crunk_o Twitter thread about the Santa Anita breakdown problem....

[cutchemist42]

Originally Posted by Lemon Drop Husker

How about a very long and hard look at breeding?

This is well beyond being just a track problem.

This filly was a 2nd generation Indian Charlie who ran a grand total of 5 career races; and never ran a race after the Kentucky Derby. Her immediate sire is Indian Gods who was 0 for 6 lifetime.

It is no secret we've had decades long breeding for speed over soundness.

Simply look at Justify who ran 6 career races over a 112 day period and goes straight to the breeding shed for $150K a shot.

Would horse racing be healthier if the Triple Crown wasn't as important as it was? All this breeding is geared towards quick 3 year old speed it seems.

[Someday Silent]

Originally Posted by mike_123_ca

"We're perplexed by what has happened and devasted," said Tim Ritvo

http://www.foxla.com/news/local-news...nta-anita-park

Even freakin' Ray Charles would be able to see this one coming from a mile away.

[Lemon Drop Husker]

Originally Posted by cutchemist42

Would horse racing be healthier if the Triple Crown wasn't as important as it was? All this breeding is geared towards quick 3 year old speed it seems.

I'm no expert, but Drayden Van Dyke might be worth a listen.

Twitter

[rtnwin]

Long time lurker, first time poster.

Agree with Psychotic Parakeet the initial problem is the sealing of the track during heavy rains.
Note the fractions below:
12Jan19SA7 6f wfs :21.1 :44 :56 1:08.3 Clm 12500n2L
It’s absurd when Clm12500n2L are running that fast and should have been an indication of potential issues to the horses.
Running on a repeatedly sealed track during and after heavy rain is not the same as running on a hard fast track such as Turf Paradise. The key difference is the track base. Everyone seems to focus on the several inches of cushion where the horse’s hooves actually contact. The composition of the underlying base is just as important due to energy displacement.
When a horse hoof contacts the surface during a race the energy must be displaced properly to minimize the potential for damage to the horse. If you have 12” of cushion above a concrete base versus a sand base the difference in energy absorption is dramatic.
When a track is sealed, compaction of the surface cushion and the base occurs. Furrowing only affects the surface cushion and maintenance that seals tracks, usually doesn’t furrowing deeply as they want to maintain a fast surface. Additionally, sand, clay, and other solids are poor at absorbing energy, it’s the space between the material that allows displacement for absorption and dissipation. A sealed track allows more water to run off but some is absorbed and fills the space well down into the base. Since there is less “give” the base cannot absorb as much energy and some will bounce back towards the surface (similar to the Doppler Effect). Admittedly, some of this will occur even if the track isn’t sealed but the condition is defiantly more of an issue when it is.
As some have noted, the track is probably fine now, but the damage to the horses has been done. No horse should be allowed to work or race until thoroughly examined, including leg scans. Unlikely to happen.
Of course, this is only a short term issue. Race day drugs including Lasix and breeding issues are the larger problem.

[Tom]

Bottom line, nothing has been fixed.
The track has failed to make racing safe.
Have they announced the March 20 return is now off?

Everything they have said and done since this started has done nothing.
Total failure.

They should not be allowed to reopen.
I would also suggest no SA horses be allowed to ship and run anywhere, including the Rebel.
At least until cleared by a bone scan.

[castaway01]

Originally Posted by cutchemist42

Would horse racing be healthier if the Triple Crown wasn't as important as it was? All this breeding is geared towards quick 3 year old speed it seems.

I don't disagree that breeding unsound horses has weakened the breed, but why would that only affect one racetrack? This is just happening at Santa Anita. If it's not someone bring out the data.

[Dahossdaboss]

Originally Posted by castaway01

I don't disagree that breeding unsound horses has weakened the breed, but why would that only affect one racetrack? This is just happening at Santa Anita. If it's not someone bring out the data.

It seems like it is a little bit of everything. Horsemen were getting pressure to run more frequently so there were fuller fields. This led to them overworking and running horses that could not handle it. They sealed the hell out of the track every time it rained which created a dangerous at times surface. Horses might have come out of the races or works over the surface with issues that either were not detected or not considered that bad and it was business as usual so they went back to the track sooner than they should. That doesn’t even address what roles the vets may or may not have had.

