Discouraging Early Retirement

[ranchwest]

Would the administration of this idea be a significant matter? You'd have to identify the sire status of every stakes entrant.

[Greyfox]

Originally Posted by alysheba88

Most horses are insured. Understand there are premiums which can be substantial. Just pointing out its not all or nothing

Most horses are not insured. However, if you have one that looks special and wins a major stakes race you might insure it. If it wins one of the Triple Crown races you'd better get even more insurance on it.
Having said that the insurance premiums on Triple Crown winners are very high.
If you continue to race the colt they are even higher. A sizeable chunk of all further winnings will just go to pay the insurance fees.
In horse racing decisions have to make economic sense. It makes no economic sense to keep racing a horse, when so much more can be earned back in the stud shed. Thus, you can wave good by to seeing triple crown winners again,
except that they are owned by a filthy rich Sheikh or similar type.

[ryesteve]

Originally Posted by ranchwest

Would the administration of this idea be a significant matter? You'd have to identify the sire status of every stakes entrant.

I imagine that there already exists a database that stores the year of birth of all thoroughbreds. It's just a matter of accessing it and doing the proper subtraction.

[Tom]

And who pays to have somebody do that?
I know my danged database refuse to spit out reports for me - it makes me do it, can you imagine that!

[ranchwest]

Originally Posted by ryesteve

I imagine that there already exists a database that stores the year of birth of all thoroughbreds. It's just a matter of accessing it and doing the proper subtraction.

It would need to be pretty fool-proof method. Imagine the controversy over a mistake.

[ryesteve]

Originally Posted by ranchwest

It would need to be pretty fool-proof method. Imagine the controversy over a mistake.

If the BC can keep track of all the requisite payments that maintain horses' eligibility, this seems trivial by comparison.

[alysheba88]

Originally Posted by Greyfox

Most horses are not insured. However, if you have one that looks special and wins a major stakes race you might insure it. If it wins one of the Triple Crown races you'd better get even more insurance on it.
Having said that the insurance premiums on Triple Crown winners are very high.
If you continue to race the colt they are even higher. A sizeable chunk of all further winnings will just go to pay the insurance fees.
In horse racing decisions have to make economic sense. It makes no economic sense to keep racing a horse, when so much more can be earned back in the stud shed. Thus, you can wave good by to seeing triple crown winners again,
except that they are owned by a filthy rich Sheikh or similar type.

Since the discussion was about top horses retiring early., I didnt think it necessary to point out those were the horses I was talking about were insured. The thread wasnt about 5k claimers retiring prematurely

[BadaBing]

I addition to Mr. Finley's idea,I would like to see the drug use in the sport disappear.This could be done very easy,with Keeneland taking the lead.Keeneland could give notice to the industry,say 3 years notice,that,Starting at the spring meet,2010,All horses racing at Keeneland Must be drug free.No Lasix,No Bute,No NOTHING! And,Then take it a step further and Deny any trainer who has had a positive in the last year from racing there.Then raise the purses there a little more as incentive.I would hope this would set an industry wide standard for the rest to follow.
I think by getting the drugs out of our sport will do nothing but provide benefits to the sport,especially improving the breed.Every year it is another superstar out of the game because of some stupid injury.Point Given,Smarty Jones,Afeet Alex,Barbaro,now Invasor.I am getting really sick of this.
We don't allow drugs in the workplace,in our schools,in other sports,so why are we allowing this to go on in thoroughbred racing?Let's put an end to it and improve the breed.