Racing needs to make the best out of a bad situation
 

It would go a long way if IHA's connections tries to impress on the media that they care for the animals more then the money and accolades of a triple crown. They need to impress on the media (even if it is a stretch) that IHA's injury wasn't bad but they decided to do what is right for the horse since and scratch he is a member of their family and they didn't want to put him at ANY RISK.

Hopefully they have a savvy PR rep on their team that is paying attention. This is a great take on an otherwise bad scenario.

That's exactly what they've said all day.

Well I'll wait until I read the Times tommorow to see if it has taken.

I think the fact that he is going to lead the Post Parade of the Belemont Stakes tomorrow is a good start.

However, I am already hearing from those that are not real fans that O'Neill scratched in order to prevent drugs from being detected in the horse. I hope the New York Times is proud of their journalism, if you can call it that. :wf

The act of pulling the horse from the race proved they've already put the horse ahead of money and fame. Some would have gone on and raced the horse.

I agree, it will be left to see if the racing fans understand.

Too bad it doesn't sound like they'll give the horse the rest of this year off, and bring him back next year to race at four.

The NY Times has been making a weak attempt at covering horse racing for a while and they have a slant they're taking to promote what they see as an agenda to reform the sport.

They aren't going to help anything if they get their way, but they really aren't going to hurt anything either.

It's disappointing that IHA isn't running Saturday or anymore ever -- but the game will continue to go on just fine without him.

Credit to O'Neill and his team to get this horse healthy and able to run one big peak effort after another in all 4 races this year. It was a great training job -- this horse was on the Vet's List two weeks before the Derby -- and a lot of bettors and fans got to find out about stuff like equine chiropractors and shock wave therapy.

It's only a matter of time until a horse does win the Triple Crown...and when they do it will be a great day and a great moment for the sport. But it will just be like a sugar high.

Who are these some that would have run a lame horse?

The horse isn't lame. The horse was galloped this am on the injury. He has a mild tendonitis.

Buy this and look in here, the answer is there!

http://www.amazon.com/War-Peace-Vint.../dp/1400079985

Only 1,296 pages?

Q: Tolstoy's favorite horse? A: Serfside. #Russiannovelisthorseracingpuns :D :zz:

I think Paul and Zillah will be out front on this. This can be a win-win situation depending on what media facility carries it.

Aloha/Geoff

I think that it needs to be remembered that most of the things we think of on this forum are coming from the perspective of the racing fan and not just the casual fan. We are gamblers, trainers, hotwalkers, analysts, journalists, etc., on here that have much more than a passing interest. The majority of the people that tune in/attend the Derby and that would have been at Belmont could probably be safely called "momentary" fans. To them, things are much different. While some will read the comments that they are doing what's best for the horse by not running him and hearing how they are saddened by him not being able to run but happy that he's being retired sound and healthy, others will read it different. For example, I had a friend text me this morning and say "good thing Derrick Rose is not a horse. They would have retired him already. If Michael Jordan or Tom Brady were horses, they would have been retired after their season ending injuries." I could be wrong but I think that when the general public reads statements like:

-he's sound and healthy
-he could race tomorrow but why risk it?
-it's mild tendinitis
-he could return in 3-6 months
-it's comparable to an ankle sprain in a human

I don't think these things necessarily help our cause. Especially on the backs of all of the coverage of O'Neill and his drug suspensions. You have to admit that with his history and then with them putting in the detention barn for extra scrutiny and then he pulls out of the race, it can look at least a little suspicious if you are an outsider and don't know how things really work. I personally don't see how any good comes from this.

Lame, injured or what ever it you want to call it you are not being honest. What other trainer would have run I'll Have Another? You claimed a lot of of trainers would have entered the horse. Which trainers?

lol :tro::tro:

You are not being honest. What I said was, "Some would have gone on and raced the horse." Claiming horses run all the time with this small amount of inflammation. Run, get 30 days off, manage with anti-inflammatories and pain meds, etc. Nurse the horse through races and try not to trash the tendon. Yes. Some would have run the horse. The horse could get through the race tomorrow.

As O'Neil himself said this afternoon: "Could he run and compete? Yes," said O’Neill. "But would it be in his best interest? No."

BTW - you need to go back to your usual Derby Trail handle.

oh, christ jesus not again.

please, don't feed the vet troll.

Thanks alot. I'm not the one being the troll. Or the bi.a.tch.

:D
:tro: