Rich Curtis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "What I do know after owning horses continuously
> since 1990 in Southern California -- the trainers
> know. They know when their horses are sound. They
> know when a horse "has heat" that requires vet
> inspection. They know when a horse is unsound.
> They know when a horse's attitude changes -- horse
> is angry, doesn't eat normally, has diarrhea --
> they know everything."
>
> Go to Equibase and read through a complete day of
> result charts. In particular, be sure to read the
> chart comment for the last-place finisher in each
> race.
>
> If trainers know everything, this sport should be
> banned instantly.


Well, I stand by what I said. Horse racing has been around a very long time. Change is difficult. The NFL made a dramatic turn in the right direction when they acknowledged the damage to players that concussions were causing. The league enacted many changes that possibly saved the sport. I wish there was one national authority to rule the sport of horse racing but there is not. It is up to the track owners and horse trainers and owners and vets and even legislators to enact the required changes to save this sport. For instance ban drugs that mask pain.

Do a little googling around about Dr Sue Stover -- veterinary doctor and PHD. She says the following -- "Dr. Sue Stover, a professor and veterinarian from UC Davis, says that more than 85% of horses that break down on the track had a pre-existing issue that was exacerbated." (She is a badass authority on catastrophic breakdowns). Maybe more effort should be placed on examining the condition of a horse coming off a years' layoff and dropping to the bottom level. If a horse is on the vets list maybe the horse needs to be examined closely before it works out (not just when it is entered in a race). Pretty common-sense stuff.

I hope I don't come off as speaking from a soapbox. That is not my intent. Horse racing has been part of my life for almost 30 years and is in my blood. In my opinion our eyes must be wide open. Now is the time to enact change.