Belmont Scratches

[SandyW]

Race 1 at Belmont today started out with 7 horses, we now have 4 scratches and 3 runners left.
I just don't understand how the stewards in NY keep letting this happen.
There are no weather problems, no surface problems.
It appears that these scratch horses were never going to run no matter what. This is not good for the game under any circumstances.

[BlueChip@DRF]

It's really hot today here and the humidity isn't going to help with things, either.

Expect the speed to hold today.

[Stillriledup]

What's the last thing a Belmont racing secretary would say to a horseman?

"You enter, you run".

I guess we're lucky they even give us the honor of betting on their races, so we shouldnt complain. ;)

[cj]

What's the last thing a Belmont racing secretary would say to a horseman?

"You enter, you run".

I guess we're lucky they even give us the honor of betting on their races, so we shouldnt complain. ;)

Aren't most of these vet scratches? Not sure what the racing secretary can do about that.

[Stillriledup]

Aren't most of these vet scratches? Not sure what the racing secretary can do about that.

Don't know...i don't trust what the track lists as the reason for a scratch, so i don't put too much stock in the 'reason' a horse isnt going to run. Maybe trainers should stop entering horses who arent ready to run, i can't imagine all these legit vet scratches were 100 pct healthy at entry time and somehow, just werent ready to go 3 days later. I dont buy it.

Where there's a will there's a way and if you have the will, you can find the way to not have a ton of entries that end up not running.

If the first race today at Belmont had a million dollar purse, i'd be willing to bet dollars to doughnuts there wouldnt have been 4 scratches.

[cj]

Don't know...i don't trust what the track lists as the reason for a scratch, so i don't put too much stock in the 'reason' a horse isnt going to run. Maybe trainers should stop entering horses who arent ready to run, i can't imagine all these legit vet scratches were 100 pct healthy at entry time and somehow, just werent ready to go 3 days later. I dont buy it.

Where there's a will there's a way and if you have the will, you can find the way to not have a ton of entries that end up not running.

If the first race today at Belmont had a million dollar purse, i'd be willing to bet dollars to doughnuts there wouldnt have been 4 scratches.

ou obviously don't follow NYRA or you would realize why there has been a big upshot in vet scratches. I've complained about it myself, but I don't think their is some conspiracy to cover up the reason for scratches.

[Stillriledup]

ou obviously don't follow NYRA or you would realize why there has been a big upshot in vet scratches. I've complained about it myself, but I don't think their is some conspiracy to cover up the reason for scratches.

Im not suggesting a conspiracy, i dont know what goes on over there either, all i care about is horses who are entered should either find a way to run, or find a way to not get entered in the first place.

[cj]

Im not suggesting a conspiracy, i dont know what goes on over there either, all i care about is horses who are entered should either find a way to run, or find a way to not get entered in the first place.

If the vet is scratching them, then it is on him or the horsemen, not the racing secretary. He can say whatever he likes, but it isn't really up to him. That is all I'm saying.

[Stillriledup]

If the vet is scratching them, then it is on him or the horsemen, not the racing secretary. He can say whatever he likes, but it isn't really up to him. That is all I'm saying.

I agree.

[Tom]

If you get 4 vet scratches out of one one race, that is pretty bad. What are the odds, unless your horse population is pretty bad.

The winner of the race was one I have been following for a few starts......5-2...whoop de doo.

[aaron]

If you get 4 vet scratches out of one one race, that is pretty bad. What are the odds, unless your horse population is pretty bad.

The winner of the race was one I have been following for a few starts......5-2...whoop de doo.
3 vet scratches,1 steward.
The vet scratches started a while ago. I believe they started around the time peta was complaining about breakdowns

[Tom]

Oh, well then, only 3 out of 7 vet scratches.
I guess the horse population is sound after all. :rolleyes:

[Cholly]

When NYRA (or any other track, for that matter) lists "Veterinarian" as reason for a scratch, does that mean absolutely it was the track's veterinarian who ordered the scratch? Or can that also mean the veterinarian employed by the trainer made a determination the horse should be scratched?

[SandyW]

Could the reason also be that the racing secretary brow beats trainers to enter horses that will be vet scratches anyway just so that they can fill a race to make up their 9 race card.
It sure looks fishy, because it happens so often at the NYRA tracks.

[TravisVOX]

NY is obviously in a unique position regarding vet scratches and such. But generally, at most racetracks, a "vet" scratch is generally hogwash and just the trainer wanting to scratch the horse. I'm not saying a vet doesn't legitimately scratch a horse during the week, but for the most part, the "vet" scratch is often a front.

The problem is this: Every Racing Secretary is desperate for horses. So walking in one morning while carrying a big stick for horsemen who scratch often is basically biting the hand that feeds you. It's not as if racetracks have long waiting lists of trainers ready to take his/her spot on the backside.

The frustration of a scratch is felt in the Racing Office to the bettors and beyond. The one type which really gets under my skin is the horse with proven dirt form scratching when a race comes off the grass.

[SandyW]

NY is obviously in a unique position regarding vet scratches and such. But generally, at most racetracks, a "vet" scratch is generally hogwash and just the trainer wanting to scratch the horse. I'm not saying a vet doesn't legitimately scratch a horse during the week, but for the most part, the "vet" scratch is often a front.

The problem is this: Every Racing Secretary is desperate for horses. So walking in one morning while carrying a big stick for horsemen who scratch often is basically biting the hand that feeds you. It's not as if racetracks have long waiting lists of trainers ready to take his/her spot on the backside.

The frustration of a scratch is felt in the Racing Office to the bettors and beyond. The one type which really gets under my skin is the horse with proven dirt form scratching when a race comes off the grass.

Thank you Travis for a very understandable explanation, just to many races for a sinking horse population.
The one that really gets me is scratching the main track only horses when the race come off the turf, which happens quite often at NYRA tracks.
I will be firing all weekend at LAD, hopefully I can nail a nice ticket.

[Tom]

If a horse is a vet scratch, is there a ban from racing for X number of days?
Seems that there should be some period of time a horse too sick to run a scheduled race is forced to sit out.

[Stillriledup]

ou obviously don't follow NYRA or you would realize why there has been a big upshot in vet scratches. I've complained about it myself, but I don't think their is some conspiracy to cover up the reason for scratches.

Interesting on the 'big day', even with an off track and off turf, magically, very few scratches. Funny how it worked out that way.

[Saratoga_Mike]

Interesting on the 'big day', even with an off track and off turf, magically, very few scratches. Funny how it worked out that way.

Yes, it's funny how higher-level allowance and stakes caliber horses would have fewer physical issues than horses on a typical card.

[Saratoga_Mike]

If a horse is a vet scratch, is there a ban from racing for X number of days?
Seems that there should be some period of time a horse too sick to run a scheduled race is forced to sit out.

At most tracks, the horse gets 10 days for scratching (unless it's an off-the-turf scratch). If a horse is put on the "vet's list" (not what you're referring to here, I don't believe), the horse must work in front of the state vet b/f they can race again.

[Stillriledup]

Yes, it's funny how higher-level allowance and stakes caliber horses would have fewer physical issues than horses on a typical card.

Yeah, races 1, 3, 4, 12 and 13 are really high level races. :(

[Saratoga_Mike]

Yeah, races 1, 3, 4, 12 and 13 are really high level races. :(

agree with you on half those