It’s a really bad situation that got worse today. Unfortunate Ritvo doesn’t seem bright enough to put out the fires and instead is added gas to them.

[biggestal99]

Originally Posted by castaway01

I don't disagree that breeding unsound horses has weakened the breed, but why would that only affect one racetrack? This is just happening at Santa Anita. If it's not someone bring out the data.

How many breakdowns at turfway.

I showed my wife the track on an extremely rainy Saturday.

She said it’s not sloppy why not?

Duh it’s synthetic.

108 raced. 108 came home in one piece.

Allan

[airford1]

Originally Posted by biggestal99

How many breakdowns at turfway.

I showed my wife the track on an extremely rainy Saturday.

She said it’s not sloppy why not?

Duh it’s synthetic.

108 raced. 108 came home in one piece.

Allan

At this point Santa Anita might not have any other choice and I dont think they would do that.

[Tom]

SA has already proven they do not have the capability to install a poly track.
Several times.

Incompetence rules at the Great Race Place.

[airford1]

Originally Posted by Lemon Drop Husker

I'm no expert, but Drayden Van Dyke might be worth a listen.


https://twitter.com/DraydenV/status/1106230356158513152

Let me hear that from Mike Smith, Martin Pedrosa or even Gary Stevens.

[HalvOnHorseracing]

Originally Posted by airford1

At this point Santa Anita might not have any other choice and I dont think they would do that.

Anything other than dirt means no Breeder's Cup

[Jeff P]

by Belinda Stronach | 03.14.2019 | 4:26pm
Santa Anita Implements Lasix Ban, Increased Restrictions On Therapeutic Drugs Following 22nd Fatal Breakdown:
https://www.paulickreport.com/news/t...tal-breakdown/

The following statement was distributed to media Thursday afternoon as an “open letter” from Stronach Group chairman and president Belinda Stronach following the track's 22nd fatal breakdown during morning training at Santa Anita.

What has happened at Santa Anita over the last few weeks is beyond heartbreaking. It is unacceptable to the public and, as people who deeply love horses, to everyone at The Stronach Group and Santa Anita.

The sport of horse racing is the last great sporting legacy platform to be modernized. If we expect our sport to grow for future generations, we must raise our standards.

Today, I'm announcing The Stronach Group will take the unprecedented step of declaring a zero tolerance for race day medication at Santa Anita Park and Golden Gate Fields. These Thoroughbred racetracks will be the first in North America to follow the strict International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) standards.

We have arrived at a watershed moment. The Stronach Group has long been a strong advocate for the abolishment of race-day medication, but we will wait no longer for the industry to come together as one to institute these changes. Nor will we wait for the legislation required to undertake this paradigm shift. We are taking a stand and fully recognize just how disruptive this might be.

This mandate encompasses a complete revision of the current medication policy to improve the safety of our equine and human athletes and to raise the integrity of our sport.

These revisions comprise best practices currently employed at racetracks around the world:

• Banning the use of Lasix.
• Increasing the ban on legal therapeutic NSAIDS, joint injections, shockwave therapy, and anabolic steroids.
• Complete transparency of all veterinary records.
• Significantly increasing out-of-competition testing.
• Increasing the time required for horses to be on-site prior to a race.
• A substantial investment by The Stronach Group in diagnostic equipment to aid in the early detection of pre-existing conditions.
• Horses in training are only allowed therapeutic medication with a qualified veterinary diagnosis.

Additionally, it is time to address the growing concern about use of the riding crop. A cushion crop should only be used as a corrective safety measure. While we firmly believe our jockeys have not purposely been mistreating their mounts, it is time to make this change.

These modernizations are in addition to the previously announced commitment to the continued engagement of outside experts to regularly review our dirt, turf and synthetic courses for consistency, composition and compaction to create the safest racing surfaces in the world.

We will be continuing our daily conversations with industry stakeholders to further define these transformative guidelines. But make no mistake: these changes will be implemented. The time to discuss “why” these advancements must take place is over. The only thing left to discuss is “how.”

-jp

.

[ClockersCorner]

Seems Ms. Stronach has the courage to make a decision - unlike so many.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by HalvOnHorseracing

Anything other than dirt means no Breeder's Cup

I am not sure at all this is true.

But hosting the BC is the least of SA's problems rn