Comments on: Blood on the track: the bell tolls for Eight Belles http://neoneocon.com/2008/05/04/blood-on-the-track-the-bell-tolls-for-eight-belles/ Wed, 23 May 2012 19:17:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Richard Cook http://neoneocon.com/2008/05/04/blood-on-the-track-the-bell-tolls-for-eight-belles/#comment-67260 Richard Cook Fri, 09 May 2008 21:53:53 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/05/04/blood-on-the-track-the-bell-tolls-for-eight-belles/#comment-67260 SteveH They never understand if risk and death are removed you never reach beyond yourself. SteveH

They never understand if risk and death are removed you never reach beyond yourself.

]]> By: Roy http://neoneocon.com/2008/05/04/blood-on-the-track-the-bell-tolls-for-eight-belles/#comment-66984 Roy Thu, 08 May 2008 04:50:14 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/05/04/blood-on-the-track-the-bell-tolls-for-eight-belles/#comment-66984 Oops... I should have said: "The Kentucky Derby is the longest continuously run sporting event in the <b>nation</b>." Oops…

I should have said: “The Kentucky Derby is the longest continuously run sporting event in the nation.”

]]> By: Roy http://neoneocon.com/2008/05/04/blood-on-the-track-the-bell-tolls-for-eight-belles/#comment-66980 Roy Thu, 08 May 2008 04:24:44 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/05/04/blood-on-the-track-the-bell-tolls-for-eight-belles/#comment-66980 Some factoids... The triple crown races are for 3 year olds, not 2 year olds. All "thoroughbred" horses trace their sire lineage to 3 stallions that were paired with English mares back in the late 1600's, early 1700's. The three were Byerly Turk, Darley Arabian, and Godolphan Arabian. No matter what date they were actually born, all thoroughbreds born in the northern hemisphere advance in age to the next year on Jan 1. (In the southern hemisphere, it is Aug 1st.) In other words, a horse born on July 26 2006 becomes a 3 year old on Jan 1 2009 and is eligible to run in the Kentucky Derby. The Kentucky Derby is the longest *continuously* run sporting event in the world. It just completed it's 134th running. The KY Derby used to be 1 1/2 miles long - the same as the Belmont Stakes. But in 1896, the race was shortened to 1 1/4 miles because it was decided by horsemen that 1 1/2 miles was too long for a 3 year old so early in the racing season. I have been to every Ky Derby since 1995 because I work security in the Churchill Downs press box. I watched this years race from the press box balcony. Some factoids…

The triple crown races are for 3 year olds, not 2 year olds.

All “thoroughbred” horses trace their sire lineage to 3 stallions that were paired with English mares back in the late 1600′s, early 1700′s. The three were Byerly Turk, Darley Arabian, and Godolphan Arabian.

No matter what date they were actually born, all thoroughbreds born in the northern hemisphere advance in age to the next year on Jan 1. (In the southern hemisphere, it is Aug 1st.) In other words, a horse born on July 26 2006 becomes a 3 year old on Jan 1 2009 and is eligible to run in the Kentucky Derby.

The Kentucky Derby is the longest *continuously* run sporting event in the world. It just completed it’s 134th running.

The KY Derby used to be 1 1/2 miles long – the same as the Belmont Stakes. But in 1896, the race was shortened to 1 1/4 miles because it was decided by horsemen that 1 1/2 miles was too long for a 3 year old so early in the racing season.

I have been to every Ky Derby since 1995 because I work security in the Churchill Downs press box. I watched this years race from the press box balcony.

]]> By: fred http://neoneocon.com/2008/05/04/blood-on-the-track-the-bell-tolls-for-eight-belles/#comment-66637 fred Mon, 05 May 2008 18:02:44 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/05/04/blood-on-the-track-the-bell-tolls-for-eight-belles/#comment-66637 For those interested, this link has a long story -- also from 2006 -- about artificial track surfaces. The verdict was that they do dramatically reduce "castastrophic" injuries to horses. http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/news/story?id=2477611 The "money" paragraph: More significantly, the California Horse Racing Board, emboldened by a tenfold reduction in the catastrophic-injury rate at Turfway, has passed a rule requiring all five of the state's major racetracks - Bay Meadows Race Course, Del Mar, Golden Gate Fields, Hollywood Park, and Santa Anita - to replace their dirt courses with synthetic surfaces by the end of 2007. The total cost, according to California racing officials, could exceed $40 million. Also, there would be fewer jockey injuries. For those interested, this link has a long story — also from 2006 — about artificial track surfaces. The verdict was that they do dramatically reduce “castastrophic” injuries to horses.

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/news/story?id=2477611

The “money” paragraph:

More significantly, the California Horse Racing Board, emboldened by a tenfold reduction in the catastrophic-injury rate at Turfway, has passed a rule requiring all five of the state’s major racetracks – Bay Meadows Race Course, Del Mar, Golden Gate Fields, Hollywood Park, and Santa Anita – to replace their dirt courses with synthetic surfaces by the end of 2007. The total cost, according to California racing officials, could exceed $40 million.

Also, there would be fewer jockey injuries.

