PETA JUMPS THE SHARK ON RACHEL V. ZENYATTA
Today, the Paulick Report received a puzzling email from PETA claiming that the upcoming Apple Blossom featuring Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta would be a ‘grueling match race’. They went on to compare the April 9th race to the infamous breakdowns of Ruffian and Go For Wand.
It appears that someone needs a dictionary or at least a cursory knowledge of what a match race actually is. Of course, the Apple Blossom will have a much larger field than the two super fillies and not once was the idea of a match race even discussed. It makes one think of the Happy Days episode when The Fonz jumped a shark, causing the hit show to lose credibility overnight. On second thought, that’s implying that PETA had any credibility to lose.
This morning, PETA fired off letters to Jerry Moss and Jess Jackson imploring them not to enter their fillies—Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra, respectively—in what is essentially a grueling "match race" scheduled for April 9 during the Apple Blossom Invitational at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark. In the letters, PETA points out that in an industry that causes the deaths of more than 1,000 thoroughbreds on the tracks every year, match races and other extreme duels have proved to be particularly deadly for famous fillies, including Ruffian and Go For Wand, who were both fatally injured on the track.
"Forcing horses to race to the point at which their bodies can’t handle the stress is cruel enough, but pitting Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra against each other in a race that could easily claim one—or even both—of their lives takes that cruelty to new heights," says PETA Vice President Kathy Guillermo. "These two fillies have bestowed enough fame and prestige on their owners to last a lifetime, and their ‘reward’ shouldn’t be to have to run the toughest race of their lives."
PETA’s letter to Jerry Moss follows. PETA’s similar letter to Jess Jackson is available upon request.
Dear Mr. Moss,
I am writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and our 2 million members and supporters to urge you not to enter Zenyatta in the Apple Blossom Invitational. This race is being touted as a duel between Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra. History shows that these types of match races are dangerous to fillies. As I’m sure you remember, Ruffian suffered a catastrophic breakdown in her match race with Foolish Pleasure and was euthanized. Go For Wand, in a race that was essentially a match race with Hall of Fame filly Bayakoa, fractured her leg at the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. The tragic deaths of these great fillies in front of national audiences sent shockwaves throughout the industry and the country.
Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra have already secured their places in racing history as champion fillies. They have nothing to prove. Pitting these competitive fillies against each other would be risking their lives just for spectacle. Why jeopardize their safety by forcing them into the toughest race of their careers, pushing them to their limits and beyond? And the risks are compounded by the fact that the race is scheduled in April—too early in the season to subject these fillies to such intense physical demands.
More than 1,000 thoroughbred horses break down and are subsequently euthanized on tracks in the U.S. every year. May I have your assurance that you won’t risk adding Zenyatta to this statistic?
Sincerely,
Kathy Guillermo
Vice President
Tags: Apple Blossom, Fonz, Go for Wand, Happy Days, jerry moss, jess jackson, jumping the shark, Kathy Guillermo, Paulick Report, Rachel Alexandra, ruffian, zenyatta
February 18th, 2010 at 1:14 pm
PETA should concentrate on the bottom level claiming races, drugs and thugs, horses racing injured and being shipped to slaughter. That said, I hope for a safe surface at Oaklawn and the limited use of the whip, in particular on Rachel based on previous races.
February 18th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
P ersons who need
E ducated on
T houroughbred Racing in
A merica
February 18th, 2010 at 1:35 pm
The entire PETA organization is filled with hypocrites the link below details how they “put down” 21,339 adoptable dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens instead of finding homes for them.
http://petakillsanimals.com/
February 18th, 2010 at 1:43 pm
If PETA’s so concerned, why doesn’t this merit a single mention on their home page? I agree with Joe-the upper levels aren’t where the problems are.
February 18th, 2010 at 1:44 pm
PETA… a tax excempt scam which sucks donations out of the gullible and vulnerable…
February 18th, 2010 at 1:46 pm
PETA never claimed it was a “match race”. They said “in what is essentially a grueling match race.” This is accurate. Go for Wand vs. Bayakoa similarly wasn’t technically a “match race” but essentially was a match race between two heavily favored future Hall of Famers. The horse racing industry won’t be able to survive another Ruffian or Go for Wand type of breakdown.
February 18th, 2010 at 1:58 pm
Joe,
So let me get this right. You are saying there is a difference of claiming races and stake races? If you for a second think that those horses are not injected to run given everything possibly legal to compete, you are seriously mistaken. As for the thugs, like trainers who have multiple violations? (Rachel’s trainer?) How about PEATA just leave racing alone all together and go and hug some trees with their hairy arm pits. Actually everyone here needs just leave this alone and they will go away. They are only using this for free advertising. They look for opportunities like this to get their name in the news. We need to ignore them and their attention getting ways.
February 18th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
Racing fans and individuals concerned about the welfare of our athletes:
(1) If the email is verifiable PETA speak, they have made a big (but not inconsistent based on animal ownership) mistake. (I have no doubt that this is verifiable if it’s on PR)
(2) PETA does make some reasonable points, but their message always gets lost in their aggressive activism AND the idea that humans shouldn’t own animals in any form (that precept skips reality and the nature of humans).
(3) PR said it..if it happens, it’s not a match race.
(4) When PETA puts crap like this out, they figuratively, literally and essentially diminsh the work of animal welfare (note, not rights) advocates trying to get the simple things right, legislated and enforced.
There are many things beautiful, spectacular in life that a human can witness….watching two perfect (or more) run a race with the beauty, power and grace that they deliver is one of the best.
