What Kind of Hit Will Racing Take If Barbaro Dies?
 

I can see it now. "End this cruel sport." "These animals are dying for others enjoyment." The papers have already crushed racing in editorials from the NY Times to others. It will be bad, not Ruffian bad, but Barbaro really captured a fan base and he won the Derby, with all eyes on him a horrific breakdown followed by a month of good news and then this....I can see another shot across racing's bow from this. And boy it is unfair.

It's very fair and racing should and will get blasted if Bobby goes down. An intrenched good ole boy network is gonna get railed until synthetic surfaces are in place of all dirt. I'd rather see racing on the dirt banned than it continue on that surface. I am sick of the injuries and breakdowns it causes and it's got to stop.

Yep, we'll take a big blow.......:(

So should they rip up the turf courses as well? Seen a lot of those this year as well. You are good intentioned but misguided.

I don't have a problem with Polytrack Sumi, but I don't know that this is a debate about that. The whole notion of the sport will be under attack, not simply the surface they run on. Not to mention that horses break down on Poly too, not as many, but the opposers won't see that as acceptable....Again, I'm interested in the long term health of the sport, which I believe along with baseball is the best thing going.

I wonder if the outcry will be muted b/c he wasn't put down on Preakness Day. A little less fresh in the public minds.....Again, I'm being realistic here, I obviously hope he lives, but I think he's 1 in a 1000 right now.

Well...I love racing! I'm also a PETA member. I can balance the two by demanding that racing continue to police itself, cut down on illegal use of drugs and other abuses, and constantly seek safer surfaces, equipment etc. I think folks that take the "all or nothing" point of view are indeed well-intentioned but misguided. There is a time to work within the system and a time to tear the system down and start anew...at this point, I feel racing is populated mainly by good folks who love horses are really do want to make it safer for horse and jockey alike. It's easy to see the dishonesty and cruelty, tougher to see the everyday acts of compassion and caring! Racing will survive as long as it has a right to survive....if it turns it's back on it's problems, it loses that right!

Racing will weather this storm -I'm already prepared for the usual gaggle of reactionaries, people who know nothing about the sport and who want to get their 15 minutes of fame by stirring up the public. I detest these types of people- they don't care about the horses, they just care about getting in the limelight. They make me sick, frankly. I'm pretty sure that the vast majority of people in racing genuinely love their animals and wouldn't do anything to hurt them - the sport is the sport. What, a hitter facing a pitcher throwing 98 miles an hour isn't in danger? A quarterback taking a hit from a linebacker isn't at risk for suffering life-changing injuries? NASCAR drivers don't have death wishes by driving at ridiculous speeds ? The reason why there is an uproar about racing is because horses don't have the "choice" to be involved in the sport and the non-racing fan perceives that as cruel.

You are a member of PETA, great, but don't be a wimp. Dirt's gotta go first and foremost as in now. Be replaced by synthetic. Then we'll see where the sport is at and go on from there.

I am looking forward to the Keeneland meet more than Saratoga because they have actually done something to improve safety.

Sumitas, just curious...do you own some kind of stock in the company that produces the polytrack mix? I understand you being concerned about the safety of horse, but what is your agenda?

Hell, if every race ran on the turf, I would be a happy dude.

I called Sumitas out on that earlier... no response.

Last time I checked, horses break down on polytrack too and out playing in their pastures as well, or in their stall, or by another horse, or in the trailer...etc.etc. They are just fragile creatures, and not just on the racetrack. The jury is still out on polytrack. At this point, I'm not sure that it is the best way to go. Barbaro's incident was a freak accident and I believe that Pimlico's racing surface is great. Not too many breakdowns occur on that track and I will say it again like I have said many times before...other race tracks should be looking at what Pimlico is doing instead of going synthetic. Quite frankly, other than the fact that is "possibly" improves safety, I don't like the stuff. It has a lot of disadvantages too.

Does anyone have the stats on how many horses broke down at Pimlico this meet? I just want to compare to that of the polytracks.

Oh yeah, and great post Betsy. I thought that you were dead on. I've got my arguements prepared too. I actually got into a conversation about it today with my boss that knew of Barbaro's situation but knew nothing about race horses. Lucky for me, she is the type that she will listen to more knowledgeable people on a given subject before coming to conclusions. It is the people that won't do this that we should be worried about.

I think that racing will take somewhat of a hit, but will probably not be as bad as we all think it will be if the horse is euthanized. I think the Jacksons have showed a very compassionate, good side to horse racing even if Barb does die. They obviously love the horse and will go to any lengths that are reasonable to try to save him. I'm glad they gave him a chance.

Man the hell with the Poly and all that support it. I couldn't hit the water if I fell out of the boat at Turfway this past year.Just look at Lawyer Ron's past performance at the place. I won't bet a single race at Keenland on the stuff or anywhere else for that matter.

Nothing whatsover will happen.

Thoroughbred race horses have been breaking down ever since Flying Childers was a weanling.

Everyone in the general public with a modicum of intelligence understands that race horses are fragile creatures ... just take a look at those big powerful bodies and pencil-thin legs.

There's always a desire to be part of something historic ... but this ain't it. If you want to be a part of history ... take a look at what's happening between muslim fanatics and the civilized world.

Barbaro's life or death ... while of particular interest to those of us who populate this forum ... just isn't that important to the rest of the world. It'll be a one-day story ... then it'll be gone.

True dahoss. bold brooklynite is not bold. this poster is behind the times, sits on his ass, and makes excuses for the staus quo.

World War III has started... and I think that'll get a lot more coverage.

Ruffian and Go For Wand also happened on national TV ... to much bigger audiences ... and they had zero short-term and long-term impact.

The Barbaro story? It'll be debated here forever. To the general public ... it'll be fifteen minutes ... and out.