What Kind of Hit Will Racing Take If Barbaro Dies?

[Danzig]

maybe to you sumitas, but that's far from a consensus. i assume you ARE talking about Barbaro, right? i mean, who the hell is bobby?

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Bold Brooklynite

Hey ... get with it fella ... before long we'll all be eating polytrack for breakfast ... wearing polytrack clothes ... and living in polytrack houses.

In fact ... I just switched to a polytrack keyboard ... and man-oh-man ... do my fingertips feel great !!!

lol

maybe highways should be paved with the stuff. think of the possibilities. matter of fact, i think i'll put it in my yard, to heck with mowing!

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by Bold Brooklynite

World War III has started... and I think that'll get a lot more coverage.

Ruffian and Go For Wand also happened on national TV ... to much bigger audiences ... and they had zero short-term and long-term impact.

The Barbaro story? It'll be debated here forever. To the general public ... it'll be fifteen minutes ... and out.

BB, you are dead wrong here. The Ruffian incident caused some fans to go away forever. In fact, it ushered in a decline in racing. The impact was severe.

Well...I love racing! I'm also a PETA member. I can balance the two by demanding that racing continue to police itself, cut down on illegal use of drugs and other abuses, and constantly seek safer surfaces, equipment etc. I think folks that take the "all or nothing" point of view are indeed well-intentioned but misguided. There is a time to work within the system and a time to tear the system down and start anew...at this point, I feel racing is populated mainly by good folks who love horses are really do want to make it safer for horse and jockey alike. It's easy to see the dishonesty and cruelty, tougher to see the everyday acts of compassion and caring! Racing will survive as long as it has a right to survive....if it turns it's back on it's problems, it loses that right!
__________________


Hmmm Love racing but im a Peta member. Dont make sense to me , Actually its a definite conflict of interest. You are commenting why? Racing is run by a bunch of rich people whom use the poor's labor to get wealthier. As a Peta Member you should be trying to BAN all types of racing not commenting on how it can be safer or better. BAHHHHHH

[Danzig]

or tao, maybe it's yet another example of life not being a clear cut matter of black and white!!

sure are a LOT of judgemental people herabouts.....taking others to task about voicing their opinion, and now telling a poster he is conflicted.

oh, and why would PETA care that the rich are employing the poor??? (on a side note, how many poor people do you know who employ others?)

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

How is that clear? Seems like a pretty bold comment to me I mean what evidence do you have that the surface was the cause?

well, duh, dahoss!! it's OBVIOUS that the surface is to blame for the simple fact that it's NOT POLY!! (slather on that sarcasm THICK when reading that)

[GenuineRisk]

I'm always amused (when I'm not annoyed) by the people who say, "But it's so cruel to force those horses to run around like that!" I usually respond, "Have you ever tried to get a 1000 pound animal to do something he doesn't want to do?"

Personally, I don't think anyone who isn't a vegan should be lecturing horse racing fans about "cruelty," as the conditions feed animals are kept in make a $5000 claimer's life look like the Ritz. And these lecturers are directly supporting that cruelty with their lunch money.

(And no, I'm not a vegan. Giving up cheese would just about break my heart. )

[sumitas]

Danzig, i can't believe a sober person would make some of your posts...in any event, i'm all for improvements to horse racing and the world as a whole.

[Suffolk Shippers]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

I wonder if the outcry will be muted b/c he wasn't put down on Preakness Day. A little less fresh in the public minds.....Again, I'm being realistic here, I obviously hope he lives, but I think he's 1 in a 1000 right now.

I dont think the outcry will be much less. The fact is, if this had happened in the Tropical Park Derby or some pseudo obscure race, this would be less of a story. But, it happened before a LIVE nation wide audience with a huge crown in attendence and it happened to the sports newest golden boy. The story had faded recently because he was doing so well. However, now since his condition has slipped, you can see it bubbling back to the surface. For example, getting dressed this AM, it was mentioned in the same lead on Good Morning America as the Israel-Hezbolla conflict.

The media has its own agenda, and sensational stories get opening/top of the fold coverage. Sadly, this story has it all. Meteoric rise, powerful victory, terrible sadness and now maybe a tragic ending. If this horse cannot make it, it's top or just off the top news for a few days. And that may produce a deluge of bad PR that this sport just cannot deal with.

Regardless, Barbaro...I've cashed some tickets in my day that had some long odds on them. Right now, you are one of them and I hope I get to cash this one too. God bless.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by sumitas

It's clear the surface was the cause of Bobby's injury...

It's " clear"?

Honestly, if Polytrack really is the " answer " for racing, it will be people like you that will prevent it from happening.

[alysheba4]

there will be zero loss of fan base / wagering $$$ because of barbaro...... the people who will never watch another horse race again are the folks who come outta the woodwork once a year for the derby.



p.s i am not brushing aside the heartbreaking barbaro tragedy...... he was my favorite horse since 1987 and the preakness was a punch in the gut for me.

[sumitas]

I appreciate your wise post suffolk...horse racing is moving ahead to synthetics, thank God. there are always obstructionists with vested interests that are afraid of change so horse racing will eventually overcome those as well. in the mean time, these tragedies continue...but let's cash this ticket...well said friend.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by alysheba4

there will be zero loss of fan base / wagering $$$ because of barbaro...... the people who will never watch another horse race again are the folks who come outta the woodwork once a year for the derby.



p.s i am not brushing aside the heartbreaking barbaro tragedy...... he was my favorite horse since 1987 and the preakness was a punch in the gut for me.

I agree 100%.

[randallscott35]

This article is pretty much what you can expect here on in.

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercu...s/15033159.htm


BY the way, I would like to see additional fan base too. Not just old guys at the OTB everyday. Yes, I realize they aren't going anywhere.

[alysheba4]

randall, you are late tonight........no summer school for you this year

[Suffolk Shippers]

Originally Posted by alysheba4

there will be zero loss of fan base / wagering $$$ because of barbaro...... the people who will never watch another horse race again are the folks who come outta the woodwork once a year for the derby.



p.s i am not brushing aside the heartbreaking barbaro tragedy...... he was my favorite horse since 1987 and the preakness was a punch in the gut for me.

Im not even sure you lose the wood work people...the fact is, America loves a winner and if the Derby winner has some kind of compelling story, or dramatic victory, they are immediately ushered in as America's Darling animal for five or six weeks.

Regardless of how Barbaro turns out, next year, 18 or 20 3 year old will launch from the gate at Churchill Downs and become the "next big thing" when they win it. Its just as likely when they win, they become a horse like Funny Cide, Afleet Alex or Smarty Jones. A fun, popular, easy to root for animal. America lives for that stuff and falls in love with that.

I'm not a wood worker, I love the game, every day of the year. But, like Alysheba says, this is just a kick in the gut. One that really hurts.

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by alysheba4

randall, you are late tonight........no summer school for you this year

Is that a shot or a joke? I'm laughing.

No actually I had to go in the last 3 days for curriculum work. No summer school for me, unless you consider studying the ponies work. I need the summer to be ready for September....Saratoga just a few weeks away.

[sumitas]

The article eloquently sums up where we are at this stage of the game. A very unacceptable place to be with a whole lot of room for improvement.

tx for posting it.

[alysheba4]

no, no shot bro...... my uncle has been teaching high school here in so cal forever, so i know when summer school starts plus i thought you live in the east

[randallscott35]

I was just kidding sheba. Yeah I'm in Jersey but I don't teach summer school....Maybe at some point in the future, but not yet.