ALEX BROWN: DON’T MAKE QUALITY ROAD A POSTER CHILD
Much has been written and said about the incident at the starting gate before the Breeders’ Cup Classic involving Quality Road, who was eventually scratched from the race after he refused to load. Alex Brown, an exercise rider for trainer Steve Asmussen, publisher of the Alex Brown Racing website, and a leader of the anti-slaughter movement, offers his opinion on the subject. – Ray Paulick
By Alex Brown
For animal rights activists this year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic was not about the grace and brilliance of Zenyatta. It was about the “animal abuse” targeted at Quality Road by the gate crew, and the platform that abuse provides to support an anti-racing agenda.
I have read Internet articles, and have been forwarded e-mails targeted to news reporters, that include rhetoric that is deliberately inflammatory and without substance. Some of this discussion is posted here.
The rhetoric includes the idea that the gate crew is vindictive. What? That the gate crew favored hometown Zenyatta at a cost to others. Does this really deserve a response? I have read speculation that Quality Road was struck with a buggy whip after he was blindfolded. I would think that those who appear so excited about this opportunity to highlight our sport in such poor graces would at least confirm whether or not Quality Road was indeed struck with a buggy whip after being blindfolded. And finally I read in an e-mail about the number of horses that have died at the hands of gate crews. Really, how many?
The reality is that much of this rumor and speculation comes from people who know little about our horses and horse racing. And their target audiences, who are similarly less knowledgable about our sport, are easily convinced. If two people say it on the Internet, it must be true.
I have worked with many gate crews in North America, from Houston in Texas to Toronto in Ontario. Working for trainer Steve Asmussen, we bring each horse to the gate for schooling each week. I see the gate crew work a lot. The gate crew’s job is tough and not without risks. I have not always agreed with the decisions they have made with horses I am riding that are reluctant to load. But their decisions are always made with their best intentions. Those working on gate crews do, for the most part, have a “machismo” type of attitude. But they are putting themselves in risky situations on a frequent basis.
So I am a little aggrieved that the only thing animal rights people want us to remember about Zenyatta’s terrific performance is the near tragic circumstances that conspired before the race. And these same animal rights people are on my team. We are all arguing for the end of horse slaughter. We believe it is inhumane and unnecessary. But if you are a horseman who should you believe? The pro-slaughter argument that horse slaughter is humane and is necessary or the anti-slaughter argument that it is inhumane and unnecessary. This latter argument is delivered by the same people who are willing to use speculation and inflamed rhetoric to damage our sport.
And for anyone interested in the reality of the Quality Road situation, here it is. Ugly, yes. But let’s stop the speculation and inflamed rhetoric and if there is something to learn from this situation then let’s learn. And let’s hope we see Quality Road back at the races to show us how brilliant he too can be.
Finally, thanks are due to the guy on the gate crew who managed to catch hold of Quality Road as he came out of the gate, blindfolded. Without his quick thinking I shudder to think what might have happened.
Tags: alex brown, Alex Brown Racing, breeders' cup classic, buggy whip, Paulick Report, Quality Road, Ray Paulick, steve asmussen, zenyatta
November 17th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Beautifully stated, Alex. I , too, have read speculation about a “vindictive” gate crew, and could not believe someone actually would buy into something like that. I also agree with your assessment that the hero of the hour indeed was the gate crew member who grabbed onto a frantic Quality Road, and held on for dear life. Let’s hope the gate “reschooling” at Belmont is successful, and allows us to see this wonderful horse race again soon.
November 17th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
You gave this non-story more legs than it had on its own.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
As a ten-year veteran of working on the starting gate during my younger years, I could not agree with you more Alex. The caution taken for Quality Road’s safety was obvious from the moment he first hesitated, throughout the incident and until the horse was scratched and passed into the care of the track veterinarian.
The trajedy comes in the form of the fundamentalists arguement that distorts this incident and then compromises the efforts of those like you, who truly care for these animals.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
This is one of the industry’s great fears about getting into bed with the animal rights folks, Alex. Yes, we all agree that slaughter is abhorrent. But if their agenda is ultimately the end of Thoroughbred racing by the same tactics of distortion and hysteria exhibited here and in their successful attacks on greyhound racing, do we really want to work with them?
There are clearly PR benefits to bringing them under the tent but it’s a difficult situation at best.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
I was there and it made the whole crowd sick and nervous for many reasons–mainly no one wanted a horse OR a human hurt–we do tend to forget the humans could very easily get hurt in that situation. Quality Road acted up and kicked out at gate at Saratoga and i think the main difference was it was not a race that near 60,000 were vocal in anticipation and there was no helicopter overhead. I continue to believe those horses were keenly aware of the energy in the place and when a normally docile Gio Ponti acts up a bit or Girolamo nearly wipes out some in walking ring and Zenyatta won’t go in the gate easily (twice) which had never happened before, to me it proves it. I am sure in review the gate crew will find something that could have been done better but he was not hit with a whip and like you I want to thank both the guy in the gate that hung on and the one in front of the gate that grabbed the lead until someone could get the blindfold off. But the animal rights people are way out of line as are the ones trying to portray it yet again as the West lacking in something. BTW–Nite Light also acted up for Pletcher earlier in the day–that had a scary moment or two as well.
November 17th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
I heard a rumor that the BC racing dept was taking the whole Santa Anita gate crew out to a fancy dinner in LA as a special thank you for their good work. If so, that’s a nice gesture.
November 17th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
A question - Since the introduction of the starting gate some 60-70 years ago it was a general practice throughout that period to back a fractious horse into the gate through the open front doors. Why was that practice not used here ?
Does the BC have a racing dept ?