PETA, you are dead wrong on this….stick to banning fur or monkeys in labs. You will be better off. Somehow, I’m not sure you ever will be because you become the issue, not the animals. Wisely choose your battles if your mantra allows.
February 18th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
Bradford Cummings doesn’t seem to understand the concept of “jumping the shark”. Happy Days needed to do some ridiculous stunt to boost sagging ratings. This Rachel/ Zenyatta spectacle is the thing that is jumping the shark here to try to rescue a dying sport.
February 18th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
Ephraim:
But PETA doesn’t believe in any animal ownership. I don’t believe that is reasonable.
Battle for humane treatment and enforcement till Nervana arrives.
February 18th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
Phillip:
Incorrect. Technically RA and Z are not retired and are pursuing an older horse campaign.
Granted, the industry doesn’t get these “match ups” as much as they used to, but many of the true fans respect and love these horses (even the ones that show up on the card). It is history. They are rare and deserve respect. I trust that the connections will do everything right to assure that specifically these two mares are treated responsibly.
Now, pitch a bitch to the other trolls in the industry that don’t treat their athletes with respect…Moss/Jackson will.
February 18th, 2010 at 2:20 pm
PETA are a bunch of pathetic attention seekers. Ignore them and they’ll eventually go away.
February 18th, 2010 at 2:43 pm
Give PETA Mike Gill’s phone number and home address.
February 18th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Does it count as a “grueling match race” when the two principal combatants don’t even get close enough together to see one another until the last few strides of the race? Given the disparate running styles of Rachel and Zenyatta, that’s what seems likely to happen.
February 18th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
It is all about perception. I know a few PETA members and they are generally well-meaning kind people, but not very knowledgeable about large animals or the sport of racing. Rather than making fun of them or insulting them, people in racing should take the time to assuage animal activists’ legitimate concern for animal welfare. Afterall, many of us in racing do genuinely care about our horses and the public needs to know this. Unfortunately, hyperbole on both sides gets in the way.
February 18th, 2010 at 3:08 pm
if it weren’t for the sport of thoroughbred racing there would not be 50,000 of these well kept and pedigreed horses in North America. This indeed would threaten PETA’s existence and would silence the song of many of these underachievers.
February 18th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
To Bob Hope:
Re: “if it weren’t for the sport of thoroughbred racing there would not be 50,000 of these well kept and pedigreed horses in North America.”
If it weren’t for the sport of horse racing overbreeding throughbreds, there wouldn’t be 12,000 thoroughbreds shipped to slaughter in Mexico and Canada every year.
February 18th, 2010 at 3:19 pm
I’m trying to find something in the letter I disagree with.
February 18th, 2010 at 3:22 pm
Take care of the horse and that will take of the INDUSTRY….if….
The days of short term flip-flop ownership, 2-4 year old racing focus (speed, schlock trainers, bottom level tracks…save for gambling on it), horse slaughter, drugs, lack of unformity of standards without ANY enforcement, too much race betting take-out is KILLING this sport. Did I forget to mention “CLAIMERS”?!?! Garbage!
People that know and love (Gill doesn’t count) racing, do the best. But let’s be honest. This is an industry that chews up and spits out lame, dead horses between 18 months to 6 years at enormious amounts. Scientific note to industry, these athletes live til 30 with decent care…where in the HELL is your plan.?????
PETA gets some things right. What they get wrong is crap like this and the premise that humans have no right to control animals…they muddy the true debate.
Mr. and Mrs. Moss and Mr. Jackson: They do not speak for me. Please continue your involvement in the race industry (not like you’re going to stop with this letter…what a waste of time).
February 18th, 2010 at 3:34 pm
Who is this PETER fella, and why is he so concerned about March races? Why, some of the best racing is in March.! Without March racing, there would be no Florida Derby. Or Dubai World Cup! What do we do with the Santa Anita Handicap? Move it to May? It’s just silly I have to… oh. What? What’s that? oh. oh i see.
Nevermind.
February 18th, 2010 at 3:34 pm
this is why we have problems ending horse slaughter. with the involvement of organizations like PETA, horsemen are very wary to join the cause. they see PETAs misguided rhetoric targeted at our sport and make the rational assumption that their anti slaughter rhetoric is similarly misguided.
February 18th, 2010 at 3:50 pm
Why even give PETA a forum here?! People are making death theats to a figure skater in PETA’s name. Can one really take anything they say seriously after they chatised Obama for killing a fly.
After PETA threatened Larry Jones & Gabriel Saez & tried to drag them through the mud, I quit tolerating what I thought were just “animal lovers gone awry.” These aren’t animal lovers; they are people haters. They would rather ambush and threaten than to spend the millions they receive to help decrease unwanted animals through a spay & neuter program or to help bring assistance to the horse slaughter issue, or to help the rescues.
PETA is all about stunts & p.r. & does little to actual help animals. Don’t give their extremism any more p.r.
February 18th, 2010 at 3:53 pm
These people are no good, not just in America.
February 18th, 2010 at 4:07 pm
Phillip and Bob Hope:
False premise….if breeders of TBs (and all equines for that matter) committed to their life long responsibilities, instead of saying “crap happens”, ain’t mine (but was, might have been once) and I ain’t got the bucks to plan or pay for a humane euth (and protrolls, that doesn’t include HCH slaughter) , we wouldn’t even have these kind of discussions.
Get back to facts: (1) PETA has some good points; and , (2) they don’t here, plus flame the welfare message and (3) bottom line is they believe that no human has any right to animal ownership…well, I guess that horse is out of the barn!
