Lentenor and the Future of Racing

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

Frank — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 01:26:14 GMT

Otherlyn,

As an owner, and one who knows numerous other owners and trainers, I have to tell you that you are simply wrong.

The vast majority of people I have encountered in this industry are decent people trying to do the right thing. They are much more like you imagine the Jacksons and Mosses to be than you think. They care about their horses far more than you can imagine.

Moreover, the old days for which you pine were, probably, no kinder (and quite possibly less kind) to horses than the present days which you decry. Many of the "kings," who, by your lights, could afford to do it right, also had no compunction about destroying a horse if he didn't measure up to their program.

I have no problem shining a light on the bad parts of the industry. But if you imagine that the bad parts are equivalent to the entire industry, or the majority of it, you simply couldn't be more misinformed.

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

Ragsy — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 14:14:10 GMT

Lou In Texas,

already a fan of Zenyatta thanks, she can do no wrong...there is a great love felt for Rachel Alexandra given her fantastic 3 year old season and her subtle beauty along with her pleasing personality...

WendyU ( ABR) will be taking pictures at Kentucky tracks so we will get to view all of hers perhaps buy some too...if she sells..

nmh the FOB's are already working on Mustang cause..as do, most horse lovers...we must stop all equine abuse....

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

Ragsy — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 14:03:43 GMT

Lou In Texas

guess Iam already a Zenyatta fan,its just I lost my desire to go with the absence of Dear Rachel whom I love...

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

Otherlyn — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 03:19:35 GMT

Dear Frank,

Thank God that there are exceptions, like the Jacksons and the Mosses. But their ilk, their ethics and mindset are NOT in the majority of the industry's owners/breeders/trainers.

In your own words, but with an important exception...I would edit your statement:

"The fact is, the economics of owning racehorses are wildly unfavorable to...(here's the edit)...the majority of racehorses."

The fact is that unfortunately racing's dirty little secret is that the ultimate fate of (yes...here are those words again)...the majority of... all of the horses who set foot to track, do not end up living a full lifespan. It IS a fact that there is a "look-the-othere-way-well-that's-just-the-way-it-is" mindset within the industry that routienly allows this to happen to the equine athletes.

The owners who care are the exception, and not the rule.

The expensive Sport of Kings began as just that, the sport of Kings, because only Kings could AFFORD to do it right.

Now that it has become a business...it is the horses who are the expendable commodity because it is cheaper to dispose of them, and get another, than it is to keep them after their u$efullness has passed.

Why, my Fren, should it be so terribly difficult to admit, and to finally actually, as an industry, shine a light upon this sad shadow lurking around the backside of the sport?

I love horse racing. I know that because of BARBARO, the discussion is coming to light, and that it will get better for the horses.

Thank you for your article, and for this forum. I hope I have not offended anyone with my observations and opinion.

Your FOB Fren, O

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

nmh — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:02:35 GMT

to debbie la: thanks for the info

on the FOB... i will look it up..

i have been working to help save our wild mustangs.. if everyone

wrote to their congressman it would

help.. my congressman lloyd doggett

has helped pass legislation but we

need more... our mustangs are

uniquely ours and we should protect

them. perhaps the FOB's could help

with this as well...

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

Lou in TX — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 15:03:10 GMT

Ragsy...I think you will be a Zenyatta fan after you see her in person (so to speak). There will never be another Zenyatta just like there will never be another Barbaro. Each, one of a kind. Have fun and send us some pictures of the beautiful Zenyatta.

Hope some FOB's will be at Keenland to watch our boy Nicanor on the 8th. He needs to know we still love and support him. Hope he hasn't forgotten how many people love and support him. It's been a good while since he has seen any of us. Good Luck big boy and come home healthy and happy.

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

diastu — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 04:31:16 GMT

A grand slam, Frank. I am your case in point. Always was a horse nut as a kid; pre-vet at Cal-Poly and could quote Arab pedigrees by memory. Then a long, long lapse - until Barbaro. As a proud FOB for 4 years, I've subscribed to Blood Horse for 4 years, bought a few hundred dollars in books, contributed several hundred dollars to horse rescue, and - gone to the track several times and placed bets too. In a few days, I'll be taking a gaggle of gal pals to the track with me. Thanks to Barbaro, the Jacksons, Nicanor, Lentenor, Babynor, lost filly and all the rest! Horse racing - are you listening?

