Don't ya just hate it when...

[Observer]

the horse you like in a race has an equipment mulfunction after the gates spring open that effectively eliminates you from the race. Saddles that slip, bridles that are put on wrong and equipment that breaks, like reins, should just not happen.

[CamptownRaces.com]

Yeah.... Today's 5th at BM I had one of my horses fall down, which in turn, knocked my other horse down as well...

Killed me right there...

[Observer]

I know what you mean, but I just find these equipment problems completely inexcusable. Honestly, how does a groom put a bridle on wrong .. especially in a G1 stakes race like the Santa Anita Derby? How does a rein just happen to break during the running of a race? The girth thing, I can be a little more understanding on that one, since I've known horses who make it tricky when tightening the girth. (They'll expand their ribcage, and won't relax until they're moving around). These are all preventable circumstances.

Most breakdowns and spills aren't nearly as preventable, and are unfortunately an accepted part of the game. We even handicap with caution when we see a horse with lots of layoff lines or one taking a "suspicious drop," in fear of the worst. But when do we ever handicap thinking the handlers have overlooked the equipment?

[JustRalph]

I had $20 across on a Horse that was a major live long shot at Penn National Race course last spring. He was 18-1 and 3-1 on the morning line. The problem the public didn't care for was a last race where the line read "in tight, bumped rail, stopped" or something like that. I ran my computer sim 20 different ways and he was in the top two on every run. He was in a condition claimer where he had won 3 out of something like 6 races. He was in the money in all of them. I was ready for a nice payoff. He loads in the gate as the number two horse in a mile 70 race. As they are loading the other horses the #2 front gates just open up, for no reason. My horse breaks out like a bullet and surpises the jock who falls backwards off the horse and lands hard. The out-riders start chasing him and he runs down the track with two riders in hot pursuit. They pull the other horses and keep the camera on a 10 minute fiasco where they chase my horse around the track like a bunch of stooges (as in the famous 3) and finally catch him lathered up at the back of the gate again (since he ran clear around the track and back and forth). I am guessing he has already run a couple of 4 furlong sprints at full bore now. The out-rider ponies look like they are going to die. The track vet walks over and they give him a once over ( I am having a fit now waiting on them to scratch him) and they load him in and there they go. He got probably 2-3 minutes rest. The amazing thing was, he goes to the front at about the 3 furlong mark (this horse was a dead closer) running on straight adrenaline. He leads them back to the stretch turn and throws out an anchor and finishes maybe 5th ( i think he actually beat 3 horses). The rider cannot even gallop him out. He stops just passed the finish line and dismounts and waits for a truck to come and pick him up. You can see them picking him up in the background while they are taking the winners picture. I couldn't believe it. I put him on my watch list and about a month later he runs down at MTR park. He is going a mile. He breaks from the gate and has a ten length lead on the field and another $20 of my money on him. He gets to the back stretch and literally stopped. They had to veer around him. So after a 90 day layoff he comes back at Penn and goes in a very low level claimer at what I think was another mile race. I loaded up on him and he beat em by 7-8 in a hand ride. He finally paid me back. He was claimed out of the race But I have never received another email about him running. Last month I took him off my list. I could tell you about the Maiden I had at Golden Gate that was dusting the field at 15-1 in a sprint and came around the stretch turn with Russell Baze (yeah it was a pickup ride, I know he never goes off that long) smiling and a nice big lead. I was practically betting the winnings on the next race when the horse turned dead right and tried to run thru a closed gate. It wasn't pretty and Baze took the ride of his life. Don't you love it!!!!