I have very little problem with people euth’ing healthy animals…we in the US do it all the time with dogs and cats. I draw the line at this kind of hell for spectaclar animals that become inconvenient in an industry.
PETA is not living in the real world and not helping solve real world problems.
February 18th, 2010 at 5:10 pm
To the attorney poster:
Horse racing uses PETA as an excuse to discount all animal advocates as being ignorant, unjustified if not total wackos and to continue exploiting horses to death on and off track in complete secrecy, without accountability, shame and a solid, uniform abuse and accident prevention system. Why? Because integrity is expensive (though it would be a darn good investment and lifesaver for the industry) and the welfare of horses would lower revenues initially.
snow goose Says:
“Joe,
“So let me get this right. You are saying there is a difference of claiming races and stake races? If you for a second think that those horses are not injected to run given everything possibly legal to compete, you are seriously mistaken. ”
Racing incidents rise as claiming levels drop. Bottom level horses are being raced into the ground, especially at racinos going after dangerously big and undeserved purses instead of directing $$ to promote quality and safer racing. If PETA wants to bark at a tree and become real useful, it should begin with these horses that nobody knows, watches and too few care about. PETA should begin with concentrating on stakes winners and six figure earners racing for $10,000 claiming and below.
Good and bad horses are injected, abused and raced lame or their connections are trying to: Lava Man, Thorn Song, The Pamplemousse, etc.
Horses are abused in top and bottom races and when toast are given or sold to slaughter. The code of silence protects and spreads evil.
Horses are not protected at any level as long as people are trying to make money off them, be three figures to slaughter or seven figures at stud. There is no adequate safety net to protect racing horses from drugs and thugs though some protection exists for horses with breeding value and without mortality insurance and for the lucky ones owned by compassionate and classy people.
February 18th, 2010 at 5:25 pm
Most of PETA’s 2 million supporters have pets they object to the word ‘own”. Kinda like the Ameircan Indians thought “owning” land was incomprehensible. I’m not a fan of everything PETA does that is for sure but when you have an industry that can’t make it without slots don’t think PETA can’t make things very difficult for you especailly if one of these fillies gets hurt or God forbid dies. Don’t underestimate them because you will regret it.
February 18th, 2010 at 5:39 pm
I loved the Happy Days episode where The Fonz jumped the shark. Let’s start a discussion on that instead of recognizing PETA’s insanity. O.k. I’ll start: If memory serves, didn’t he also have the leather boots on with the leather jacket. Ooops now PETA will boycott TVland reruns of Happy Days. Sorry. What about the one where he jumped some cars on his bike and landed in a stand selling fried chicken. Or the demolition derby when the Mallachi Brothers put the Mollachi crunch on Fonz’s car while Pinky Tuscadero was standing on the hood.
February 18th, 2010 at 5:45 pm
Where was PETA when Michael Gill was making headlines? The problem, one of many, I have with PETA is their overzealous and irrational soapbox. After Eight Belles, instead of focusing on the questionable record of Dutrow, they drove a good man out of the sport.
Some good messages that get lost in their radical behavior.
February 18th, 2010 at 5:48 pm
Phillip: minor point, but Bradford Cummings does apply the correct use of the term “jumping the shark.” See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumping_the_shark
Also agree with Ephraim that to state PETA is calling this a match race is also untrue, they are LIKENING it to a match race, a la Bayakoa and Go For Wand. Minor point, but let’s apply spin the same way PETA does.
To me, the bottom line is: racing, like any sport, carries risks. We just have to accept that. And then do EVERYTHING WE CAN to minimize risks: regulate drug use, punish violators uniformly and across states, remove slaughter as a viable means of disposing of horses.
But to oppose this race simply for the sake of the risks of running two superior racehorses is to oppose racing at its very core. Because this filly and mare are what it’s all about. If not, why bother with racing at all?
February 18th, 2010 at 5:49 pm
^should be “not apply spin the same way PETA does”
February 18th, 2010 at 5:50 pm
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/06/peta-says-no-more-flykilling-sends-obama-a-humane-fly-catcher-.html
February 18th, 2010 at 6:23 pm
PETA is a terrorist organization without a clue.
February 18th, 2010 at 6:25 pm
Mike not sure I’d go that far but maybe.
February 18th, 2010 at 6:33 pm
Emily, I love you!
February 18th, 2010 at 6:54 pm
i am all out of spin today
February 18th, 2010 at 6:59 pm
ktq: If you are talking about Jones…he wasn’t run out by PETA. He left because of personal choices and ( I suspect) the industry.
Look folks, this biz has gotten more than smarmy…we stink.
That vast majority of Americans don’t give a rotten apple’s *** about racing (not good) and the track owners/internet is in disarray (well, not technically..these cruds skim their profit), states sucking off the most fruitful, lying teat for gaming rights baptisim, loss of open space, banging any responsible business never seems to be counter productive. But by god (please note little g) the powers in NY, MD, KY, et al have found a way.
Why in the hell is PETA a discussion (unless we certainly may have some issues) point and in the end, they have never been involved since inception when they came up with the no ownership agenda.
February 18th, 2010 at 7:15 pm
Fonzie’s former “gang” was the Falcons. More for PETA to protest.
February 18th, 2010 at 8:14 pm
I sure miss Cock fighting.
February 18th, 2010 at 8:50 pm
ReIntorduce them to Hell’s Angle’s
February 18th, 2010 at 8:51 pm
Horse racing is just like PETA, both are after money and far from the truth.
