Say Cousin Lenny
 

I don't know about the rest of you, but wouldn't you say Say Cousin Lenny deserved a better fate than breaking down in a $14K claimer at Belmont today, coming back off a year layoff after banking over $216K for his owner/breeder? Was it really necessary to run him for a tag for the first time in his career off that layoff when obviously something had gone wrong considering he ran arguably the best race of his lifetime last July 23rd?

I'm not exactly a " pretty horsey " type of guy, and I suppose it's a little late to make this gripe, though I did discuss this much earlier with a friend of mine, but what happened today was sickening. Horses break down, it happens, but it's hard to find a reason why this one was running in this race today.

I wanted to vomit myself. I always liked him and one day he helped key a dramatic turnaround at the track for me. Loved him since that day. It was Alabama Day in 2004 and i was getting buried, down about 1500 bucks. Had 50 bucks left and caught a race on the simulcast from delaware toget back 300. I then used Lenny at 20-1 underneath Friendly Island(a huge fave) in exactas and tris and he came though like a champ running 2nd. By the time Society Selection won the Alabama my comeback was complete. He was really the catalyst in it. I never forgot that day or that horse and when he broke down I said a prayer for him. Im no pretty horsey guy either but he deserved better than that. RIP Lenny and thanks for the comeback on that hot day at Saratoga.

RIP Lenny.

I'm always upset by this sort of thing, I understand that the owners are in the game to try to make money but when a horse has already given you his best why is it he must do it over and over when he may not be well?
The same thing happens all the time on farms, I have watched aged mares hemmorhage to death after foaling when they have no business being pregnant in the first place...mares with a history of complications and over the age of 20...the owners say they want "just one more foal" and they often get the foal but lose the mare...which I suppose costs less than supporting her as a pensioner...sucks. it's a side of the game that I can't come to terms with....I guess i am a 'pretty horsey' person.

Couldn't agree more. That kind of drop scared me from even thinking about betting him. But its awful to see.