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#1
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![]() Mandella thinks that potential claimants should eb able to examine a horse after it races...an interesting proposal...one that could change the game significantly if the idea takes hold.
http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=36671
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#2
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However, the two suggestions made in the article are much more reasonable. Here's a key paragraph from the Bloodhorse article: "Mandella said that, in addition to his original idea that claims should be voided for horses that do not finish races, another possibility would be to change claiming events to races in which runners are sold through an auction system after they compete. That format would allow prospective buyers to examine horses' soundness immediately after racing and thus would be an incentive for owners and trainers to provide runners with rest or treatment if they have physical ailments rather than using medications that allow continued racing even if a problem is lurking." Both of those ideas make sense, because they minimize the possible arguments that would arise from an interpretation of a horse's condition after a race. I like the auction idea. I think it captures the essense of a claiming race while doing away with the trickery and gamesmanship. --Dunbar
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Curlin and Hard Spun finish 1,2 in the 2007 BC Classic, demonstrating how competing in all three Triple Crown races ruins a horse for the rest of the year...see avatar photo from REUTERS/Lucas Jackson |
#3
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![]() Interesting ideas but probably hard to actually implement. Where would the auction take place? where would you examine the horses postrace? Who determines the degree of lameness on an pulled up horse? Maybe tracks in Southern California may try something like this but hard to see smaller venues spending the money to do this.
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#4
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![]() Athletes that are traded must pass team physicals. If a claimed horse fails an owner's physical the claim should be voided. I don't see a problem with that. The potential owner forks out the money if the horse is sound according to his standards.
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#5
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#6
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Sounds like a fantasy, but it could happen, right? Cannon, maybe you can answer this -- what would that do to trainers who want to unload a horse for an owner because of the very same sorts of problems? While it's not really 'savory,' isn't it a way that an owner who wants out on a broken horse can get out? Drop the price so low that SOMEone has to bite on it just because the potential COULD be there? That owner and trainer would be just stuck with the horse eternally in that case, which doesn't seem fair either. Sure, it's trickery, but doesn't that serve some purpose in the claiming game? Or am I way off the mark here? I jsut remember conversations about this when I was going to Portland Meadows with my buddy there who was an exercise rider -- and how his trainer would get rid of broken horses... |