One buries all the bodies or knows where they lay and hide them as best it can with layers of dirty secrecy about what is done to horses to make the most money off them and doesn’t want to know their fate once they become wounded and unwanted and leave the track. The other trolls for publicity on big days and with big horses to raise more money but has no clue where to start digging around the graveyard.
February 18th, 2010 at 9:55 pm
Just the mere fact that everyone get’s so “defensive” when PETA shows up says it all….Whether you like it or not they have clout and a very YOUNG demographic….You know what that means don’t you? This industry’s lack of true concern for the horse’s is what’s bringing it down, bit by bit (pardon the pun) and day by day. And PETA did come out on the Gill issue. They’re investigating the vets at Penn National and the the vets that he uses on the farm. I wish them well with their investigation. Not because I’m some radical freak, but because WHO ELSE IS GOING TO DO IT?????? The racing commission? The AAEP? the NTRA? the Jockey Club? Not even the local Humane Society would step up and do anything….Unfortunately, sometimes “radicals” are needed.
February 18th, 2010 at 10:01 pm
Lets hope all the horses from this high-profile race get out of it in one piece. The ones here making fun of PETA are probably the same ones who would race a former stakes winner in a $5000 claiming race until he was 15 years old. It happens. I love racing, but I also can’t see anything to disagree with in PETA’s letter to Moss. Zenyatta has nothing else to prove, but now she is back on the dangerous path to more fame she doesn’t need. It is all about the owners and seldom about the horses. What a shame. Like another person said, racing can’t afford another high-profile incident. I was satisfied dreaming of Zen and RA racing. In my mind RA would win up to 1 1/8 mile, but Zen would take the longer races. I guess dreaming wasn’t good enough for the two owners. And I’m sure the owners will tell you it isn’t about the $5 million Oaklawn is putting up.
February 18th, 2010 at 10:36 pm
Chuck Wagon,
You’re wrong. There is nothing wrong with running a physically fit and very talented racehorse against several other physically fit and very talented racehorses to find out which one is the fastest.
That’s what racing is supposed to be.
PETA doesn’t think that should happen.
That’s why people don’t trust PETA.
February 18th, 2010 at 11:38 pm
molly, you are making the unfounded assumption these horses are fit. you will notice that Rachel has gained considerable weight. She has just gone 1:01 in her :4th” breeze back with this increased weight. Something I’d avoid with a Fort Erie claimer. Same sort of idiocy that brought down Afleet Alex after the Belmont. Too heavy, too much speed too soon. Z will go in fit because of the connections. The trainer of R is a multiple rules offender pushing his horse. As the PETA letter implies–ya, let’s attack them instead of responding to the complaint–this is a event being done–for $$$. It is unknown to me why horse racing keeps putting itself into the position its in with these two horses. Instead of letting the season flow naturally, we must have a contrived race on a surface where neither horse trains, early in the year. The last time Moss had a horse there–see Mandella’s DVD–the horse came out with ankle chip, etc. etc.
February 18th, 2010 at 11:46 pm
Please
Excuse
The
Azzholes
Im for saving and caring for every living thing on earth, but they have got to understand that life goes on, and surviival of the fittest is what makes life go on. We are all animals in the food chain and even though some humans are very bad, anyone that puts animals above humans, in my mind, needs their head examined.
As far as the race goes, I don’t think it will take too much out of Zenyatta but it might take Rachel 6 weeks to recover no matter who wins.
I wonder what PETA would say about the horses 200 years ago? You know about all the hard work the horses had to do to build this country, and what about the the 4 mile races, three times a week?
PETA has only been in business since 1980, a speck of time in the life of this planet.
February 19th, 2010 at 6:10 am
The industry should be greatfull that Peta is as clueless as the public is indifferent. If the masses ever understand how the average racehorse is treated over its lifetime the sport will eventually be banned. Fortunately for the industry you can always count on the public to be indifferent.
February 19th, 2010 at 7:10 am
It happened in England with Fox hunting don’t think for one second it cannot happen here with horse racing. Rarely is any horse sport about the horse. Times are changin folks and if you ignore PETA and their power you might regret it. The indifference of the public can work on the side of PETA because there isn’t a whole lot of fan support for horse racing anymore. I hope horse racing can clean up its own mess before it’s to late.
February 19th, 2010 at 7:31 am
PETA need to be educated on this one. What they say is pure unadulterated crap !
February 19th, 2010 at 9:17 am
Unlike most “matches” because of their running styles, RA and Z will not likely duel. RA will run on or near the pace and Z will lag. Z will mount a bid turning for home. Depending on what RA has had to do to make the lead (which she generally has by the time they straighten) either she’ll gut it out for 1 1/2 furlongs (as she did in the Woodward) or Z will just sail on by like she did in the BC.
Because Ruffian broke down in a match, alot of people still think that match races ‘kill horses.” I see $10k claimers duking it out tooth and nail every day at AQU and GP and TBD and they generally come back to fight another day.
The quote that such a race is “likely to take one of their lives” is outrageous. That implies a 50% or better chance of a DEATH in the Apple Blossom. Yes, about 1000 TB’s die in racing settings annually but PETA has not bothered to inquire as to the number of horses that are loaded into gates every year. As a percentage, that 1,000 is not alot . (I am not trying to diminish those lossses, just pointing out that 1/2 the horses in racing don’t die every year. )
February 19th, 2010 at 9:33 am
I can tell you that from what I’ve witnessed first hand in fashion,Peta is a self absorbed ,publicity loving group of fake,phony & frauds that would put everyone on the unemployment line and destitute for swatting a fly if they could. Thankfully most people are too smart & think for themselves to be fooled by them.Just another case of their absurdity.
