Quote:
Originally Posted by NTamm1215
It was the characterization of "gleefully" that I disagreed with. Have people involved in racing always talked about the "glue factory" and that type of stuff? Sure.
However, do you really think the game presents itself as a slaughter fest where horses who are retired are either sent to stud or killed? That was EXACTLY what Stan Verrett said and it made for what at least audibly seemed like a weird exchange with his co-anchor.
There's no publicity of organizations like Old Friends and/or Remember Me Rescue because people don't give a s.hit in the mainstream media. It's easier to take the position that racing is full of horse killers and heartless bastards who have no regard for the animals that they simply wager on and use.
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The game doesnt present itself as anything really. There is no real effort to present horseracing as either a worthwhile sporting event or gambling venture for the most part outside of local efforts that come off pretty much as advertising. You want to blame Stan Verrett? I blame the organization that gives hacks like Joe Drape Eclipse awards for pieces that present opinions as facts and yeah are patently anti-racing/negative. We invite him to our year ends awards not to cover it but to get an award for knocking the game. When the TB club of America awards George Strawbridge for being anti-lasix and his speech makes the game out to be a corrupt, drug infested, horse killing place AND he gets a standing ovation for it, well? When Barry Irwin more or less calls all trainers liars after winning the Derby what is the average Joe supposed to think. And when Congress passes laws that allow horses to be slaughtered (I know it is more complicated but for average Joe it isnt) and the racing industry response is a few bland PR releases don't expect the rest of America to think that horse racing is some great thing to do. They read award winning writers who cut up the sport at every opportunity, the hear the speech of a guy who kills the game being honored, they hear the winning owner of the Derby and they dont hear squat after a law lets horses be rib eyes...I guess I just can't get too worked up over a stupid comment by Stan Verrett