The 2019 Breeder's Cup Was Last Friday and Saturday At Santa Anita
Saturday's $6,000,000 Classic at a mile and a quarter was to be an interesting race. The morning line favorite was Mckinzie, trained by Bob Baffert.
The winner was Vino Rosso trained by Todd Pletcher. Unfortunately, the biggest story to come out of the race was the death of Mongolian Groom.
"“If horse racing cannot be conducted in a safe and humane manner that protects the life and safety of horses and jockeys,” she wrote, “it may be time to reexamine the future of this sport in our state and in our country”, so says Diane Feinstein, Senator from California.
Horses have broken down on the track and in races since they began racing. I'm a fan of horse racing. I have been a fan for a long time. I know people who train race horses and care for race horses. I've scrubbed horse's feed buckets, mucked out stalls, and watched horses recover from minor injuries like cuts ad bruises. I've also seen the screen come out and horses vanned off the track. Sometimes the horse's life is saved and at other times the horse is put down.
When you have worked on the backside of a race track, before the start of a race you always hope your horse runs well and the horse and jockey come back without incident.
And yet there is very little percentage in training a slow race horse and very few retired race horses have pensions to cover their "golden years".
People ask me about races and horses and I start each conversation with the disclaimer that "it's a blood sport, supported by gambling"(Of one sort or another.).
For further perspective please read "Death of a Race Horse", by W.C. Heinz which was published by The Sun in 1949, before I was born.
The winner was Vino Rosso trained by Todd Pletcher. Unfortunately, the biggest story to come out of the race was the death of Mongolian Groom.
"“If horse racing cannot be conducted in a safe and humane manner that protects the life and safety of horses and jockeys,” she wrote, “it may be time to reexamine the future of this sport in our state and in our country”, so says Diane Feinstein, Senator from California.
Horses have broken down on the track and in races since they began racing. I'm a fan of horse racing. I have been a fan for a long time. I know people who train race horses and care for race horses. I've scrubbed horse's feed buckets, mucked out stalls, and watched horses recover from minor injuries like cuts ad bruises. I've also seen the screen come out and horses vanned off the track. Sometimes the horse's life is saved and at other times the horse is put down.
When you have worked on the backside of a race track, before the start of a race you always hope your horse runs well and the horse and jockey come back without incident.
And yet there is very little percentage in training a slow race horse and very few retired race horses have pensions to cover their "golden years".
People ask me about races and horses and I start each conversation with the disclaimer that "it's a blood sport, supported by gambling"(Of one sort or another.).
For further perspective please read "Death of a Race Horse", by W.C. Heinz which was published by The Sun in 1949, before I was born.
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