February 19th, 2010 at 9:46 am
Takes a lot of class to compare this Zenyatta - Rachel Alexandra match up and bring up Ruffian. They have no place in racing and these comments have no place in racing. These horses are treated like gold. They should just to stick to their campaign against fur and stop meddling in racing.
And like stated above—it’s not a match race people…
Thoroughbred racing dates back thousands of years—that’s what these tremendous creatures do—they are bred to do it.
I hate the fact they insinuate an accident could happen and send a letter to these two owners—who have been nothing short of great for the industry and the sport.
I
February 19th, 2010 at 9:53 am
LOL
February 19th, 2010 at 9:53 am
PETA has its place. I am supportive of their efforts in most cases. Sometimes they act as the un informed. Last winter my farm help called and said the County Sherriff was at my property waiting to see me. I drove out to the ranch and here stood Barney Fife with a complaint in hand. It seems our local PETA chapter was claiming my water barrels were completely frozen. I was amazed that I was being confronted by one bullet Barney and questioned how it was that anyone could see frozen barrels without actually trespassing on my property? (Complete with footprints in snow). As I stood there looking at my 20, fat, healthy, broodmare band I walked Barney over to three bright red heated automatic waterers that were brim full with pure, clean, tepid H2O and asked how do I file charges for trespassing? I decided to rise above this, but c’mon. These two elderly ladies had nothing better to do than “stake out” my farm. They were ignorant to the waterers and cost everyone time and effort. PETA has its place, just not my place.
February 19th, 2010 at 10:22 am
PETA mentions the breakdowns of Ruffian and Go For Wand. It’s ironic that both fatalities happened at Belmont Park, as did the the breakdown of Timely Writer in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. When Go For Wand broke down in the Breeders Cup Distaff (the fourth breakdown in two days) D. Wayne Lucas said, “what’s going on here?” Thoroughbred racing has a real problem and it just can’t hope the problem will go away along with the folks at PETA. Breakdowns in the front of a huge national audience like Eight Belles in the Kentucky Derby will cause the public to turn it’s back on racing and reinforce PETA’s complaints. Will Thoroughbred racing respond in a favorable way or will it continue to respond with “it’s part of the game”?
February 19th, 2010 at 10:49 am
Michelle #48 is right, it would be better if racing had the wit to conduct itself so as not to be so easily attacked upon welfare fronts. This race is irrelevant, just a convenient peg for PETA to swing from, but some of the arguments that they could make about this sport are not easy to refute.
Whip and medication issues need to be addressed and so does an industry wide plan for the ultimate disposal of racehorses in the most civilised possible manner possible.
I’ll guarantee that addressing any or all those subjects logically will cause uproar amongst various listers - respectively bettors, owners and trainers, and “rescue group” enthusiasts.
Which is why I decided not to try for Prime Minister!!
February 19th, 2010 at 11:00 am
PETA is all about grabbing headlines and nothing about truly helping animals. I’ve spent several years working with trainers and owners to help find homes for their ex-racers. Hundreds of horses have been rehomed through our efforts, including those who were hours away from getting on the meat man’s truck. We’ve asked PETA for help and not once have they come through or even acknowledged our pleas for help. They refused to help in publicing the atrocities at our local slaughter auction…apparently not enough headline potential there.
It is cruel and heartless for an organization that claims to care about animals to ignore those of us in the trenches who are truly trying to make a difference. Until I see just one PETA fanatic picket a slaughter auction or take an ex-racer home to a new life, they will continue to be hypocritical attention whores.
February 19th, 2010 at 11:42 am
In response to Mac #57.
What you are doing is urgent and important work but you also have to get to the source of the problem. Rescues and adoptions are not the answer. As long as the horseracing industry breeds 50,000 thoroughbreds a year, a thousand organizations like yours still won’t be able to keep up with all the horses the industry disposes of every year.
February 19th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
I hope that the track will be safe and Rachel not whipped more than a few times.
Even if horse racing just uses its “live product”, doesn’t want to prioritize the welfare and safety of its “inventory” and go beyond what is needed to win the most ego gratificiation and money, it should change how it treats its horses in order to survive. The industry must stop avoiding the terrible issues it has created. It must become decent toward its horses at tracks and farms and after they leave tracks and farms as undesirable, devaluated, wounded, spent, non-financially productive horses.
The industry is becoming more and more of a pariah stuck in the dark ages based on how it treats its horses and while, like in California, it is busy accusing racing surfaces, most injuries and deaths are man-made and aggravated by the choosen abuse of drugs and horses.
The industry is asking for trouble by refusing to confront its major issues then eliminating them. It needs to embrace modern values of our most respectable members in our society with regard to animal welfare.
February 19th, 2010 at 12:31 pm
The powers of horse racing have caused some of their own problems. Drug testing is not the same for all tracks and it should be. What one trainer can get away with at one track he/she can not at another. NY has it’s security barns where other tracks have limited security. Amazing how some trainers have a better race record at one track but not another. I have talked to several people in the business and this is why they run at other tracks. They are dodging drug bullets. The “clean” trainer can not keep up with the chemical warfare out there that the not so clean trainers are using. Horses are running sore. Some mask it with bute where legal, some mask it with injections which are legal. Some, years ago, I was told, use to cut the frogs out of their feet to make them run faster. There are some very inhuman things done to these precious animals. Owners who breed, sell even the ones who won them some nice purses, but instead of looking for farms for those that can breed or in many cases, rescue operations for their geldings, instead, drop them in low claiming races and then forget about them. I keep seeing some of these old geldings showing up on work tabs that I know are held together with screws. I don’t condone PETA ,(they also made an appearance at the Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday night which was uncalled for )but there is a problem in the racing industry that needs attention. It is not as rosey as some think. Some form of organization and consistency needs to be in place. Whether it be with the track surfaces or drugs. There is no leader who overseas racing. Trust me, PETA is just waiting for racing to stub its toe one more time.
