A Higher Standard - by Alex Waldrop

re: A Higher Standard - by Alex Waldrop

Marlene, R.A.C.E. Fund, Inc. — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:01:27 GMT

A "higher standard" must be impemented for all thoroughbred horses, most importantly when they can no longer race. The days of horses being discarded like garbage must end or thoroughbred racing will never be the Sport of Kings again but the Sport of Shame. Stand up for the very fiber of this industry, the horses. Anything short of the horses getting their fair share of the revenue for their welfare and well being is unacceptable.

re: A Higher Standard - by Alex Waldrop

Michael N — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 18:22:03 GMT

Less talk, more action.

re: A Higher Standard - by Alex Waldrop

Bellwether — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 05:42:29 GMT

that was one hell of a good show the Breeders Cup & ESPN put on fri. keep up the good work & we will get the people back to the race tracks across AMERCIA...Long Live The Queens TOO!!!

re: A Higher Standard - by Alex Waldrop

da3hoss — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:20:36 GMT

I grew up working for a stable that did not cheat, took care of their horses and placed every single horse in a home at the end of their racing career. Literally every aspect of my horse life is based on what these two people (and one dressage trainer)taught me.

You already have good people in the industry who know what's right to do, and do it, even when people of less integrity take home "training" titles at meets, etc. they still do the right thing.

I'm not naive'. You guys will either get rid of cheaters and take care of the "living commodity" or you won't.

There are thousands and thousands of horse lovers out there that you can't attract, horse crazy people that literally spend their last dime on their horses or trying to be near a horse, yet refuse to go to a horse race.

Your call.

re: A Higher Standard - by Alex Waldrop

Bellwether — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 03:38:54 GMT

WE know you folks will pull this off...Bellwether Productions has been PREACHING these & other new ideas @ tracks & on the WEB in the north east for three solid years...not to mention we are HOOKED GOOD on this unbelievable SPORT...Mr. Thompson will help too...thanks to all & Long Live The King!!!

re: A Higher Standard - by Alex Waldrop

normajean81258 — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 03:23:02 GMT

Hello Alex,

You know what I'm going to say, but I'm going to say it anyway,,,,

You wrote, ""It is my hope that in the not-too-distant future we will look back to Oct. 15, 2008, as the day the industry began to hold itself to a higher standard. Our customers, our human and equine athletes, and the hundreds of thousands of honest, hard-working individuals who make their living in this sport and industry deserve nothing less."" One way to hold yourselves, as an Industry, to a higher standard is to back the bill to ban the Transportation of the equines over the Borders for slaughter. The NTRA should not be neutral on this Bill. Take a stand, and if it is against, then explain the reasoning. If this practice doesn't stop, it will continue to be a BIG black mark on the Industry as a whole. I'm tired of it being swept aside like it doesn't matter. Address it and get on board, or please tell us why you aren't....

re: A Higher Standard - by Alex Waldrop

STEVE STONE — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:35:44 GMT

Hello Alex...I am fervently sanguine that your new and distilled mission is now pointed in the right direction regarding addressing an modicum of racings ills..@ least those on the A list w/others to follow and you and your team finally have found true north on the compass..It was an long time coming...As you are very cognizant of though..keep eliciting thoughts and feed back from the legion of fans whom support this great and wonderful sport as we can provide you w/cutting edge and on the bubble insights that perhaps your staff are unable to..We have an entirely different perspective..Call upon us..and often...My personal mantra is to find that new and younger fan whom will become racings new infrastructure in the future...Attrition....like in any other endeavor is key here and these precious new fans are the key to it...Please invite us in.. An suggestion...Perhaps you can conduct focus groups as you travel the nation and conduct them @ major race meets in these markets.....Just an few hours on any weekend or whenever w/you and we can just sit around and articule and spawn some creative and imaginative ideas..Wouldn't it be enjoyable and fulfilling to finally meet the faces behind these blogs vis-a-vis those just sitting in the boxes and the turf and field clubs? Please count me in... in New Jersey..Monmouth Park..The Meadowlands where we can hold court....Thank you always for your kind window Alex.....Steve Stone..East Hanover..New Jersey...

re: A Higher Standard - by Alex Waldrop

pamale — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:30:26 GMT

The NTRA is to be applauded for trying to come up with a united front to confront major issues confronting the industry, but, to me, this new 'alliance' has the air about of it a committee and we have had enough of those over the past 20 years. If this industry is serious about racing safety it would ban race-day medications today. Other countries have, for very good reasons. These medications mask other, more dangerous substances, they threaten the safety of all athletes involved, equine and human, they help destroy the integrity of the sport, undermining confidence in it and accelerating its slide toward oblivion. I cannot see how any industry leader can feel self-satisfied about the integrity and health of this sport while not demanding an immediate ban on race-day medications.