46zilzal
02-11-2010, 11:18 AM
If you get the chance, you owe it to yourself to get this very good book by Jim Squires (author of Horse of a Different Color)
In it he reviews all he perceives to having gone wrong in the management of thoroughbred racing from the "iron fist" control of the Jockey Club (run by a group of "Dinnies" in reference to Dinny Phipps, and completely out of touch with any aspect of the game other than the breeders), says some very complimentary things about the Maktoums and they way they deal not only with their horses, but their staff as well, and hints that it was "quarter horse trainers and those who came to thoroughbred racing through that portal" (Lukas, Baffert, Pletcher, and Assmussen) who brought in the popular steroiding of horse from their quarter horse roots where it has become a common co-factor when showing that breed.
He follows the plight of Arthur Hancock III and his brave, but so far futile stance, in stating the obvious "the breed is being ruined by drug induced performance that will eventually destroy it," and the hesitance of the industry to understand he is doing just the same thing as in the fairy tale of The Kings Clothes. He has testified to Congress in an effort to do two things: 1) have a national racing board with uniform rules that has a racing commissioner who can deal with the drug problems and 2) to change the Interstate Horse Act of 1978 to bring about this unification. Industry "status quo" insiders have, of course, labeled him a traitor and are fighting his plan tooth and nail.
He goes into, at length, all of the wheeling and dealing done at horse auctions to rob prospective buyers through some very questionable tactics of overcharging, re-selling or in pressuring others NOT to bid on prospective foals from consignors who don't play along. He reviews the ridiculous way that two year old in training sales now heavily depend upon how fast a baby can run an eight of a mile before the assembled crowds as somehow being a conclusive factor in how good that foal might be then shows how it backfired many times, particularly with the awfully named Green Monkey. It would make you think twice about ever entering a sale in hopes of getting a honest return on your investment.
A good read to anyone interesting in trying to save racing from the assembled HEADLESS horsemen who now control the show from the top down and show no signs of ever relinquishing a bit of that power, and how the WORLD is still breeding good horse while the domestic production is in serious trouble.
In it he reviews all he perceives to having gone wrong in the management of thoroughbred racing from the "iron fist" control of the Jockey Club (run by a group of "Dinnies" in reference to Dinny Phipps, and completely out of touch with any aspect of the game other than the breeders), says some very complimentary things about the Maktoums and they way they deal not only with their horses, but their staff as well, and hints that it was "quarter horse trainers and those who came to thoroughbred racing through that portal" (Lukas, Baffert, Pletcher, and Assmussen) who brought in the popular steroiding of horse from their quarter horse roots where it has become a common co-factor when showing that breed.
He follows the plight of Arthur Hancock III and his brave, but so far futile stance, in stating the obvious "the breed is being ruined by drug induced performance that will eventually destroy it," and the hesitance of the industry to understand he is doing just the same thing as in the fairy tale of The Kings Clothes. He has testified to Congress in an effort to do two things: 1) have a national racing board with uniform rules that has a racing commissioner who can deal with the drug problems and 2) to change the Interstate Horse Act of 1978 to bring about this unification. Industry "status quo" insiders have, of course, labeled him a traitor and are fighting his plan tooth and nail.
He goes into, at length, all of the wheeling and dealing done at horse auctions to rob prospective buyers through some very questionable tactics of overcharging, re-selling or in pressuring others NOT to bid on prospective foals from consignors who don't play along. He reviews the ridiculous way that two year old in training sales now heavily depend upon how fast a baby can run an eight of a mile before the assembled crowds as somehow being a conclusive factor in how good that foal might be then shows how it backfired many times, particularly with the awfully named Green Monkey. It would make you think twice about ever entering a sale in hopes of getting a honest return on your investment.
A good read to anyone interesting in trying to save racing from the assembled HEADLESS horsemen who now control the show from the top down and show no signs of ever relinquishing a bit of that power, and how the WORLD is still breeding good horse while the domestic production is in serious trouble.