Reasons for gate scratch? (Finger Lakes)

[azibuck]

What are some reasons a horse would be scratched at the gate? In today's third at FL, a horse I've been "watching", Mugee, was scratched just before they loaded.

Is there any way to find out officially?

[Zaf]

If its at FL, it is possible this hoss was walking up to the gate short a leg. :p

ZAFONIC

[BillW]

Originally posted by azibuck
What are some reasons a horse would be scratched at the gate? In today's third at FL, a horse I've been "watching", Mugee, was scratched just before they loaded.

Is there any way to find out officially?

Bris shows vet.

Bill

[sq764]

I prefer the rider change as they are approaching the gate.. I see it happen about 17 times a night at Sam Houston

[CryingForTheHorses]

Originally posted by zafonic
If its at FL, it is possible this hoss was walking up to the gate short a leg. :p

ZAFONIC
LMAO@short a leg
A horse WILL be scratched by the track VET.The horse may be short in stride, The rider who is on him may think he isnt sound enough to race.The horse may have cut himself in the warmup,Or done something else. If it was a equipment ajustment or a rider change the horse wouldnt be scratched.All in all, With the incredible amount of danger to the guys riding, Its best for everyone,If he was a favorite, You just saved your money!

[Zaf]

A few weeks ago a horse was scratched at the gate at HOL because the vet thought the horse was spent. He was warmed up too much prior to the race by the jock. It was a Jeff Mullins horse and he was pissed :mad:

ZAFONIC

[Macdiarmadillo]

At some tracks (and not FL), they give the general reason for the scratches in the full charts.

Re: Zafonic's comment. Some horses are purposely warmed up hard by some jocks to make a problem clear to the vet watching in the patrol car. So I don't think this was a mistake on the jockey's part, he was trying to save his a from a breakdown in the race. Sometimes it's requested by the vet, but vets who do things like that don't seem to last very long.

So the big warmup may mean that the horse is going to show some big speed, or that he's going to get scratched.

[TOOZ]

I think Charlestown is going to set an all time record for gate scratches. Everytime I watch a race at that track, 2 or 3 horses get scratched at the gate. You can take a nap between post time and the time the race actually goes off.

[ranchwest]

I know scratches are frustrating, but the other day I saw a horse at RD that was unable to put weight on his left rear leg in the paddock. He went off at 6/1 and was never close in the race.

[Figman]

Tooz
Inn regards to Charlestown, I would venture to guess that the veterinarian at the gate is most attentive and diligent in doing his or her job. And that job is to protect the betting public and the racehorse. And not all veterinarians are equal in their makeup.

[howardjim]

Pardon my cynicism but claimed horses who don't start are not claimed.I've no idea how common this manipulation is though years ago Andy Beyer implied as much at Laurel.I'd love to accept every racetrack event at face value but ...

[CryingForTheHorses]

Originally posted by Macdiarmadillo
At some tracks (and not FL), they give the general reason for the scratches in the full charts.

Re: Zafonic's comment. Some horses are purposely warmed up hard by some jocks to make a problem clear to the vet watching in the patrol car. So I don't think this was a mistake on the jockey's part, he was trying to save his a from a breakdown in the race. Sometimes it's requested by the vet, but vets who do things like that don't seem to last very long.

So the big warmup may mean that the horse is going to show some big speed, or that he's going to get scratched.

You Guys are VERY wrong in your assessment.
SOME horses are STIFF from whatever..not sore,Like you they take more warming up then others,If you have a jumpy horse, He will take less warming up,The reason for some long warmups is NOT to make the vet notice and also the VET has no say in how you warm up your horse..If your horse is stiff, sometimes takes a little more to get him/her limbered up.Take a horse coming off a 11/16 race goig into a 7/8 race..That race is around 1 turn, A distance horse will NEED to warmup more then a sprinter. You Guys seem to think there is a lot of games going on between the VET and the JOCKS, All this is done for the safety of the riders and the horses. Guys that think they are scratched for NO reason are VERY wrong!

[Tom]

Originally posted by zafonic
If its at FL, it is possible this hoss was walking up to the gate short a leg. :p

ZAFONIC


Or his bettery was low! LOL
I saw a chart comment from FL once that read,"Pressed pace, battrery died"

[TOOZ]

I would never want any track to run horses that look lame. Thank
god for vets. Scratches obviously happen more at the cheaper tracks because of the obvious reasons. My question is, do trainers see signs of lameness and run anyway, only to get nabbed by the vet? Seems to me these guys can't be that stupid, being around horses all the time, that they can't tell when a horse is lame. When you have a bum knee, it hurts when you walk or run.

[Figman]

Just like you and me....sometimes when we feel a little sore or lame by moving around some it's gone. Many horses have a reputation of being "a little gimpy" and while warming up they come out of it. When they don't it is up to the rider and the vet at the gate to pay attention.

[Tom]

Back in the 70's, the big joke at FL was on Sunday afternoon, a horse was vet-scratched at the gate. While this was happening, the traininer was being shut off at the track bar! Double scratch!

[Macdiarmadillo]

Sorry, McSchell, but I said "some" and "maybe", not all. Don't think we know about stiff horses? Why don't you tell it to the jocks that NEVER warm up ANY horse they're on? There are way more of them than the ones in full gallop warmups. And I'm talking about the short-walking horses that walk directly behind the gate from the post parade and take the same time to get there as cantering horses take to get to the half mile pole. That's really dumb to me. Corey Black was famous for never warming up horses then suddenly changed his tune late in his career.

You're also implying that ALL jockeys warm up and ride to instruction from the trainer. When did this start happening?

[CryingForTheHorses]

Originally posted by Macdiarmadillo
Sorry, McSchell, but I said "some" and "maybe", not all. Don't think we know about stiff horses? Why don't you tell it to the jocks that NEVER warm up ANY horse they're on? There are way more of them than the ones in full gallop warmups. And I'm talking about the short-walking horses that walk directly behind the gate from the post parade and take the same time to get there as cantering horses take to get to the half mile pole. That's really dumb to me. Corey Black was famous for never warming up horses then suddenly changed his tune late in his career.

You're also implying that ALL jockeys warm up and ride to instruction from the trainer. When did this start happening?
If a jock doesnt do what I ask , He NEVER rides my horse again,Here at Calder we sometimes have short post parades because of the heavy storms, 'Doesnt seem to bother them" in the summer.Maybe those horses you see going right to the gate are either silly or "on their toes'..Cant tell you how they are in Cali but I do know here they are given a fair chance to warmup and start here in Fl.I NEVER said ALL jocks ride to instruction...Dont know where you see that!
I do also beleive that its very important for the vet to be there to see the horses as they get to the gate, Also the horses are checked by the State Vet on the morning of the race, This includes picking up the legs and feeling them for different things and they are also jogged down the shed for soundness.Trainers that send horses to the gate sore are just kidding themselves.LOTS of times a horse can be sore and STILL win.I have also seen trainers drop a sore horse hoping to have him claimed.I love that kind cause when you do claim them, You can fix them up and be boss for what you claimed them for.

[ranchwest]

Well, the vet may check every horse thoroughly in the morning at big tracks, but at small tracks I've regularly seen horses who would turn their hoof on every step and horses who could put almost no weight on one leg and these horses would go postward.

[Tom]

Originally posted by ranchwest
Well, the vet may check every horse thoroughly in the morning at big tracks, but at small tracks I've regularly seen horses who would turn their hoof on every step and horses who could put almost no weight on one leg and these horses would go postward.

Yeah, they're called favorites at FL!