Feinstein Wants Santa Anita Halted

[horsefan2019]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

The more I argue with you, the more likely it is for me to appear as the sort of anti-racing guy that you are railing against...when the truth is that I love this game, and I've been passionately supporting it for almost 40 years. I want this game to live on long after I am dead and gone...but that's not going to happen if the racing industry keeps their collective heads deep in the sand. These are serious issues being reported here, and they play on the heart-strings of the animal-loving public. Regardless of what our game has been able to get away with in the past...it cannot now be perceived as a blood-thirsty sport which holds no regard for its equine athletes, which are, after all, the sport's chief attraction. This isn't just about the Santa Anita breakdowns; there is also the disgraceful slaughterhouse issue nationwide...as well as the current employee underpayment policy presumed to be enacted by even the most successful trainers in this game. Put these issues all together, and our sport has a serious public-appeal problem...which the game's governing authorities can no longer afford to ignore.

The animal shelter deaths that you mention are disturbing, and the public knows about them...but there is no one that the public can blame for them...because the blame for that is shared by each and every one of us. Alas...the blame for the ills of horse racing is a lot more concentrated...and that warrants a much quicker response...IMO.

I don't disagree with you that the sport needs to be cleaned up. But when you have people with rallying cries like not one more horse death, and their aim is to shut down the track, there is no middle ground with these people. You can stop the meet, change the surface over to synthetics, and enact a strict anti-drug policy and they would still not be happy. In essence these people want to do to horse racing what they did to the circus and Seaworld. Hell, if you listen to the press release of the PETA representative they applauded some of the recent changes by the track, but stated that their goal was to make horse racing extinct.

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by horsefan2019

I don't disagree with you that the sport needs to be cleaned up. But when you have people with rallying cries like not one more horse death, and their aim is to shut down the track, there is no middle ground with these people. You can stop the meet, change the surface over to synthetics, and enact a strict anti-drug policy and they would still not be happy. In essence these people want to do to horse racing what they did to the circus and Seaworld. Hell, if you listen to the press release of the PETA representative they applauded some of the recent changes by the track, but stated that their goal was to make horse racing extinct.

PETA alone can't put an end to horse racing...any more than they can put an end to pet ownership in this country. PETA isn't the main problem here...the main problem is the incompetence and/or general apathy of the horse racing industry at large...who can't see a problem until it becomes a CATASTROPHE.

[The_Turf_Monster]

Originally Posted by horsefan2019

I don't disagree with you that the sport needs to be cleaned up. But when you have people with rallying cries like not one more horse death, and their aim is to shut down the track, there is no middle ground with these people. You can stop the meet, change the surface over to synthetics, and enact a strict anti-drug policy and they would still not be happy. In essence these people want to do to horse racing what they did to the circus and Seaworld. Hell, if you listen to the press release of the PETA representative they applauded some of the recent changes by the track, but stated that their goal was to make horse racing extinct.

There's no time here to clean it up, shut the track down and hope there's a big enough gap before the next headline that the activists find something else to move on to

[horsefan2019]

Originally Posted by The_Turf_Monster

There's no time here to clean it up, shut the track down and hope there's a big enough gap before the next headline that the activists find something else to move on to

I'm very aware when this current meet ends. The point I was making is that these are the same activists that want to shut down the track and the sport period. They do not care how they do it, that is their goal. Just look at their reactions at the recent CHRB meet at Santa Anita.

[The_Turf_Monster]

Originally Posted by horsefan2019

I'm very aware when this current meet ends. The point I was making is that these are the same activists that want to shut down the track and the sport period. They do not care how they do it, that is their goal. Just look at their reactions at the recent CHRB meet at Santa Anita.

Agreed, so stop giving them a forum to do it

[cutchemist42]

Would this be a problem if Santa Anita had Woodbines safety record in a state like California?

[bob60566]

[QUOTE=thaskalos;2473193]PETA alone can't put an end to horse racing...any more than they can put an end to pet ownership in this country. PETA isn't the main problem here...the main problem is the incompetence and/or general apathy of the horse racing industry at large...who can't see a problem until it becomes a CATASTROPHE.[/QUOTE]

I agree but at this present time the only group that has the power to make the necessary changes that need to be done. ASAP. is the Stronach Group.And if people do not like it to bad.

