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COMMENTARY MAY 14, 2008 Racing critics misguided by John Mucciolo I read in a fortune cookie, of all places, that the wise learn more from fools than fools learn from the wise. That's the first thing that came to my mind after reading countless rambles from all over the globe in regards to animal health and the black-eye surrounding Thoroughbred racing. I’ve tried to make it a rule not to be vociferous when dealing with foolish remarks, but I have made an exception this time because bottling up so much anger and frustration is not good internally, and because more of us need to speak up to stop this smear campaign. One could not help feel saddened by the tragic and sudden loss of the courageous EIGHT BELLES (Unbridled's Song) following her second-place finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1) last Saturday. The Larry Jones-conditioned three-year-old filly, who came into the Derby off four straight wins and was made the clear fourth choice in the 134th Run for the Roses, put in a supreme performance to garner silver medal honors in the 20-horse field under Gabriel Saez. Most of us saw or have heard what ensued shortly after the burly lass crossed the wire, when she acquired the most puzzling of injuries that ultimately led to her having to be put down on the gallop out after the 1 1/4-mile test. What has followed this sickening occurrence has been nothing short of outrage, with blasphemous statements reverberating in regards to our beloved sport. My response to these knee-jerk and off-base remarks: Get a clue! The People for Ethical Treatment for Animals (PETA) have come out, behind clueless president Ingrid Newkirk, to blame Saez for his ride on the ultra-talented filly, claiming he may have been responsible for this mishap for overuse of the whip during the running of the race. Nothing could be farther from the truth. For an organization with so much backing, both in membership and financial forms, one would have thought that they would compile some data prior to making such a hateful and uneducated accusation against the talented jockey. The idea behind this senseless claim is so outlandish that it shouldn't be dignified with a response. And if one were to respond with a compilation of data to prove that Saez was at no fault, how would we dumb it down so the radical group would understand it? This is simply a case of someone making up their mind before the facts are in. I've considered starting a group, the People for Silencing PETA (PSPETA), but lack proper funding at this juncture. The synthetic-loving community is silently basking in their glory following this tragic event, as they found their newest platform to launch their anti dirt-track attacks. In a report in regards to fatalities on dirt versus synthetic released in March at the Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, the findings showed a fatality rate of 1.96 deaths per 1,000 starts on dirt tracks and 1.95 deaths per 1,000 starts on synthetic surfaces since the survey began. This is a phenomenal stat for anyone involved in the industry; remarkably less than one in 500 starters break down while racing. While the research was done to determine if all racing needed to take place on synthetic ovals, what came out of it was that the Thoroughbred athletes are being taken care of in a splendid fashion. We should be so lucky that there are so few catastrophes; the surface did not cause Eight Belles to break her ankles, because I witnessed in person 19 other entrants cross the finish line and gallop out under their own power. Bad luck, a bad step, cruel fate, something other than the dirt at Churchill Downs on May 3 was the reason. What also irks me is the fact that the voices being heard in regards to this tragedy are uneducated to our sport and thus do not have the background to provide legitimate criticism. Sports reporters and columnists, who cover racing four days per year, tops, have begun their rampage against our sport, our livelihood, our living; just for the sake of being heard and selling newspapers or getting hits on their web links. Those same baboons often write about the fact that horse racing is a dying sport, and they then try to kill it themselves when an occurrence like what happened in the Derby comes up. Maybe they're on a mission to bring us down, for reasons unbeknownst to me. My advice to you: Don't just talk to talk, have an idea about what may come out from your flapping gums before uttering such nonsense. Surely there is a poker tournament you'd be more adept at covering! The breed is constantly evolving, and the reasoning that we are now breeding unsound animals for the sole purpose of money is ludicrous. Nobody wants to select a mating for the purpose of having an unhealthy offspring, and anyone who thinks so is a fool. For the most part, this sport has always been about trying to breed the best to the best. Sometimes the best have minor issues upon retirement, but possibly, those ailments are not in solely in genetic form, but also in problems that occur during the grind of a racing career. The component of a Thoroughbred race horse, a 1,200-pound animal running 30-40 miles per hour on the thinnest of legs, could probably account for a vast majority of the physical injuries that compromise a horse. It's not crossing speed with speed, or Northern Dancer with Mr. Prospector, per se. The facts are that the Thoroughbred is a the most powerful and most fragile animal at the same time. Its part of their mystique and allure, and what fascinates the truest of fans in the sport. The treatment of race horses has undoubtedly improved ten-fold over time with the introduction of new technology, the constant monitoring of race tracks and the saturation of medical staff at each turn. I've also heard comments that we race horses at too young of an age in this time, but did anyone check in Peru or Europe or Australia, where they often have two-year-olds competing against older runners in prestigious races. American racing doesn't even allow that. So the "they treat horses better in other parts of the world" argument should be quickly put to rest. The truth behind all of this muddled data is that more horses are alive, an infinite amount of them, due to the fact that horse racing exists, than there would be living if we had no such sport. It's a simple fact. And for those that haven't a single iota how these beautiful creatures are cared for need only to visit Central Kentucky to see how well equines are treated. Heated and air-conditioned stalls, manicured paddocks, custom feeding programs to fit each individual; there is no question that Thoroughbreds get better treatment than some humans in these parts. For much of my adult life, I've heard that "all press is good press." It's false. Don't believe everything you hear. We've all heard the saying, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." That applies here.
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