Full Cup blinker

[46zilzal]

doesn't the racing association have to tell the crowd that a horse is blind in one eye? Was under the impression that a completely closed blinker was ONLY allowed when a horse was blind in that eye. Case in point: number 9 horse in the 9th at Arlington Thursday Sept 8.

[Steve 'StatMan']

It would be better, but they don't tell us, at least not in IL anyway. Some may use a full blinker cup, others may wear a plastic bubble over it.

We had a handful the last few years that had lost an eye completely, usually early in their lives. A couple even had this trait noted in their names. One from the 2000 season was named Unoojo, which was Spanish for One Eye. He raced without covering over the missing eye, which was lost as a yearling when kicked by another horse. His skin & fur grew over the empty socket.

Unoojo never won locally, but once in a great while one does win here. That they even compete with only 1 eye, let alone earn reasonable shares in the claiming races, amazes me. Those horses truly have guts.

[Sundown]

I've noticed different types of blinkers and was wondering as to their function. You see the "normal" ones that allows a horse to still see quite a bit, I'd call it a half-blinker. Then there is the really big cup that must really restrict a horses view. The horse that really drew my attention to this had both kinds on, the smaller one on the inside/left eye and the big blinker on the outside/right eye. I figured that would help in the stretch with the crowd, this was at Retama where the crowd isn't large or boisterous, although I guess could still be a distraction.

I would almost think the cup blinker would make a horse more skittish given their nature, but don't you cover their eyes to calm them down. Also, I guess that's why a blinker change off/on can be reason for a bet.

[Perilous]

Sometimes they have a full cup on because they "get out" really bad, usually accompanied with a extension bit.

[Observer]

A recent one-eyed runner who was pretty successful was Pollard's Vision .. and in the early 80s .. there was a horse named Cassaleria who ran in the Derby.

[46zilzal]

.. and in the early 80s .. there was a horse named Cassaleria who ran in the Derby.

Watched this one dead heat in the Longacres Derby.