February 19th, 2010 at 12:36 pm
Mac (57) - I do the same kind of work, so high-five!
PETA is not anyone’s friend though. The last thing we need, even as horse welfare advocates, if PETA getting involved pretty much at any level. I’m having a nightmare vision of all the horses at Charles Town being let out of their stalls in the middle of the night.
In any case, their goal is to end animal ownership by people. For animals to have the same “rights” as people. They are not really interested in welfare, they have a totally different agenda. As far as I’m concerned, the less they know about racing and horse ownership the better. After racing, it’s the rest of us who are their targets. All those people who “force” animals to live in stalls with blankets on, or who put “cruel” leather straps on their heads.
There’s a lot of work the industry needs to do (WHERE is that central/national governing agency? Wasn’t that the MAIN issue way back when we had those last congressional hearings? I was there and seem to recall almost every single person on the panels mentioning it as one of the biggest problems), but getting AR groups in on ANY of the issues (even the bad side of things) probably doesn’t help anybody.
February 19th, 2010 at 1:02 pm
there’s nobody that’s commented here that knows anything about PETA, including me. PETA is an animal rights organization. They appear from their website to be the sole animal rights organization that is proactive and aggressive in their mission. In this regard from what I am reading they have done a whole lot of good “for animals”. Veal calves are on the way to far better treatment solely due to the actions of PETA, by my understanding. I believe these sorts of organizations are the type horse racing better find a way to get along with.
The article by Bradford Cummings continues what seems to becoming a Paulick report tradition of vilifying the opposition. In the case of PETA doubtful that will work. They are relentless.
This sport needs forthwith to develop a policy to protect racing animals in televised events.
Animals should only be permitted to enter any TV race with mininmun established training standards and with all known pre-race diagnostics. If a horse then breaks down, it is in indeed bad luck. Otherwise a breakdown is just careless and negligent–see 8Belles, Barbaro, Pine Island, Mi Rey, Bonnie Blue Eyes, Thorn Song, War Pass, Dunkirk and Rags to Riches, to name some of the recent
HR has a publicity arm. Where is the NTRA?
February 19th, 2010 at 1:34 pm
First Jackson will never allow his filly to race Zenyatta and secondly, there is a great chance that if they raced one of these fillies will die trying.
February 19th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
Ratherrapid,
Your assessment of PETA is correct. They have done a lot of GOOD for animals. The problem with them is their public image. They do appear overly radical, but if anyone takes the time to look at their agenda (or website), it is not not as crazy as it’s opponents want you to believe. They are not against “ownership” of animals, they simply want RESPONSIBLE, HUMANE ownership of animals. That does not include factory farming, eloctrocution for fur bearing animals, veal crates, slaughter, etc.
Unfortunately, the mainstream “animal welfare” organizations do not do ENOUGH. Their lack of action makes it crucial for an org like PETA to exist. Every true reform for the BENEFIT of animals has been brought about by “radicals”. I do wish they were more informed, but the fact is this industry is not kind to the horse. PERIOD.
One small but important step this industry could make is the restriction of whipping. That is what turns most “animal lovers” away from watching racing. I myself can’t stand to see horse repeatedly beaten when it has no particular chance of winning or even placing. But that is exactly what takes place in each and every race! It’s sickening and unnecessary. This kind of abuse is not tolerated in Europe, so why is it here? WHY?
February 19th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
Ratherrapid the water just fell out of your assertion.
“molly, you are making the unfounded assumption these horses are fit.”
http://www.drf.com/news/article/110870.html
As I would expect of talk from someone who isn’t there and isn’t at all involved with the horse in question.
February 19th, 2010 at 2:20 pm
LCM were I an animal in a cage at a research lab i’d be a PETA fan. devoutly so.. “this industry is not kind to the horse. PERIOD”. that is a statement with which I agree whole heartedly, and am also not running for Prime Minister.
February 19th, 2010 at 2:33 pm
I’m a hands-on racehorse owner. Fact is – not just in racing but in general – the list of horrid things we do to livestock is endless. If this weren’t true, animal welfare groups wouldn’t need to exist. Nobody else seems to care about used-up dairy cows with udders dragging the ground sent off to become burger meat – if you could hear these old girls crying at the auction lot – a sound I cannot forget – you’d never eat a cheap burger again. So much abuse, it’s sickening. Rachorses injected and run and injected again and again and run to splinters, then sent via third party to auctions where 99% go to slaughter, inexcusable. Snotty people eating veal, they don’t give a rat’s ass what the calf had to endure in order to become meat. Obviously the trainers who funnel TBs into the slaughter pipeline don’t give a rat’s ass either. As for the game itself, we all know what’s what. We know what causes so many “heart attacks” after works just like we know why track vets don’t test in the mornings. We know what Jeff Mullins did to I Want Revenge during the month prior to last year’s KY Derby. We know how Mike Gill and other bottom feeders make winners out of dodgy runners. We know which trainers at which tracks zap their horses in the stalls before they go to the paddock. We know Los Al is a death trap for cheap TBs. And we know or should know that at least 25 horses died at Golden Gate in 2009 alone.
