Does anyone watch the Kentucky Derby? I went to the event some years ago, stayed and watched it from the ‘pit’. It was a mad house, getting out took forever. But it was a blast of a time. I like Cyberknife at 12-1.
I visited Belmont Park a few years ago, and I read about a thousand horse books, growing up.
~ Sunset Snuggles
My brother made a fortune as an equine veterinary specialist to thoroughbred farms in Maryland and Northern Virginia. Unfortunately, what he tells me some of the owners do to the horses turns my stomach and I can’t in good faith watch any sporting event involved with that industry.
How well did my brother do? He retired a multi-millionaire at 53 and moved to South Carolina. He is also an incredible douche bag as is wife who is also a veterinarian.
@FunCartel I was going to mention that, but figured I'm not that educated. But yes, you hear about all kinds of crazy things with horse racing, rodeos, any industry where animals are expected to perform. What happens to Tennessee Walkers is especially distressing.
@FunCartel I pulled it up online to watch the last couple of minutes. The groomsman yanking on the horse's head like a psychotic sadist two minutes after it made history confirms the point.
I lived in Kentucky for about a year in the mid-90s while doing an exchange program, and worked at 3 different thoroughbred farms. I didn't go to the KY derby but went to a lot of races in Keenland. Definitely, the vets are gods there... the ego of some of the guys... but I also met great professionals, and made some good friends. And as in any profession, and anywhere, there are bad apples. Fortunately I don't remember witnessing any abuse, but when you are dealing with a large animal, you have to be alert and not take any chance. In particular the stallions during breeding season, if you are working with them, get ready to show that you're in charge or you could get killed - really. One standardbred horse trainer recommended me the book 'Wild Ride: The Rise and Fall of Calumet Farm Inc., America's Premier Racing Dynasty' - it felt like a punch in the stomach when I finished it.
The vets aren’t the problem. The trainers and owners are. They use their value up and spit them out. There have been instances of drugging and killing the horses for insurance because their value vs maintenance was upside down. These horses are nothing but assets that had better win or have value in breeding. But they are a number with a shelf life. My brother suspected on a few cases they had purposely tried to kill a horse to collect millions in insurance but he really didn’t have proof and they quickly destroyed the horse in each instance.
The horse that won yesterday tried to bite another horse afterward. That's why they were so rough with him
@houdini2019 We were not talking about yesterday. We were talking about the industry as a whole. My brother was a veterinarian for years in it and it is pretty awful how the horses are treated. It is all about the money.
@Maverick07 that book looks interesting. I just ordered it. I groomed/trained standardbreds about 30 years ago.
And I, living in KY avoid the Derby and the entire Louisville metro like the plague during the race days. That is for out of towners.