THEY BREED HORSES, DON'T THEY?

New York Post ^ | May 22, 2006 | Ray Kerrison

[ConservativeStatement]

May 22, 2006 -- BALTIMORE - Was Barbaro's tragic breakdown in the Preakness Stakes a sad random incident on the racetrack or new proof of the sharp physical deterioration of the modern American thoroughbred? That question will be hotly debated everywhere in the racing industry in the aftermath of the accident that abruptly ended the brilliant 3-year-old's racing career, if not his life, and left the world in heartbreak.

[ConservativeStatement]

This is an interesting take on what was discussed on FR after the race on Saturday.

[stainlessbanner]

filing

[Always Right]

They don't make horses like they use to. I can remember the good ole days when....

[SF Republican]

left the world in heartbreak - please

[ConorMacNessa]

They should breed for strength in the bone before speed. Maybe some blood from British horses bred for the steeplechase is in order. Then train them for endurance as well as speed.

[Plymouth Sentinel]

It is indeed a very interesting take.

I thought Barbero had the look. Everyone calls him 'strapping,' and I suppose that's adequate. He had a look though. A look of athleticism that, I felt, was extraordinary even among thoroughbreds.

How do you account for the breakdowns? My take is the competitiveness. That author only hints at illicit drugs, and I'd like to know more. But my judgment is the extent to which they're pushed. It's a bigger, more monetarily meaningful game than its ever been. The stakes make the climate, and I think, to some degree at least, account for the injuries.

[HairOfTheDog]

... Nobody can be entirely sure what caused the triple fracture in Barbaro's ankle, but there is one undeniable truth: the best 3-year-olds in this country in the last three years have all been dramatically - and prematurely - removed from racing through injury. Last year it was Afleet Alex, before that Smarty Jones and now Barbaro. What's going on?

It's a stretch to call it coincidence. In fact, there is a deeply ingrained perception in the business that the breed generally has been severely weakened over the years by the massive infusion of drugs, licit and illicit.

But that's not the whole answer. The breeding industry is on a mad tear to breed horses with speed. Gone are the days when buyers looked for tough, slow-developing, long-distance stayers. The hottest stallions at stud today are flying milers.

Trainer Wayne Lukas likes to say, "The three most important things in a young horse are speed, speed, speed." A few weeks ago, all sales records were broken when a young untried horse, since named The Green Monkey, sold for $16 million. His sire: Forestry, a rapid miler at best.

Barbaro's unusual racing pattern piqued interest all along the Triple Crown trail. After sending him out for his first race last October, trainer Michael Matz spaced his races as follows: six weeks, six weeks, five weeks, eight weeks, then five weeks into the Kentucky Derby.

Matz explained that he was pacing the horse to remain fresh through the grueling Triple Crown. A few days before the Derby, I asked trainer Nick Zito whether this racing schedule hinted at physical problems.

Zito said he didn't know anything about Barbaro, but he offered some pertinent views of what is happening to the current breed.

"The modern horse cannot take too much racing," he said. "A lot of horses are running better off layoffs because they don't make them like they used to.

"They are not as strong, not as sound. I don't know whether it's genetics or what."

Zito recalled the days when horses ran every couple of weeks. "Today, there's no way you can do that," he said. "A lot has to do with the structure of the modern horse. In the last seven years, I've seen the breed changing."

Zito went on, "We've done a terrible job. We have debilitated the breed. I don't know if it's the sale, the speed, the breed or the market. Whatever it is, we have done a terrible job. We just don't have the same breed of horse we used to have."

Barbaro was given a very protective training regimen. In the five weeks between the Florida Derby and the Kentucky Derby he had just two workouts, an easy four-furlongs and a sharp four-furlong drill in 46 seconds at Churchill Downs....

Some heavy hitting trainers commenting on the current health of the Thoroughbred breed here.

Ping!

[HairOfTheDog]

My take is the competitiveness. That author only hints at illicit drugs, and I'd like to know more. But my judgment is the extent to which they're pushed. It's a bigger, more monetarily meaningful game than its ever been. The stakes make the climate, and I think, to some degree at least, account for the injuries.

If you read what the trainers say, they're not raced near as often or as hard as they used to be...

Zito recalled the days when horses ran every couple of weeks. "Today, there's no way you can do that," he said. "A lot has to do with the structure of the modern horse. In the last seven years, I've seen the breed changing."

