[skydy]

Thanks for the article. I wonder how RV’s injury and fatality stats have been impacted by the use of the MRI.

[Kyrabee]

I wonder how many of these horses are on omeprazole? That can increase fracture risk and I think race horses are pretty prone to ulcers. It just makes me wonder if any of these horses are getting omeprazole used long term and it is having an impact on bone health. Something else to muddy the waters.

Susan

[snaffle1987]

No they are not the same. But we are not talking about a sport where the horse is trotting around in a circle either. There is extreme stress on the legs daily, not just on race day.

While I agree, that treatments have made drastic improvements, and continue to do so; I think there needs to be a very big focus on previous injuries into long term soundness and safety of the horses on the track. This includes all the way back to elective surgeries now taking over the sales market to make a horse “perfect”.
I recall seeing a Bloodhorse article in recent years discussing these surgeries, how prevalent they are, and what the long term effects might be. I will have to see if I can find it.

Not saying I agree nor disagree with it; but just out-right excusing previous injuries, surgeries, etc as a possible contributing factor to safety/soundness is part of the problem within the industry. Just because a horse jogs sounds and passes a exterior vet exam doesn’t mean he doesn’t have an underlying condition that may be a ticking time bomb.

If a condylar fracture or tendon injury in the hunter/jumper or Eventing world would cause people in that part of the industry to refrain from jumping said horse again and/or drastically reducing what the horse does jump; why does the racing industry continue to think it is acceptable to send such a horse back out on the track to gallop everyday and subsequently race. Again, I am not saying that no horse is capable of doing it. But the inherent risk of a catastrophic breakdown rises. This isn’t the 1970’s anymore and if the racing industry wants to survive in the modern world where animal rights activists are gaining power politically and in community minds; any breakdown is further degrading the sport.

If trainers within the industry are stepping up and agreeing that more needs to be done; then why isn’t it being done?

I am in agreeance on the medication discussion as well, IE: Omeprazole.

[snaffle1987]

putting the thread back on topic; I am a HUGE fan of Nutella Fella. What a ride by Alvarado as well. Cool little horse. Very gutsy to make such a move after such a blistering pace.

[mroades]

I watched this race! Little dude was even left at the gate. The talking heads were so dismissive of him, and at 54-1 so was the betting public.
They did run a segment by NYRA at the end of the broadcast about throwing money at research to reduce the frequency and number of catastrophic breakdowns.

[Maythehorsebewithme]

How small is Nutella Fella? I did not watch the race live, just the replay. He did run well and bravely.

I think an awful name. Yeah, I get it is a play on his dam’s and damsire’s name. But I think awful.

[findeight]

Dunno, hard to get a name approved…Run Happy out of a Candy Ride mare, 12k yearling. Who knew he’d get a call in a major stakes race…is he short? Didn’t see him next to anybody.

Linda Rice. You go girl. Tying for leading trainer at Saratoga ( on top of 3 other LT titles this year) thanks to a knack for picking claimers. Not like the sheiks are dropping their sale topping yearlings at her barn. She said she looks for lightly raced, well bred, well conformed that she thinks she can turn around.

On the breakdowns, its hard to research when there no central, accessible database or requirement to record training injuries or for ownership groups/trainers to report all off track accdents, surgeries, diagnostics and results. The Jockey Club does NOT keep track of such things even on the track. They are a breed registry and verify ID. They don’t even keep track of ownership if they are not breeding or on the track, you just sign the back of the papers. No fee. No send it in to change ownership.

And cosmetic surgeries to enhance TB sale prospects? Oh, say it ain’t so. Goes on in most, if not all breeds. Has for as long as I have been in horses…like 50+years. Anybody remember the B. Bros. in the Arabians? Think it was something removed in the neck/throatlatch. That was 40-50 years ago. They eventually went to jail but screwed a ton of people in the interim. Heard rumors in any breed I was ever associated with. Nothing new.

[Cassi1125]

@mroades

They did run a segment by NYRA at the end of the broadcast about throwing money at research to reduce the frequency and number of catastrophic breakdowns.

I saw that PSA, which seemed to focus primarily on track footing, and then thought about the opinion piece that has recently floated around Facebook regarding TB breeding and a particular stallion that nearly all of the recent horses who broke down trace back to. Since I participate in breed shows, and have seen the over use of certain sire lines and how the horses have changed over the years - not necessarily for the better - IMHO, if breeders are not willing to take a deep dive into the lines that are producing the infirmities that are resulting in the breakdowns at racecourses, then not much will occur to change the outcomes. (And, yes, I agree that my breed of choice needs to clean house, too. However, I am not a breeder, but for the horses I buy, I prefer that both sides either are performance horses or have produced performance horses.)

[Cassi1125]

[quote=“findeight, post:75, topic:787911, full:true”]
Anybody remember the B. Bros. in the Arabians? Think it was something removed in the neck/throatlatch. That was 40-50 years ago. They eventually went to jail but screwed a ton of people in the interim.[/quote]

From what I recall, the lawsuit nearly bankrupted AHA and while one of the brothers was suspended for a period of time, I do not recall that anyone went to jail. (Nothing that was done was illegal, per se, tho perhaps unethical. The reason given was a “breathing problem”. Kind of like when another horse had a parrot mouth corrected. The line will still produce the irregularities (thick throatlatch, parrot mouth), so buyers should do their research.)

[findeight]

Oh, at least one of them went to jail but it was for numerous fraudulent practices including altering appearance. Had an acquaintance who was a plaintiff in that action but it took until around 2001 to find them and file the suit.

On the IM breakdown statistics…where is the information on breakdowns by specific sires archived? And what are they defining as “ breakdown” ? Injuries resulting in death or all soft tissue injuries?

Quick check, no idea how many total foals stood and nursed but never raced ( most recent statistics suggest 35-40 % never make it to the track ). To date with 10 crops, IM has had 2,454 runners, 1,273 winners of 28,106,000 total purse money.

Hard for me to get my mind around these numbers, when I started, 60 was a full book. Now its, like, 200. Natural cover only. Numbers, even verified with trusted sources, can be decieving. Again, where can we see these statistics by sire?

[Cassi1125]

@findeight

Oh, at least one of them went to jail but it was for numerous fraudulent practices including altering appearance. Had an acquaintance who was a plaintiff in that action but it took until around 2001 to find them and file the suit.

That doesn’t make sense. The bulk of the matter was over with by the time Mike Brown “left” IAHA some time in late 2000.

[findeight]

Possibly some civil litigation continued or possibly it was in the late 90s not 2001. Almost 30 years ago, do recall case had both criminal and civil elements.