tunnel vision

[46zilzal]

In all this concern (and rightly so) about rash of breakdowns at both CD and Saratoga, it is downright comical that ALL are being blamed on their respective courses (most of which have not changed one iota in years) rather than explore a wider number of POTENTIAL reasons (drug over use: The administration of furosemide resulted in a significant increase in calcium excretion in the treated group; urinary calcium excretion almost doubled that of the controls during the first 24-hr collection (3.74 + 0.44 mg in the treated animals compared with 1.90 f 0.15 mg in the controls; P < 0.05). .less calcium available, slower replacement in protein matrix of Calcium hydroxyapatite
https://www.nature.com/articles/pr1980517.pdf.
2) training procedures
3) Breeding speed to speed (mostly from sires that broke down themselves) by commercial breeders who want a quick turnaround in their investments. Taking this short cut through precocity just will not work long term.

It is this last area of evaluation that needs further investigation. I don't have data to substantiate it, but I would wager that measurements of pastern circumference in horse running in the 40's as compared to today would show a marked decrease in bulk. Less bulk, weaker bone and coupled with the known Calcium duresis from furosemide, that spells a double whammy against any long term soundness.

[castaway01]

Surgeries, drugs, and other procedures that have made unsound horses able to race, succeed, and later to breed have definitely weakened the thoroughbred. The obvious issue is that unsafe racecourses can theoretically be addressed overnight, if necessary, while changing the entire breeding industry would take generations.

[Bustin Stones]

People in the racing industry sustain their operations by breeding, buying, training and racing speed and stamina. They don't care if the horse lives half as long or leads a miserable existence. They can't afford to because the incentives are what they are. It's no different in auto racing, boat racing, camel racing or you name it.
The incentives keep the status quo. And you aren't going to change those incentives. Prepare for more of the same. If you want to wring your hands over the results, it's okay. Most of the horses are hale enough to avoid breaking down.
We gonna stop playing football because of head and neck injuries? Nope.

[Robert Fischer]

the tunnel vision is the belief that there is some 'cure' to breakdowns or that because of a spike of breakdowns during Saratoga and around the Derby at CD, that somehow 'breeding' or 'drugs' or whatever you guys' imagine is making breakdowns worse.

For the most part they are happening LESS, there just happened to be a cluster and a spike during a time you happened to notice this go around