[castaway01]

Every time I read the "they have an agenda" rebuttal, I have to point out that these exact criticisms of horse racing have been raised here many, many times over the years. But now that horse breakdowns are being noticed outside of the racing "bubble", everyone is becoming defensive. It's a shame the industry didn't spend the last 30 years becoming active and addressing these issues instead of ignoring everything. Yes, some tracks and individuals have taken action, but this is just horse racing's "cover it up and hope it all blows over" tactics coming back to haunt it.

[FenceBored]

Originally Posted by cutchemist42

Would this be a problem if Santa Anita had Woodbines safety record in a state like California?

Yes, maybe not at this moment, but soon. In looking last night for figures on harness fatalities I ran across this article about Australia on harnesslink.

http://www.harnesslink.com/News/Hors...the-first-time

While the main focus is on Thoroughbreds they're attacking the harness side as well and the harness fatality rate appears to be about 0.35 per thousand starts. ((13/36919)*1000), i.e. well below the Woodbine figure. The 88 horses who died on Woodbine's synth track (2009-2018) due to racing injuries within 72 hours of the race are still 88 horses who died due to racing. They won't focus on the fact that there were 97,588 starts and the rate is 0.90 per thousand. Nope, that's 88 horses over the last decade, compared to the 101 who died racing the Santa Anita main track (synth/dirt) over the same period.*




*See how I palmed the ball by not telling you how many starts were made over the Santa Anita main track in that decade (49,282)?

[classhandicapper]

There are two kinds of people the industry needs to be concerned about.

1. The average American that cares about the welfare of animals and will not look too kindly on any evidence of neglect or abuse. They will tolerate occasional accidents and even deaths because they understand that these things happen to animals in nature also, but they won't tolerate any sign of irresponsible behavior leading to unnecessary suffering or deaths.

2. Left wing animal rights terrorists.

IMO, the idea should be to continue working towards satisfying category #1 while exposing the spins, lies, deceit, career destruction, and any physical attacks on plant or people made by category #2 in their goal of destroying horse racing.

The PETA people are zealots. You should not negotiate with crazy people hell bent on your destruction. You should expose them for what they are.

Most people love animals but think PETA is a bunch of nuts. We should keep the perception that way while improving the safety and care of the horses because it's the right thing to do no matter what's going on.

[cutchemist42]

Originally Posted by classhandicapper

There are two kinds of people the industry needs to be concerned about.

1. The average American that cares about the welfare of animals and will not look too kindly on any evidence of neglect or abuse. They will tolerate occasional accidents and even deaths because they understand that these things happen to animals in nature also, but they won't tolerate any sign of irresponsible behavior leading to unnecessary suffering or deaths.

2. Left wing animal rights terrorists.

IMO, the idea should be to continue working towards satisfying category #1 while exposing the spins, lies, deceit, career destruction, and any physical attacks on plant or people made by category #2 in their goal of destroying horse racing.

The PETA people are zealots. You should not negotiate with crazy people hell bent on your destruction. You should expose them for what they are.

Most people love animals but think PETA is a bunch of nuts. We should keep the perception that way while improving the safety and care of the horses because it's the right thing to do no matter what's going on.

This is a great post. As a cat owner I've always laughed off PETAs view on animals and their practise and just shrugged it off as some extreme Cali-based animal cult with a few D list celebs.

[biggestal99]

Originally Posted by classhandicapper

2. Left wing animal rights terrorists.

I take offense at your characterization of the animal rights people as left wing


what makes them left wing as opposed to right wing animal rights terrorists?


Allan

[JeremyJet]

Originally Posted by biggestal99

I take offense at your characterization of the animal rights people as left wing


what makes them left wing as opposed to right wing animal rights terrorists?


Allan

Because MSM is involved. MSM is the propaganda machine of the left.

[airford1]

Originally Posted by biggestal99

I take offense at your characterization of the animal rights people as left wing


what makes them left wing as opposed to right wing animal rights terrorists?


Allan

The Wing Direction, Duh. This started with Diane the Bulldog Feinstein

[PaceAdvantage]

Originally Posted by Afleet

ask them if they are for abortion

You don't go there on the horse racing topics. Just don't do it.