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

Ragsy — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:02:41 GMT

Yes, it is about the horse, Dear Barbaro taught us that and because of that love I will now see the majestic Zenyatta at the Apple Blossom..and many other treasured horses..Just not my favorite named Rachel Alexandra!!

So, you see, Barbaro does still draw people to the race track..

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

jen — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:17:51 GMT

mimi- get yourself an equibase stable and they will keep you informed of workouts entries and races of those horses you are following.

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

Angela — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:56:13 GMT

Great blog, you hit it square.

I think a lot of us "insiders" are so snippy to FOB is because so many tend to have little acquisition. That being said, I have made a consious effort to educate in a much less condescending manner. It is important that we attract and retain new fans, they are part of the future of our sport.

I grew up on the shedrow and have been a trainer for 20+ years. God put horsehair on my heart. I have NEVER forgotten "There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man."- Winston Churchill The horses are what keep me sane.

"...rescue "Dashboard Drummer" off the track, into a SAFE RETIREMENT on 3/28 at Turf Paradise. He is a 9yo Gelding, who has earned over $500,000 in his long career in a $3,000 Claiming race. This should NEVER happen!" While I'm glad to hear this horse now has a permanent home, you simply cannot definatively say "this should NEVER happen." I had a gelding that ran until I was forced by his age (according to TxRC rules, a horse may no longer enter over the age of 12) to retire him. He ran until he was 12 years old and he ran SOUND! He retired with just a little over 750k in LE. He has been a pony horse for the past 10 years. Let me tell you, at the grand old age of 22, he is still a force to be reckoned with on the track! He's still sound and he can, to this day, belly down and blow smoke.

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

Debbie LA — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:23:33 GMT

Anyone can be a Fan of Barbaro, "FOB" we are all at Alex Brown racing. Alex is the moderator. We have the main page, but most go the discussion board and chat. Lots of people there saving dogs, cats and horses. We are also working to pass a bill in DC to stop horse slaughter and the transport over the borders too slaughter. Look around on the site, good things going on there.

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

Bellwether — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 07:32:25 GMT

PEOPLE LIKE U MAKE PEOPLE LIKE ME BETTER...THANKS...

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

susan — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 05:04:34 GMT

Mimi--ntra.com has a tv schedule of most of the bigger races and on what channel they will be televised. Race replays are available for free on bloodhorse.com. Otherwise, you need to go to a track to watch the simulcasting, or subscribe to an online service like hrtv.com or expressbet.com.

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

nmh — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:32:36 GMT

is FOB an organization that one can

join? i would love to be apart of

a group that helps animals.. i am

already the "parent" of three

rescued dogs and the past owner of

several horses.

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

jackie/Ohio — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 12:08:45 GMT

Thanks for the fine article and to the FOB for saving so many horses in the name of Barbaro and supporting the research for the treatment of laminitis.

Especially appropriate that I read this today on the 40th anniversary of the birth of Secretariat, a great horse lost too soon to laminitis.

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

Laura P — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 07:22:10 GMT

Thanks very much, Frank, for your thoughtful and inspiring blog.

A separate blog or "community" entry on the BloodHorse.com website, available at < www.bloodhorse.com/.../fobs-play-role-in-retiring-stakes-winner-dashboard-drummer.aspx >, illustrates another way in which the FOBs [Friends of Barbaro], as well as Barbaro's brothers Lentenor and Nicanor, contribute to racing: by rescuing racehorses like Dashboard Drummer who might otherwise risk serious injury or death.

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

Paula Higgins — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 01:38:13 GMT

I have always liked horses, thanks to Barbaro I now love horses and horse racing. Paula, it brought people to the sport itself, not just the PETA people. I would never watch a sport that abused horses. The tragedy of Barbaro showed the best of horse racing also. The Jacksons and the vets who took care of him at New Bolton were postitively inspirational.

