It would have been a public relations disaster if she had injured herself while jogging around the track during the race.

Horsewoman sitting behind me at track said she looked colicky going into the gate as she wasn't really extending while walking...vet missed it bad.

Yep -- and the thing is, this time, we'd have had NO defense at all....what on earth would we tell people?

Echo or invisible ink?:confused:

If anyone gets an update on LAT please let us know. After running around the track like that while she clearly felt like hell, it would be nice to know that she'll be ok.

Good thoughts for Life At Ten. It sure would be a permanent black eye on horse racing if anything happened to her. Even if she comes out of this 100% A OK, it's still going to be hard to explain why they let her run. Poor baby.

Todd Pletcher said in the ESPN post-interview that he thought it was a reaction to the lasix.

Yup, definitely an echo or invisible ink.:)

The tone of the ESPN coverage just prior to the race was that they could not believe that she was not scratched or at least looked over by the gate Vet just prior to the race. Johnny V said clearly, when interviewed during the warmups, that she was not "acting right".

They would probably blame it on a lack of communication between JV and the vet at the gate.

Can you imagine the media circus that would have taken place? Politicians would be stepping over one another to punish the racing industry.

If the vet wasn't paying attention, all JV had to do was dismount from the horse. That would have sent a clear enough signal.

"I would love to know how much money was bet on her in all of the pools combined. Those thieves took the public's money like a stimulus bill."


Not just tickets on LAT in question. My friend and I played a tri and super based on a potentially sharp pace. We were at a simulcast and didn't get to see or hear the pre race because we were in line to bet. Our bet assumed that LAT would be involved in the pace and set up a kickers race. When LAT looked like an old lesson horse out of the gate we were both stunned. When the splits were posted we knew we were in deep weeds. When Acoma was sitting third, I was cooked.
Whether betting on her or against her, people playing the race had the right to fit and sound participants. Everyone in all the pools in that race had to have figured a 7/2 mare with high early speed as a factor in the race, even if they bet against her.
As a multi-race player, I had no way to know before the prior races that there was concern about Life At Ten.

I would love to know how many times a day this happens all around the country without ESPN cameras and miked up jocks :rolleyes:

Prolly need to get over it

Fair point Dan, but this was a 2 million dollar race in the national spotlight and not some horse making a plunge for 10k. It's a diservice either way, but if it happens on a Wednesday night at Penn National you're not that suprised, but when it happens in the feature on day one of the Breeders Cup there is something wrong. I think it would be easier to swallow if the vets checked her out at the gate, but with the way it went down and her not running a step, all that happened was that bettors got screwed in a big way.
Thankfully it did seem like she will be okay.

She stumbled twice in the post parade while JRV was trying to get her to warm up a little.

Watching it again - it reminded me of the time my ear drum broke. I could barely keep my balance doing anything more than a walk. She didn't seem to have very good balance when JRV attempted to warm her up.

TP also said in the post-race that LAT was not quite right when being saddled - "she almost seemed sedated" - He said that he wanted Johnny V "to really warm her up".

So IMO when she didn't respond, the onus was on the jockey to inform the VET that there was a problem. I know that it is a tough call for the jockey when owners are at the races to see her run, but .... what if she was injured during the race?

JV needs to grow some cajones like Bailey had when he opted off of Noble Causeway in the 2005 Jim Dandy a few seconds before loading into the gate.

Maybe she was only wearing one contact lens today.......................

I really don't think it's that easy for JV. Opt not to ride for your #1 employer in a two million dollar race? Should have he called the vet over, yes. Do I think he would have rode her if she/he was in some sort of danger, no. He really never seemed to urge/get in to her either. He was in a no win situation. Also, Pletcher knew there was an issue in the paddock and I'm sure he watched her very carefully warming up. If anyone should get the blame IMO it is him.