November 17th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
Quality Rd. has a history of gate issues. He was schooled daily before his arrival at Santa Anita. He was not schooled after his arrival at the Breeders Cup site. Obviously, he should have been.
November 17th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
“Finally, thanks are due to the guy on the gate crew who managed to catch hold of Quality Road as he came out of the gate, blindfolded. Without his quick thinking I shudder to think what might have happened.”
I wish there was more coverage about this gentleman and what he did - which was to single-handedly save not only Quality Road but thoroughbred racing.
Had Quality Road gotten loose and crashed into a rail or a wall, there would have been hell to pay - there would have been no way to explain it away, not during the championship race of the year.
I’m sure this man was stationed at the front of the gate for exactly what he did - to catch and hold a blindfolded horse running in a panic.
This man deserves LOTS of accolades - I wish I knew his name so I could send him some.
November 17th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Thank you very much for your very informative article on the Quality Road situation. I too was horrified when I saw this beautiful boy so upset. I wanted him scratched even before he broke through the gate. But I am very grateful that the gate crew handled the situation as professional as they did. I can’t think what would have happened if this crew would not have done their jobs so well. QR is claustrophobic - that’s obvious - so am I. And when you go into a panic, you don’t know what you’re doing. You’re absolutely psycho. So a panicked giant like QR .. well you saw what happened. But to go after the people that work with these horses everyday putting their lives in danger? How does that make any sense? Let’s just hope that this incredible athlete can come back and show what he can do because he is really something.
November 17th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Considering everything that race horses are put through, it is stunning how well most of them deal with life at the track, training and racing without going postal.
November 17th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
Please don’t put all “animal rights” people in the same arena, we’re not all out to end horse racing. I consider myself an “animal advocate” and work towards laws to end atrocities, yes some are related to horse racing, I’m sure you would all agree that some things need to change for horse racing to survive. Today’s economy also has something to do with the decline. Being an animal advocate and horsewoman of 50 years, 25 years as a farrier, I knew that the gate men were’nt out of line when they did their job. So please know there are some of us out here with some horse savy but that we are still for laws to stop animal abuse committed when money is involved.
November 18th, 2009 at 9:22 am
Very big horse in a very tight space. Not a good combination.
November 18th, 2009 at 10:02 am
ANimal rights people should stay out! HOWEVER, I would like to state that the jockey told the gate crew to just open the front…he will pause and walk into the gate. When the gate crew decided to blindfold and crack the whip instead of doing what the jockey requested…thats where it went wrong. Come on HORSEPEOPLE…..who better than the person that ACTUALLY knows the horse?!?
ALso, my suggestion is that they have an “all-star” gate crew to be the ones at the BC. The trainers and jocks should get a vote at each meet and, as a reward, the special “all-star” gate crew gets rewarded by being the crew for the BC each year! Kind of like they give “the best groomed” award to grooms on special days at the track. Just my suggestion!
November 18th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
I didn’t realize how close they were to disaster until I watched this again. The fella just grabbed QR’s reigns in the nick of time. Shudders. I agree he deserves much recognition.
November 18th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
I’ve read many of the comments and rewatched the incident and I’m glad Alex has mentioned how dangerous the gate crews job is. People mention the use of the buggy whip and yet don’t understand that the whip when used as the tool that it is, an extension of a persons arm, can be very effective when used properly. I didn’t see any abuse of the whip, I saw a gate crew, under a lot of pressure to load one of the favorites in a multi-million dollar race, putting there lives at risk, as this horse tried to kick their heads in, while they were trying to do their job. Yes the animal’s safety is important, but the crew’s safety is more important. The buggy whip allows a person to keep a safe distance while still encouraging the horse to move forward. The blindfold can be an effective tool too. I’ve seen it work on many horses. Opening the front gates is not always a safe option, a keyed up horse may go forward but then run right through the front of the gate, over top of the person that has to try and close the gate once the horse is in, and subsequently the horse could get loose. Making the decision to scratch a horse becasue it won’t load is a tough one, if they hadn’t tried the blindfold the crew might have then been accused of not doing enough to try and load the horse, would they then have been favoring one horse over another? There are no easy answers to this problem and hindsight is 20/20. I think the gate crew tried to do the right thing, and unfortunately it didn’t work. Luckily nobody was seriously injured.
November 18th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
@Stacy: A top jockey isn’t necessarily very familiar with the horse they’re riding because they usually aren’t the workout riders of those specific horses.
Aside from whether it would be advisable to replace the every-day gate crew with a number of talented individuals who have never worked with each other before, it’s hardly practicable, and I doubt it would lead to a considerable increase in quality. Gate crews in North American racing are generally very capable and fully professional (watch a European provincial track amateur crew load up a field of 12 and you’ll be able to appreciate the difference).
November 18th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Well done, Alex.
Well stated, as usual, with a fair and wizened perspective.
I too look forward to Quality Road’s return to the races with a strong mind and the brilliant talent that he is!
November 18th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
This from the guy who’s site slaughters owners and trainers daily. FOB whackos united, bad mouthing anyone who races an older horse or doesn’t play by their approved rules. Clean out your own house first.
November 18th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
Alex I went and rewatched this video. Granted it was horrible to watch. And scary to this day if one stops to think about what could have happened had that gateman not grabbed QR. As Jerry Bailey was saying something about needing to back him out–QR was bucking like crazy. Geez how scary for everyone. I know from the main site that this happened before (an outrider said this) but I just never had seen something quite so dramatic.
That isn’t a reason to stop horse racing or say shame on these people. The people at the gate did the best they could in a time intense moment.
What’s important now is the horse. He is with a starter that knows natural horsemanship and will take the time to really listen to QR. I hope that they can get this horse back to the track so he can prove he truly great he is.