Better winning through chemistry, greed, lack of empathy (how can a trainer train 400 head?), inflated egos, an unwillingness to admit wrongdoing, an unwillingness to play by what few rules we have, IT SUCKS AND WILL CONTINUE TO SUCK UNTIL SOMEBODY TAKES CHARGE ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.
I’m no vegan and refuse to ride in a pleather saddle, but if PETA can do some good, fine. I’m sick of bad owners, bad trainers, different rules in different jurisdictions, certain big name trainers acting like lesser gods, corrupt officials and all the rest of it. This Rachel v. Zenyatta thing? Why does anybody care?
By the way for those who’ve posted to the contrary, Zenyatta is a mare not a filly.
February 19th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Well said Rather and LCM!
Protecting horses that race on national television is better than nothing but it is also hypocritical and sick. Racing needs more than better safety measures on big days, it needs to get a heart and grow a damn pair if it wants to attract fans, sponsors, quality owners who will produce humane, quality racing.
Racing refuses to admit to its ills at least in public. It is still too arrogant to change despite all the warning signs. Its code of silence can’t hide all evil anymore. A central authority needs to be created and run far away from all current toxic, numbed industry powerbrokers.
Alex Waldrop swore in front of a massive media contingent that horses were priority #1 in racing following Eight Belles’s horrible accident. It was a bloody, shameless lie.
The NTRA just accredited Golden Gate Fields, it’s the latest symptom of how sick racing is.
February 19th, 2010 at 2:52 pm
Excessive use of the whip according to the book “Seabiscuit” led to him becoming a rogue and when Smith and Howard got him they had to rehabilitate him and he went back to being a lovable laid back horse. Whipping has sometimes caused horses to sulk and not run their best. Jockeys should be suspended for overuse of the whip. The best jockeys “hand ride”. They also avoid doing anything that might injure horses or other riders. If Rachel and Zenyatta are both sound before the race and the track is safe there is no reason to think that either of them would be likely to suffer an injury from racing against each other. They both won against male horses which is the reason PETA said Eight Belles died. Ruffian was sired by Reviewer who had 5 fractures one after the other. Eight Belles sire retired with a fracture. Heredity,carrying over 200lbs just a few days before the race,running on bute could all have contributed to her demise.
February 19th, 2010 at 3:09 pm
Well said LJB! Animal activism exists because animal abuse exists. Years ago the industry was already holding meetings on how to keep animal activists away from racing instead of improving how its horses were treated. It was the wrong choice and nothing has changed. Racing deserves its reputation.
February 19th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
I would like to have a peek at PETA’s “books”. The ratio between actual animal care and rhetoric should be interesting. One major problem for racing is early retirement - the fans don’t get to know the horses anymore.
February 19th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
PETA is extremist and is against ownership of animals.
They don’t advertise that on their website as much of their support comes from pet owners. But part of their goal is to “phase out” all animal ownership, end the breeding of domestic dogs and cats, and “enjoy animals from afar”
“Pet ownership is an absolutely abysmal situation brought about by human manipulation.”
– Ingrid Newkirk, PETA, “Just Like Us? Toward a Notion of Animal Rights” (symposium) Harper’s, August 1988, p. 50.
“As the surplus of cats and dogs (artifically engineered by centuries forced breeding) declined, eventually companion animals would be phased out, and we would return to a more symbiotic relationship - enjoyment from a distance.”
– Ingrid Newkirk, “Just Like Us?……(see above)
“I don’t use the word ‘pet.’ I think it’s speciest language. I prefer ‘companion animal.’ We would no longer allow… pet shops… Eventually companion animals would be phased out.”
– (Harper’s Magazine, Aug. 1988)
“One day we would like an end to pet shops and breeding animals [Dogs] would pursue their natural lives in the wild.”
– Ingrid Newkirk, Chicago Daily Herald, March 1, 1990
“In a perfect world, all other-than-human animals would be free of human interference, and dogs and cats would be part of the ecological scheme, as they were before humans domesticated them and as they remain in some parts of the undeveloped world.”
– From The PETA Statement on Companion Animals
PETA has also financially supported convicted environmental terrorists and groups like ELF and ALF (which are considered by the US government to be terrorist threats).
I’m all for overhauling racing - trust me I see some of the worst things the industry has to offer, including having to put down young and otherwise healthy horses whose joints were too shot to hell from excessive tapping and injecting to be able to do anything. But I don’t think involvement from extremist AR groups (they’re great at marketing, but that’s what they are.) Has some good come from their campaigns? Possibly. Some fast food chains have revamped their meat production standards, among other things. However, I honestly think giving them a toehold in racing is not in our long term best interests.
At the very least, know what they stand for and what their end goals are.
February 19th, 2010 at 5:08 pm
FACT: PETA euthanizes 85% of the animals they “rescue”.
February 19th, 2010 at 5:36 pm
http://www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=14321
February 19th, 2010 at 6:02 pm
LJB,
Your post pretty much said it all. The horses you train are very lucky!
And for everyone that wants to make PETA out to be some ridiculous rogue organization….I ask this of you…Watch some of the videos they have on their website. Then ask yourself if their goals are really that “extreme”? You might want to start with the video of thoroughbreds being slaughtered in Japan and remember a horse named FERDINAND. One of the racehorses who are treated like “gold”…What a f’n joke.