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

Frank — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 01:01:17 GMT

Thanks for checking in, everyone, and for the many kind words. I appreciate it.

Couple responses to things said.... Paula, my point is that if you have a group of people like the Barbaroians who already halfway get it -- that is, already love horses, enjoy watching them, etc. -- then they are a really good target to be fans of the whole game. If they haven't yet "graduated" to liking more than two or three horses, it ought to be racing's charge to try to get them there.

Otherlyn... I take some exception to your use of the "$" to replace the 's' in industry. The fact is, the economics of owning racehorses are wildly unfavorable to owners -- you'd be better off driving down the highway throwing money out your window --at least some of it may blow back to you.

And that gets to someone else's later comment... part of what I'm saying here is that there's a lot more good than bad in this industry. Most people are good people trying to do the right thing; of course there are some bad people, but most are decent. Part of racing's challenge is to bring newbies in to educate them about all the good that people do, about all the money they spend on the well-being of horses, about all the steps they take to ensure their equine athletes are happy and healthy. Racing always -- always -- gets tarred by the bad that a few do; one way to fight that is to demonstrate the good that the overwhelming majority do.

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

brettzky99 — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 22:18:15 GMT

Trooper is absolutely right; the racing industry doesn't get it, never has, never will. Gaming is the lifeblood of the industry's revenue, but it is a LIMITED enterprise. In racing, hotels casinos-the scope of people who gamble religiously is a limited entity. Whre racing falls short is in corporate sponsorship, because the marketting is awful. Smarty Jones was a good story, but where racing failed is not covering Quality Road, as he relates to the same sire. Doesn't matter that racing insiders don't deem colts by the same sire hal-brothers, the non-racing public gladly will, and racing insiders haven't paid the bill obviously. I have tried personally many times to bring corporate sponsorships to Arlington, Hawthorne, and even Maywood. Same result: we won't put money in racing because degenerate gamblers don't buy products and/or services. That's the perception. Racing needs casual fans, and the most obvious source are those who relate to the horses themselves. That's why I visit the Barbaro blog; it is entrenched with the types of people the sport needs (and I have an special spot for Carson City). If the prevalent emphasis on Lentenor is whether or not he is overbet, you will see the same sponsors Brisnet, Twinspires, ect., and the model will fail again and again. The only true profit is going to be made by bankruptcy attorneys. This article was one of the best perspectives of the industry that I can remember.

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

Mattie W. — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 22:06:25 GMT

We love ya' guys-Nicanor and Lentenor! We also appreciate everything that their wonderful teams, trainer, and the Jacksons continue to do for the racing industry. 'Bless you all!

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

Ragsy — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 21:49:24 GMT

Otherlyn,

You know really well just what the FOB'S are about...what has been accomplished both on the board and off with your experience,knowledge and hard work...my hats off, to you, my Fren!!!

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

Freetex — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:58:40 GMT

There would be a huge fan base if your words were taken to heart by the racing community.

Of course there are those who are strictly interested in betting and couldn't care less about the horses. However, I am sure the number of people who admire the horses would come forth in droves if only the sport understood the importance of caring about the horses before, during, and after their racing careers.

FOB is a prime example of the dedication and loving memory of Barbaro.

Yes, we care deeply about Lentenor and Nicanor, they are our only direct link to Barbaro and all he stood for in the world of racing.

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

Sandy — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:57:43 GMT

Paula,

You coudn't be more wrong. Most of the FOB's are very into racing. The difference is they care for the entire sport, not just the big winners. Maybe you should have your facts before you post.

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

Cal Gal — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:30:37 GMT

AMEN! to the comments, as well as to the extremely thoughtful and well-written piece.

re: Lentenor and the Future of Racing

TripleCrownCoug — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 18:31:29 GMT

A perfect example of how Racing People can reach out to fans is what John Shirrefs (Trainer of Zenyatta) is doing. He regularly post videos on YouTube of his horses training and goofing off around the barn. It is a great insight into the great care and the great relationships that these people develop with their charges. My favorite video is the one of Shirrefs trying to wake up Life Is Sweet for her daily work. Reminds me alot of my teenage daughters in the morning! She just wants to keep on sleeping:D