The ugly underside of our favorite sport...

[Jeff P]

What if a partnership were formed between the local racing commission/track/horsemens group, etc. and one or more local horse rescues?

What if the local racing commission/track/horsemens group made it widely known that there's a program in place that makes it easy to "sell" your extra/unwanted horses directly to the local horse rescue?

AND THAT IF YOU ARE CAUGHT SELLING TO A KILL BUYER YOU ARE KICKED OUT OF THE GAME PERMANENTLY AND IN ALL RACING JURISDICTIONS.

Imo, such a program could involve printing up notices and posting them conspicuously throughout the plant... on bulletin boards, on stall applications, multiple places throughout the backside, hell print it in the track program, maybe even on the menu in the track kitchen, etc.

The idea being to make it virtually impossible for someone to say afterwards "I didn't know horse rescue was an option."

I hate to say it -- but it needs to be said -- in a state like Louisiana where racing is propped up by a casino/slots subsidy -- funding for the program needs to come out of the slots subsidy itself.

--Edit: Let's hear some feedback on the above. Thanks.


-jp

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[cj]

Originally Posted by Jeff P

What if a partnership were formed between the local racing commission/track/horsemens group, etc. and one or more local horse rescues?

What if the local racing commission/track/horsemens group made it widely known that there's a program in place that makes it easy to "sell" your extra/unwanted horses directly to the local horse rescue?

AND THAT IF YOU ARE CAUGHT SELLING TO A KILL BUYER YOU ARE KICKED OUT OF THE GAME PERMANENTLY AND IN ALL RACING JURISDICTIONS.

Imo, such a program could involve printing up notices and posting them conspicuously throughout the plant... on bulletin boards, on stall applications, multiple places throughout the backside, hell maybe even on the menu in the track kitchen, etc.

The idea being to make it virtually impossible for someone to say afterwards "I didn't know horse rescue was an option."

I hate to say it -- but it needs to be said -- in a state like Louisiana where racing is propped up by a casino/slots subsidy -- funding for the program needs to come out of the slots subsidy itself.


-jp

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My only question here would be how long can horse rescue groups continue to buy horses? This seems like it would put quite a strain on them pretty quickly. I don't pretend to have the answers, but I think there would need to be a lot more rescue groups that were also getting funding from somewhere other than donations.

[Mulerider]

Jeff -- I agree that the La. racinos should chip in...without the horses they have no racinos.

Rescues can do only so much with their business model as currently structured, relying primarily on small donations from people who actually give a damn about the horses.

I posted my thoughts on permanent funding earlier in the thread. It will take a lot of money; IMO, every component of the industry should contribute to it.

Mule

[cj]

Originally Posted by Mulerider

...every component of the industry should contribute to it.

Mule

I agree, other than I don't think bettors should have to be part of this unless they do so voluntarily. The price is too steep already. I'm not saying you think bettors should also pay, just adding my two cents.

[ultracapper]

Instead of throwing all that casino money into purses, a chunk should be designated for retired horses. Drop each casino fueled purse 3%, and you'd have millions annually to take care of these horses. Buy a couple ranches in the northern Rocky Mountain range and take care of literally thousands of horses, paid for by each push of the slot machine button.

[Mulerider]

Originally Posted by cj

I agree, other than I don't think bettors should have to be part of this unless they do so voluntarily. The price is too steep already. I'm not saying you think bettors should also pay, just adding my two cents.

CJ, I don't think bettors should have to pay, either, given current take levels.

But I think that any contribution that tracks were required to make would inevitably be passed on to us, anyway.

Without getting political, it's like my take on corporate taxes. Exxon, with its army of economists, accountants, and actuaries, can easily project what its annual corporate income tax will be. It's just an expense, like payroll or rent. Rest assured that Exxon's annual tax obligation is built in to to the price of every gallon you buy. And so it would be with any cost that tracks would be asked to pay.

Or, I suppose the contributions just be imposed upstream from the tracks.

Mule

[green80]

Originally Posted by Mulerider

Green80, the same economic pressures exist everywhere else in the industry, and yet we're not hearing about similar numbers at tracks anywhere else. Pennsylvania might not be far behind, but it's not yet at La. level.

I live just across the Sabine River, so the Louisiana racing culture is somewhat familiar. You have backyard owners and "trainers", many of whom ship on race day and don't stall. The horses are commodities to be used in their "hobby." And when their hobby gets too expensive, the horses are disposed of as quickly and easily as possible.

Am I wrong?

By the way, have you ever run across Super Trainer George Williams, with his impressive 7 career wins out of 375 career starts record?

It is most likely these backyard trainers and owners that are going to the kiill pen. They do not have the resources to keep these horses that are non productive. I know the big trainers all have some of these backyard trainers that they give their "bad" horses to.

And no, I have never run across George Williams but I know some that are about as impressive.

[cutchemist42]

Originally Posted by green80

As a Louisiana horseman, I can say there are no widely known rescue buyers for ex-racehorses. If an owner has several horses that are non useful anymore as racehorses and a buyer or even a giveaway taker cannot be found, he may have no other option in order to get these horses out of the feed tub. If anyone knows of any rescue buyers that will take all of these horses, post it here. From what I see, most owners would prefer not to send horses to the kill buyers but sometimes they have no other choice. I hear of horses almost weekly that owners want to find a home but no takers other than kill buyers.

Why is humane euthanasia not an option then?

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by cutchemist42

Why is humane euthanasia not an option then?

Because the Louisiana horsemen need the lousy 300-bucks.

[Mulerider]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

Because the Louisiana horsemen need the lousy 300-bucks.

Don't be too harsh. It might have saved a bass boat from repossession.

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by Mulerider

Don't be too harsh. It might have saved a bass boat from repossession.

Many years ago...I used to share a table at a local OTB with Dave Feldman...who was a long-time thoroughbred owner/trainer, and also a handicapper/columnist for the Chicago Sun Times. In a moment of deep reflection...this is what Feldman solemnly admitted to me:

"Gus, if you met some of the people on the backstretch...then you'd never wager another dollar on a horse for the rest of your life".

It's taken me many years...but I am finally beginning to understand what Feldman meant.

[baconswitchfarm]

Originally Posted by cutchemist42

Why is humane euthanasia not an option then?

In general , a vet will not put down a healthy animal because it is unwanted. I don't know of any rescue that will buy a horse directly from an owner. They only pay to get a horse from a killer buyer. But the killer buyers do now buy extra horses to sell to the rescues as a profit making enterprise. It is a disgusting cycle. By far the easiest solution seems to be to make it illegal to transport horses across the southern border.

[Tom]

What about taxing the breeders.
THEY breed these horses in the first place.
Do they not have a responsibility?

1%of every purse should go to taking care of the mess racing leaves behind.

[Mulerider]

This is Lucky Pierre, a 4-year-old gelded grandson of Unbridled. He is among the 24 horses rescued yesterday from Thompson's Kill Lot. He has a career record of 14: 1-2-2, avg. EPS $1,419.

His last trainer of record is Garrett Gautreaux, with 5 wins in 108 starts.

His last owner of record is Rox G. Pommier.

Here is Lucky Pierre after his win on 2/1/17.

Lucky Pierre.jpg

[Mulerider]

Eleven more for Jacob Thompson to use in his extortion business.

https://twitter.com/icareihelp/status/974387984710725633

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Last edited by Mulerider; 03-15-2018 at 05:26 PM.