Monzante

Merlinsky · #1 07-23-2013, 01:05 AM

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...onzantes-death

By now I'm sure many of you know about former Eddie Read (G1) winner Monzante breaking down in a $4,000 claiming race at Evangeline Downs. It sounds like there's going to be more to this story, and it warranted more than brief mentions on the Eddie Read or Angels threads. Supposedly there will be an investigation, although who knows what will actually happen following it.

Did anybody get a chance to read Steve Haskin's piece before Bloodhorse pulled it? It's been reposted online various places, but I'm concerned about stating where on a forum like this in the event that it could get someone in trouble. You should be able to find it. The fact that it's now down on Bloodhorse.com is creating a bit of a stir because it Steven didn't pull any punches. I didn't even realize he'd posted it until people started complaining that it was no longer there. It was short and bittersweet. He called Monzante's death a disgrace and laid out the steps of this horse's career and the people who were with him. Not that you couldn't find the pieces on your own via Equibase, but given how well Steve writes, it was particularly impactful. I'd just like to recommend it.

Horses can run in low level claimers and they can do it as 9 year olds, neither of which is a problem on its face, but Monzante telegraphed for years that he shouldn't still be on the track and yet back he came. He's not the first horse to have this happen, but it's resonating with a lot of people. It may or may not have the impact that Ferdinand did on keeping track of stallions shipped overseas, but Monzante deserves better than he got.

randallscott35 · #2 07-23-2013, 08:05 AM

They didn't pull Haskin's piece and I thought it was well written and fair as always.

http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/horse...-Disgrace.aspx

randallscott35 · #3 07-23-2013, 08:14 AM

I'd also say that Monzante shouldn't be saved anymore than Zippy Chippy should be. I find it a bit insulting that only horses that run well in circles are deemed to live out there days in a happy pasture while the slow ones don't.

Alabama Stakes · #4 07-23-2013, 08:31 AM

I always found good homes for my gals, even though a couple couldn't outrun a fatman .give a kid a free hoss who lives on a farm, everybody is happy.

in fairness he said all hosses, especially ones like Monzante.

randallscott35 · #5 07-23-2013, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alabama Stakes

I always found good homes for my gals, even though a couple couldn't outrun a fatman .give a kid a free hoss who lives on a farm, everybody is happy.

in fairness he said all hosses, especially ones like Monzante.

That was not a criticism of Haskin at all...I was talking about the general idea of finding great horses homes while the others....

Alabama Stakes · #6 07-23-2013, 08:44 AM

I'm in the others category, and you are right. once got barred from the backside for hitting a guy who was making the rounds yelling "anything for the killers".

P.S. it was a wicked overhand right that crumpled him.

OldDog · #7 07-23-2013, 08:45 AM

More . . .

http://www.raceday360.com/wire/items/tag/monzante

Danzig · #8 07-23-2013, 09:06 AM

use randalls link.
i used the one from raceday, and it said page not found.

also

Quote:

Originally Posted by randallscott35

I'd also say that Monzante shouldn't be saved anymore than Zippy Chippy should be. I find it a bit insulting that only horses that run well in circles are deemed to live out there days in a happy pasture while the slow ones don't.

i agree. but if no care can be found for a monzante, what chance do the zippy chippys have?

Merlinsky · #9 07-23-2013, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by randallscott35

They didn't pull Haskin's piece and I thought it was well written and fair as always.

http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/horse...-Disgrace.aspx

They did pull the piece, they just put it back up. Haven't read the version that's there now, not sure if there've been any edits or if they figured the fact that it was getting spread around and talked about meant the cat was out of the bag so they should just repost.

ETA: Steve just thanked everybody for their kind words on FB. He said with subjects this controversial Bloodhorse likes to review all commentaries, but they reposted it. I still think someone had a moment where they went 'oh look a new piece by Haskin, I'll just read this--ahhhh, take it down, take it down!'