]]> By: fred http://neoneocon.com/2008/05/04/blood-on-the-track-the-bell-tolls-for-eight-belles/#comment-66633 fred Mon, 05 May 2008 17:41:34 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/05/04/blood-on-the-track-the-bell-tolls-for-eight-belles/#comment-66633 Below is a link to an 10/06 Washington Post story on the trend to artificial track surfaces. A comparison of the incidence of injuries on dirt tracks vs. grass and "polytrack", would be interesting. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/18/AR2006101801725.html Below is a link to an 10/06 Washington Post story on the trend to artificial track surfaces. A comparison of the incidence of injuries on dirt tracks vs. grass and “polytrack”, would be interesting.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/18/AR2006101801725.html

]]> By: mongoose http://neoneocon.com/2008/05/04/blood-on-the-track-the-bell-tolls-for-eight-belles/#comment-66620 mongoose Mon, 05 May 2008 16:46:47 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/05/04/blood-on-the-track-the-bell-tolls-for-eight-belles/#comment-66620 Why has the jockey been suspended? Why has the jockey been suspended?

]]> By: Sergey http://neoneocon.com/2008/05/04/blood-on-the-track-the-bell-tolls-for-eight-belles/#comment-66597 Sergey Mon, 05 May 2008 15:12:52 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/05/04/blood-on-the-track-the-bell-tolls-for-eight-belles/#comment-66597 Race horses are ultimate examples of the might of artificial selection, just as Russian wolfhounds. Selective breeding for speed champions is the ultimate form of artificial selection. It inevitably produces animals very unfit to survive in normal conditions, fragile by design. Gracility and robustness of skeleton are opposite traits, widely dispersed in all mammal species and so very malleable by selection. Race horse compared to normal horse is like Formula 1 car to mass production car. It would not survive even slightest traffic incident. Race horses are ultimate examples of the might of artificial selection, just as Russian wolfhounds. Selective breeding for speed champions is the ultimate form of artificial selection. It inevitably produces animals very unfit to survive in normal conditions, fragile by design. Gracility and robustness of skeleton are opposite traits, widely dispersed in all mammal species and so very malleable by selection. Race horse compared to normal horse is like Formula 1 car to mass production car. It would not survive even slightest traffic incident.

]]> By: Richard Aubrey http://neoneocon.com/2008/05/04/blood-on-the-track-the-bell-tolls-for-eight-belles/#comment-66584 Richard Aubrey Mon, 05 May 2008 13:33:14 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/05/04/blood-on-the-track-the-bell-tolls-for-eight-belles/#comment-66584 I don't follow racing much, except for an occasional story which may have an interesting take. So my memory is kind of occasional, too. But, such as it is, I believe most winners of any note are described as big, burly, muscular. IOW, not like the long-legged speed machines which are described as having been inbred. Problem is, fragility can be a problem during training, too. So a good runner might be incapable of even entering a race if suffering from a training injury. Having some orthopedic and muscular oversupply might prevent training injuries, as well as racing injuries. I don’t follow racing much, except for an occasional story which may have an interesting take.
So my memory is kind of occasional, too. But, such as it is, I believe most winners of any note are described as big, burly, muscular. IOW, not like the long-legged speed machines which are described as having been inbred.
Problem is, fragility can be a problem during training, too. So a good runner might be incapable of even entering a race if suffering from a training injury. Having some orthopedic and muscular oversupply might prevent training injuries, as well as racing injuries.

]]> By: Tatterdemalian http://neoneocon.com/2008/05/04/blood-on-the-track-the-bell-tolls-for-eight-belles/#comment-66577 Tatterdemalian Mon, 05 May 2008 12:35:42 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/05/04/blood-on-the-track-the-bell-tolls-for-eight-belles/#comment-66577 "Seems to me we bemoan the human as being no longer a part of the natural world. Then attempt to rectify it all by behaving most unnaturally." The term "natural world" means different things to different people. To some, it means the physical universe, as opposed to the nearly unlimited imaginary ones people invent; to others, it means the portion of the physical universe beyond the control of human civilization; to still others, it means the imaginary worlds like the Garden of Eden, where all beasts live in peace and harmony, free of the basic needs to eat or drink except when required for dramatic impact. Often entirely new definintions are invented on the spot, as a cloak to hide some really screwed up personal beliefs. The number of words being abused this way is increasing with our ability to communicate, and seems to be related to our instinctive need to retain some measure of privacy in an increasingly scrutinized environment. “Seems to me we bemoan the human as being no longer a part of the natural world. Then attempt to rectify it all by behaving most unnaturally.”

The term “natural world” means different things to different people. To some, it means the physical universe, as opposed to the nearly unlimited imaginary ones people invent; to others, it means the portion of the physical universe beyond the control of human civilization; to still others, it means the imaginary worlds like the Garden of Eden, where all beasts live in peace and harmony, free of the basic needs to eat or drink except when required for dramatic impact.

Often entirely new definintions are invented on the spot, as a cloak to hide some really screwed up personal beliefs. The number of words being abused this way is increasing with our ability to communicate, and seems to be related to our instinctive need to retain some measure of privacy in an increasingly scrutinized environment.

]]> By: SteveH http://neoneocon.com/2008/05/04/blood-on-the-track-the-bell-tolls-for-eight-belles/#comment-66569 SteveH Mon, 05 May 2008 11:00:52 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/05/04/blood-on-the-track-the-bell-tolls-for-eight-belles/#comment-66569 I get an uneasy feeling when stories like this get morphed into a call to end all risk and tragedy from life. Which inevitably translates into a demand that we live life less abundantly. Seems to me we bemoan the human as being no longer a part of the natural world. Then attempt to rectify it all by behaving most unnaturally. I get an uneasy feeling when stories like this get morphed into a call to end all risk and tragedy from life. Which inevitably translates into a demand that we live life less abundantly.

Seems to me we bemoan the human as being no longer a part of the natural world. Then attempt to rectify it all by behaving most unnaturally.

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