How to talk to your friends about racing

[Andy Asaro]

A for effort but this stuff drives me nuts. We shouldn't have to talk about this stuff all the time. We should be talking about the horses and gambling on horse racing as a gambling game of skill.

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[MJC922]

As I've said in the past the only answer is no drugs in racing, period. As long as the trainers are deciding on whether or not their should be drugs, then we'll always have how much, how many hours before etc, it's honestly never going to change. The sport insists on being a little bit pregnant well then yea surprise there's an overage. This is normal and inevitable and like I said Bob gives every impression that he's going to do whatever it takes to take these races, even if it's a bit shady. That's the man. I don't dislike the guy, I have a great respect for his ability, under the current system.

[MJC922]

As for talking to friends about racing, I never did talk racing with my two closest friends, never mentioned it. Even when I was betting for a living I didn't mention it, they thought I was working somewhere that I'd been working years before. I talked racing with family and my track friends, that was about it.

[Dave Schwartz]

Originally Posted by MJC922

As I've said in the past the only answer is no drugs in racing, period. As long as the trainers are deciding on whether or not their should be drugs, then we'll always have how much, how many hours before etc, it's honestly never going to change. The sport insists on being a little bit pregnant well then yea surprise there's an overage. This is normal and inevitable and like I said Bob gives every impression that he's going to do whatever it takes to take these races, even if it's a bit shady. That's the man. I don't dislike the guy, I have a great respect for his ability, under the current system.

That ship has sailed because probably 75% of all race horses cannot race without some medications and these needs have been bred into TBreds.

I recall a figure from the '80s in California that said 80% of horses there use Lasix on race day.

So, would you suggest that we simply race with a fraction of the horses or would you think they should simply "walk off" their injuries and pains?

Now building a better future would start with giving horses that race medication-free a bonus if they W-P-S. Also, purse bonuses to the breeders for horses racing after age 4 or 5 would also reward positive breeding practices.

[vegasone]

In the 80’s first time lasix was a good handicapping advantage. It was not 80% that I recall. Now almost every horse seems to be on something.

[MJC922]

Originally Posted by Dave Schwartz

That ship has sailed because probably 75% of all race horses cannot race without some medications and these needs have been bred into TBreds.

I recall a figure from the '80s in California that said 80% of horses there use Lasix on race day.

So, would you suggest that we simply race with a fraction of the horses or would you think they should simply "walk off" their injuries and pains?

Now building a better future would start with giving horses that race medication-free a bonus if they W-P-S. Also, purse bonuses to the breeders for horses racing after age 4 or 5 would also reward positive breeding practices.

Horses injured and in pain shouldn't be racing anymore IMO. If the horse needs painkillers to compete that's not good IMO. If the horse is being rested on the farm to heal up after an injury of course painkillers should be used to help ease the discomfort.