I know its Derby time, and Spring has sprung.
Keeneland has some very good racing coming up over the next few days.
Belmont opens soon, and if you love to bet turf sprints, you will be very busy.
In about 100 days Saratoga will be open.
Hegarty\'s article in DRF: \"Horse Slaughter: Don\'t Ask, Don\'t Tell\" is not easy
to read.
Racing needs to undergo controlled contraction. We are breeding too many unsound
uncompetitive horses, some of whom will end up being slaughtered, others who
will end up neglected. Still others will unfortunately end up being euthanized
behind a thin screen at a racetrack.
If the number of racing facilities is decreased by economic conditions, but the
\"greeders\" continue in their mass production mode, the problem only becomes
worse.
The breeding industry needs to be taken a hold of. There should be onerous
surcharges on profits made by pinhookers at auction. Take some of this money
and use it to improve the lot of all thoroughbreds.
A horse should not be allowed to enter stud until the age of 5.
Set an upper limit on the number of times a stallion can be bred each year,
lets say 80. This upper limit should be lower for stallions who are not stakes
winners or who are unraced. (Brief Book Review: \"The Kingmaker\" by Avalyn Hunter
is a great story of Northern Dancer and his nearly unbelievable record as a
sire and sire of sires; ND only stepped to the plate 40 - 50 times per year).
Lets revisit Europe. Not the continent, but the Pletcher trainee who was
a \"rabbit\" for the colt I call \"Donekirk\" but who Silver Charm and others think
is \"Darnquick\". Magnier/ Tabor paid $2.5 for this son of Unbridled\'s Song (I\'m
talking about Europe here) who made his debut as a 3YO in a 5 furlong race.
The reason that these exorbitant sums are spent is because when these expensive
prospects turn into Green Monkeys, they can always be brought to the breeding
shed, and maybe some of the losses can be cut. Take away the safety net
provided by the breeding shed and all of a sudden the Magniers and the Tabors
are probably buying five $500K runners or 10 $250K runners, which is probably
better for Racing in the long run, no?