[gate2wire]

Zito recalled the days when horses ran every couple of weeks. "Today, there's no way you can do that," he said. "A lot has to do with the structure of the modern horse. In the last seven years, I've seen the breed changing." Zito went on, "We've done a terrible job. We have debilitated the breed. I don't know if it's the sale, the speed, the breed or the market. Whatever it is, we have done a terrible job. We just don't have the same breed of horse we used to have."
I used to have some respect for Zito, not anymore. If "we've done a terrible job", then Zito is a huge part of the problem. He runs as many, or more horses in the Triple Crown chase as anyone. What a hypocrite. He and Lukas run tons of two and three year olds every year. Now he's complaining. Hey Zito... look at Bill Mott...how many times does he run in TC races? Almost never. He lets his horses develop. You complain about the strength of the breed yet I seem to remember you running FIVE horses in the Derby last year. Hypocrite.
You are the trainer...If the horse can't run every couple of weeks, don't run the horse every couple of weeks.

[HairOfTheDog]

I don't see it as hypocritical... I see it as a moment of introspection from within the industry.

[gate2wire]

Maybe so, yet he is one of the worst offenders when it comes to running young horses. Something you have made very clear that you don't like.

[gate2wire]

Look at some of the breeding from the last 10 derby winners. Lots of sprinters and milers. The respective trainers should be commended for getting the distance. BUT don't blame the breeding for their weaknesses. Northern Afleet, Private Emblem, Distorted Humor, Elusive Quality, Quiet American etc. are not sires of horses known for stamina.

If the trainer falls into Derby/Triple Crown fever, I'll blame the trainer.


What happened to Barbaro is/was sad. His breeding was stellar for a turf horse. Someone chose to go the Derby route. The breed says run on the turf.


Who's fault is it that this colt got hurt? No one. Horses get hurt.

[HairOfTheDog]

You're right, I don't like it. I wish they were starting them at three. But as a trainer... I'm not sure he's had a lot of impact on the stock that's sent to him by the owners, and I'm curious about the "they used to be stronger" aspect, and whether it's true.

Lots of breeds of animals, created by people in short-sighted breeding programs, have gone through periods of increased and decreased health and fitness... Quarter Horses with the little tiny feet that were so in vogue in recent years, or HYPP. German Shepherds with bad hips. When the breeders can catch these trends early and reverse the course, it makes it a lot easier to repair to the gene pool.

[HairOfTheDog]

Who's fault is it that this colt got hurt? No one. Horses get hurt.

They do... and I'm aware there will always be injury, and also aware that there is a tendency to imagine tendencies from a few events that only appear to be related. I'm not one to jump on the blame game.

If this were an MSM story with a lot of innuendo by journalism majors, I'd have discounted it as hysteria. I took it seriously because it seemed a lot of the big names were.

[gate2wire]

Well, I've already mentioned Bill Mott (the BEST in my opinion) who is very patient with his horses. If the owner doesn't like it, give the horse to another trainer.

Christophe Clement, Ron McAnally, Neil Drysdale, H. Allen Jerkins, Woody Stephens and Charlie Wittingham (G-D bless their souls) are just a few of the trainers, off the top of my head, who would stand up to their owners for the benefit of the horse.

[gate2wire]

You are not the one that pissed me off. Not that you care. :-)

I think you and I agree about the welfare of these animals.

What fired me up is Nick Zito. Look at his record for running horses in the Triple Crown. Compare that with his comments about breeding. If he has such an issue, why does he continue to run these young horses?

[gate2wire]

"...the best 3-year-olds in this country in the last three years have all been dramatically - and prematurely - removed from racing through injury. Last year it was Afleet Alex, before that Smarty Jones and now Barbaro. What's going on?"

Let's look at this statement again. Only Barbaro was hurt in a "dramatic" fashion. The other two were hurt in training. Relatively minor injuries at that. They are worth so much, it is not worth the risk to put the horse on the farm for 6-9 months just to race again when a Derby winner is worth 50/60 million at stud.

Remember- Secretariat stopped racing after his three year old season. Did he stop racing "prematurely?

Seattle Slew, Affirmed, Spectacular Bid after 4. Cigar did not even get good until 5. We have no idea how good some of these horses could have been.

[HairOfTheDog]

What fired me up is Nick Zito. Look at his record for running horses in the Triple Crown. Compare that with his comments about breeding. If he has such an issue, why does he continue to run these young horses?

Well, if he wants a Triple Crown win, he doesn't have a choice on the age of the horses. And what TB trainer doesn't want a Triple Crown win?

[Lemondropkid31]

I think it has a lot to do with owners. A lot of owners just have the horses for sport, and they don't know a thing about them. They want the horses running, not sitting in their stall costing money. If the owner wants a horse to run, then the trainer has to run him. Not to say that it's ALL the owner, but I would not blame it all on Zito.

[HairOfTheDog]

True enough... can't argue with that :~D