what does it take to scratch a horse????

randallscott35 · #1 11-09-2006, 11:20 PM

Had a horse break through the gate at the Spa before a race in July. Ran to the teller, Beth was there for this, and was able to cancel it and put it on another. Had no more than 30 seconds for this. Normally you are screwed. Especially when betting from home.

sumitas · #2 11-10-2006, 01:40 AM

Earlier this year they made new rules in England that if a horse doesn't load into the gate smoothly it is scratched, period. No more fooling around, no more making the other horses wait and wait and get them agitated. You don't load, you are out, period.

Much better for the other horses and bettors. Here ? They just keep screwing around forever so the tracks can get your money. I even saw one horse recently that got loose and they couldn't corral him for 5 minutes. Guess what ? They forced him into the gate and made him run.

There are just no standards for loading into the gate, breaking through the gate, licensing agents, the list goes on and on with horse racing. It's like a private club to screw as many people as possible, it seems at times.

31lengths · #3 11-10-2006, 05:58 AM

So...from a non-bettors standpoint....can a trainor have him scratched if he doesn't load smothly?

#4 11-10-2006, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sumitas

Earlier this year they made new rules in England that if a horse doesn't load into the gate smoothly it is scratched, period. No more fooling around, no more making the other horses wait and wait and get them agitated. You don't load, you are out, period.

Much better for the other horses and bettors. Here ? They just keep screwing around forever so the tracks can get your money. I even saw one horse recently that got loose and they couldn't corral him for 5 minutes. Guess what ? They forced him into the gate and made him run.

There are just no standards for loading into the gate, breaking through the gate, licensing agents, the list goes on and on with horse racing. It's like a private club to screw as many people as possible, it seems at times.

And they have full fields in England???

paisjpq · #5 11-10-2006, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by randallscott35

Had a horse break through the gate at the Spa before a race in July. Ran to the teller, Beth was there for this, and was able to cancel it and put it on another. Had no more than 30 seconds for this. Normally you are screwed. Especially when betting from home.

I had forgotten about that...yeah, Rand had to RUN to get his bet cancelled...I think if they break they gate they should be an automatic scratch...the horse never wins and the race is a waste of training, and the bettor gets screwed in the process.

westcoastinvader · #6 11-10-2006, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paisjpq

I had forgotten about that...yeah, Rand had to RUN to get his bet cancelled...I think if they break they gate they should be an automatic scratch...the horse never wins and the race is a waste of training, and the bettor gets screwed in the process.

That sure brings back memories of some posts after Barbaro's Preakness......

FWIW, I know SOME horses have won races after breaking through. But I agree that most are spent after having gone through the gate twice on race day.