February 19th, 2010 at 7:18 pm
How about we have PETA hairy arm pit chick mud wrestling, in between cock fights. Then we can put those videos on my site!
February 19th, 2010 at 11:19 pm
Ratherrapid:
The race isn’t being run today. It’s being run until April. Besides, Jess Jackson doesn’t want to lose. If he doesn’t think she’s fit and can win, he’ll back out and Rachel Alexandra won’t run.
Problem solved.
LCM:
PETA isn’t rogue because of what it SAYS it does or leads you to BELIEVE (via its superslick marketing machine) that you will be doing if you give it your $$$$$$.
The problem is what it doesn’t say and what it gives the impression of doing to get your money as opposed to what it actually stands for and what it actually does.
When you have to be that sneaky, something stinks.
Does PETA get some good things done while swinging wildly in the dark? Sure.
I don’t remember reading a lot of anti-PETA stuff when it weighed in on the Michael Gill saga.
However, it’s usually extremely ignorant about what it is talking about and therefore causes a lot of collateral damage to people who don’t deserve it (i.e. Gabriel Saez)
PETA doesn’t even pretend to care about that. I think that is wrong.
February 19th, 2010 at 11:22 pm
Ratherrapid…that was funny what you said about racing’s publicity arm, though.
February 20th, 2010 at 8:35 am
Ratherrapid said…”there’s nobody that’s commented here that knows anything about PETA, including me….”
Excuse me, but several posters seem to know PETA reasonably well. And yes, there have also been ludicrous posts as well. Just be careful when utilizing “nobody” and you did read all the posts before you threw that out, didn’t you?
February 20th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
These entries about how badly racehorses are treated really are starting to tick me off. My horse, of no special value and not different from others I have seen, starts his day with breaksfast. I take his temp. and record it, just to make sure he is ok. Then brush him and walk him, the groom cleans his stall while I walk him. If he works that day we saddle him, he goes for his work, he comes back, we unsaddle him, he goes for another walk until he is cool. Now we give him a good bath and he goes back in his stall to munch hay, his stall is clean, he has ten gallons of fresh water to drink and he waits for his dinner which he gets around 4pm. If the weather is hot he has a fan running to blow cool air in his stall. The trainer and groom of most horses go through this seven days a week, no days off, no vacations, no holidays off. I would like to see how many of the people who think all this nasty stuff is happening to most racehorses have a job that allows them no days off because the horse needs food and care every day even if he never brings home a dime to his connections. There are horses that are not well cared for but at most racetracks any one not taking care of a horse stands out, and the track has staff to handle violations.
February 20th, 2010 at 3:20 pm
snowgoose,
which hairy armpit PETA members are you referring to? Pamela Anderson, Carrie Underwood, Charlize Theron, Natalie Portman? Yeah those are some really hairy chicks…good luck with your website..Don’t forget to post it. I’m sure you’ll do yourself proud.
February 20th, 2010 at 8:06 pm
LCM no I’m talking about the ones like you.
February 20th, 2010 at 9:12 pm
Snow Goose advises that the horse industry should igore PETA and they will go away. He is dead wrong. In 2009 many bills were sponsored by PETA and the Humane Society of the Uninted States to impose mandatory spay/nueter laws and other laws that would severely restrict dog and cat breeders were introduced in state legislatures throughtout the country. When there are no more dogs and cats, which is the aim of mandatory spay/neuter laws, PETA and the Hymane Society of the United States will come after you. All persons engaged in anything having to do with animals–Farming, hunting, showing dogs and horse racing need to get together to fight PETA.
February 20th, 2010 at 9:54 pm
After reading above and thinking about PETA I went and kicked my dog.
February 21st, 2010 at 10:16 am
I am glad that your are so caring for your horse, Cris. Things do happen on the backstretch that go unnoticed. It is seen a lot in the claiming ranks. These “policing agencies” you mentioned also turn the other cheek so to say. No one is saying trainers, grooms, hot walkers do not work hard. I was apart of it at one time. I know how hard they work. But still there is abuse whether you have seen it or not. You are a good example for what we would gladly welcome in this industry.
On a different note, yesterday there was an 11 year old mare running at Beulah Park, claiming tag of 2500. How I would have loved to claim her and let her finish her life out at a farm. Of course, I don’t have 2500 to do so. At one time she was running at good tracks, one being Keeneland as I remember her. She has made 58 starts and won 149,075. What will become of her? There is some cleaning up that needs to be done.
February 21st, 2010 at 2:06 pm
I love horse racing and don’t agree with PETA in this instance.
BUT, I do think the industry needs to take several major steps to ensure the safety of all thoroughbreds who race. The first, and most important, is a nationwide ban on all medications. If a horse needs medication to run, than he isn’t a fit horse. Yea, I understand that some owners of bloodstock will be burned because the majority of horses bred today require medication to run. Its time that changes. They don’t use medication in Europe and the industry seems to be doing just fine. Banning all medications will ensure a stronger and better breed of horse and I believe ultimately would result in less horses breaking down.
February 24th, 2010 at 9:12 am
Cris you do realize horses are grazing animals don't you? They are by nature herd animals who need to walk miles while eating and be out with other horses so don't think for one minute that when we lock horses in a stall 22-23 hours a day we are doing them a dis-service.
February 24th, 2010 at 9:13 am
Horses are grazing herd animals and locking them in a stall 22-23 hours a day no matter how clean their stall is or how much hay we feed them we are doing them a dis-service.
February 25th, 2010 at 12:02 pm
Great post, I