[freddymo]

Originally Posted by cabvmd

Not all horses are world beaters. When horses race in company were they belong, who cares how fast they go? SPEED KILLS! When they are evenly matched and there are three or four horses close together at the finish to make for the excitement of competition, that is what makes for the fun of the sport.

As an examining veterinarian with 23 years experience on the race track ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FENCE MIND YOU, as a practicing attending veterinarian and a state veterinarian, slower horses are the most sound, they do not go beyond their body's capacity and they LAST...... filling the race cards on the weekly basis.

I have adopted an old retired horse that raced until he was 10 years old and made 80 starts and $215,000. Broke his maiden at first asking and ran through his allowances and minor stakes. When he was slowed down by a bowed tendon and was in claiming races, he was claimed 6 or 7 times, twice by Derek Ryan. He made money for every one that had him. He took care of himself and is sound. He finished in the money >30% of his starts. with exacta and trifecta betting he was earning his keep and money for the track.

It is the HORSE that is the key to the whole thing. We need to promote the horse as an individual. I am a board member of RUBEA (Rutgers University Board of Equine Advancement) We have a very good Equine Science Center that is doing cutting edge research at the Agricultural Experiment Station on the Cook Campus of the university. The center uses its resources to promote the horse, then the horse industry. Healthy horses make for a strong industry.

When I used to get the Blood Horse years ago and all the volumes filled boxes in my attic, I decide to clean out. I only saved 2 issues, the one that recorded the passing of Secretariat and the one with the cover "Will Simulcasting Save Racing" the author was of the opinion, NO it will not. It helped for a while, but it hurt small local tracks. When the Breeders Cup came along, I was working for Drs Allen and Reed, both with decades of work on the race track. They were not of the opinion that he BC was the savior either. Slots will help initially, but there are ways to make racing "special" again. Treat the people that come to the track with more respect and courtesy, team work with track management and horsemen to promote interest in individual HORSES even if they are not "world beaters".


I started getting the Blood Horse again and I read the breeding and health news the most. We need durable horses and use proper nutrition and training to keep horses around longer. Do not worry, there will always be super stars that come along and be great, no matter who is training them. Great horses and people many times come from ordinary parents.

Cathy Ann Ball, VMD, MS

Dr. Ball respectfully is there anything less entertaining then Arabian races, perhaps Byk interviewing Serling?

PS Can you hook me up with some EPO, Clenbutrol,and whatever else is hot on the horse market for my FTS in a week or two? Just kidding lol