Comments on: BREEDERS’ CUP OR BUST: OUR KIND OF TOWN, CHICAGO IS

By: Jim Carfagno

Jim Carfagno — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 07:20:03 +0000

Joe, while I agree with the points you have made it should be noted that a horse breaking down was NOT the cause for either Michael Straights or René Douglas’s accidents. In both cases horses clipping heels or interference caused the accidents. This of course does not diminish your comments. However, the way in which you made those comments infers that these horses were not sound and broke down.

Ray, youre doing a great job! Keep up the great work.

By: D. Masters

D. Masters — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:22:35 +0000

Joe:

I forgot to add, you make very important, legitimate points. Thank you.

By: D. Masters

D. Masters — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:19:30 +0000

WOW, Joe…but an interesting perspective. Question: How can those questions be asked of just one variable in the race day equation? Next question: Shouldn’t you be asking the same question of the vets, owners, trainers that allow this? Forget the horses, they ain’t talking (until they breakdown or are slaughtered). How about the myriad of industry regulators? I realize the answer will be that none of the latter actually gets ON the horse in the race. But seriously, jockeys don’t have ANY power except in the race, around the turns. It’s really an unfair question to me. Yes, I understand that collectively they could shut down the industry. How you going to get that from guys/gals that are scratching every morning for mounts….no ridee, not eatee. And don’t alot of these jocks come from places outside of the US? That’s a big load to dump on jocks. Th Guild is coming out of bankruptcy with tons of issues still remaining, aren’t they? And those issues, like others always come back to NO CENTRAL GOVERNING AUTHORITY WITH NATIONAL POLICY, REGULATORY AND ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY.

I don’t think they are NOT choosing life; I think they are choosing to make a living. And frankly, it doesn’t appear that any other Paulick reader’s have a thought about your proposition…but it’s interesting, none the less.

By: Joe

Joe — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:11:40 +0000

Ray and Brad, you are real trailblazers. Those interviews are raw and revealing. Thank you for sharing your journey with us and your charitable work.

from The New York Times:
Horse Trainer Barred for Drug Violation

By JOE DRAPE
Published: October 29, 2009

“The aggressive punishment of Mullins in New York comes at a time when horse racing is under intense scrutiny for its use of illegal drugs, overuse of legal medications and lax oversight, all of which many veterinarians believe are part of the reason the United States has the world’s worst mortality rate for thoroughbreds. ”

Ray:

The racing industry excels with avoiding crucial issues. For example, it chooses to install synthetic surfaces and develop instruments to measure hoof impact rather than tackle the most obvious and effective accident prevention tool readily available to save the lives of horses and their riders: ban the training and racing of infirm horses on drugs, ban chronic, shameless abusers and morally bankrupt owners and trainers who are willing to endanger human and animal lives for money.

Yet, with limbs and lives hanging in the balance, jockeys fail to protect themselves from those who conceal pain, injuries, assorted equine health issues and boost performance with chemicals, who shamelessly drop lame horses in claiming races and endanger riders and horses.

Jockeys should demand transparency about the physical condition of their mounts in order to protect themselves by forcing life-saving reforms.

I would appreciate your asking jockeys why they are so unwilling to collectively demand transparency about the physical condition of their mounts in order to prevent most accidents? Is it because they rather risk their lives than loose mounts?

Racing will shrink no matter what, so why aren’t jockeys choosing life? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, especially when riders become paralyzed and there is no cure.

By: Jim Miller

Jim Miller — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:16:29 +0000

Ray and Brad,

I would just like to thank both you and Brad for your visit to Hawthorne yesterday. It really means a lot to our staff, but especially the riding colony in Chicago for what you are doing. All of our participants in this sport make this industry as great as it is and we wish you the best of luck for the remainder of your journey.

Safe Travels,
Jim

By: Kate Lantaff

Kate Lantaff — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:53:19 +0000

Ray and Brad,
Hawthorne is a great track with a tremendously big hearted management and staff. We had a small piece of Team Valor’s Fairbanks and were there last year for his Hawthorne Gold Cup win. Hawthorne treated us royally, with wonderful seats, a very good buffet lunch and even some Hawthorne hats. It made the five and a half hour drive up from Lexington well worth the bouncing eyeballs.
This is and will be a terrific series of stories over the next week–a kind of “Canterbury Tales” for horsemen. Have a safe journey to Remington (a track I”ve not visited yet) and keep the reports coming from “distant shores well known in sundry lands”.

By: Rob Whiteley

Rob Whiteley — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:45:26 +0000

Ray and Brad ….. thanks for all you are doing and thanks for the extra effort to produce and transmit the videos which put a human face on this important cause. I tried never to miss an episode of Charles Kuralt’s “On The Road,” and look forward to each installment of your jockey and horse related counterpart as you travel down this special road. Safe travels and keep it coming!