Quote:

Originally Posted by randallscott35

I'd also say that Monzante shouldn't be saved anymore than Zippy Chippy should be. I find it a bit insulting that only horses that run well in circles are deemed to live out there days in a happy pasture while the slow ones don't.

Did you really follow what Monzante's career's been like at all? Hard to believe that if you're comparing him to Zippy Chippy. Monzante practically had a neon sign over him saying 'old and not sound, stop racing.' Some people treat horses well while they're at the top and then either dump them when they go off form or simply don't try to keep track. If you're going to benefit from their talent, you gotta pay it back. Zippy Chippy was endearing, but the very nature of his many many (many) losses was that he was sound enough to achieve them. It's not about old horses not running. It's about not running them to death when they give every indication that it's inevitable.

randallscott35 · #10 07-23-2013, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merlinsky

They did pull the piece, they just put it back up. Haven't read the version that's there now, not sure if there've been any edits or if they figured the fact that it was getting spread around and talked about meant the cat was out of the bag so they should just repost.

ETA: Steve just thanked everybody for their kind words on FB. He said with subjects this controversial Bloodhorse likes to review all commentaries, but they reposted it. I still think someone had a moment where they went 'oh look a new piece by Haskin, I'll just read this--ahhhh, take it down, take it down!'

With Haskin's reputation I am shocked they would take down anything of his.

GenuineRisk · #11 07-23-2013, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by randallscott35

With Haskin's reputation I am shocked they would take down anything of his.

I'm sure it was just about making sure he didn't say anything that could get them sued.

dellinger63 · #12 07-23-2013, 11:31 AM

Seems the dozen unnamed plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed against the racing commission alleging excessive vet scratches in 2011 have to bear some blame:

Quote:

More than a dozen trainers and horse owners at Evangeline Downs are suing the Louisiana Racing Commision. Don Stemmans has owned thousands of racing horses since the 1960s.

He said, "I've never seen a racing commission, ever like this, do anything like this."

Stemmans is one of many horse owners who have lost faith in the judgment of state veterinarians appointed by the Louisiana Racing Commission.

Nicholas Bellard is representing more than a dozen horse owners and trainers in the lawsuit.

"Over the last year and half or so they've been arbitrarily placing inordinately large number of horses on what is called the vet list, what's called the injured reserve-- they can't run," Bellard said.

Every time a horse is placed on the vets lists, anyone from owners to trainers, jockeys and even groomers lose out on money.

The dozens of horse owners and trainers say they are tired of spending money training their horses, only to have a state vet say their horse is unfit to compete. Stemmans owned 36 horses three months ago.

He said, "I sold them all. I have maybe five or six horses left. I can't afford to have to wait, to have to get a horse ready to run, it costs money."

Another horse owner, Lee Young, said "it costs me two races, both at 100,000."

Young says the recent events at the track are forcing him to call it quits.

He explained, "I got one of the best vets in the country that works on the horse and checks the horse before we even go and then we got a yo-yo here. I'm telling you this guy does not know which end of the horse he's looking at."

Bellard says up to 240 horses at Evangeline Downs have been ineligible to race at a single time.

He said, "personally I don't think it ever involved fixing racing, it involved get rid of a certain element of horse racing that they didn't think was appropriate to horse racing in Louisiana."

The Racing Commission failed to return any of KATC's phone calls.

[url] http://www.katc.com/news/horse-racing-law-suit

I'll try and locate the lawsuit later

Just hope the current vet isn't named Beth

Kasept · #13 07-23-2013, 11:34 AM

Story has changed significantly this morning with it turning out that Monzante was not put down on track.

http://www.drf.com/news/monzante-dee...regulator-says

randallscott35 · #14 07-23-2013, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kasept

Story has changed significantly this morning with it turning out that Monzante was not put down on track.

http://www.drf.com/news/monzante-dee...regulator-says

Wow.

my miss storm cat · #15 07-23-2013, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kasept

Story has changed significantly this morning with it turning out that Monzante was not put down on track.

http://www.drf.com/news/monzante-dee...regulator-says

Un****ingbelievable.