Crunching Numbers - By Eric Mitchell

re: Crunching Numbers - By Eric Mitchell

Rachel — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 14:38:35 GMT

Remember that Bill Finley used to be on the TRF payroll ($25k/year) while his wife Sue Finley (Thoroughbred Daily News)was VP of the TRF board. That was an "ironic position" given that the TRF was struggling to pay for the care of its horses. Where else did management spend the donations?

re: Crunching Numbers - By Eric Mitchell

LauraJ — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 00:56:26 GMT

This is just one more example of why the industry needs a governing body. Marketing and lobbying should not be optional. As long as breeders, owners, trainers, track operators, consignors, vets, officials, and everyone else function as separate entities, each looking out for its own interests first and foremost, the system cannot function properly. Meanwhile, little attention is paid to the interests of fans, bettors, and the most helpless of all--the horses. Unfortunately, I have no idea how to establish such a body, or who can do so.

Regarding the TRF, I'd like to say that all their horses are not cared for poorly. I sponsor a TRF retiree at the Blackburn Correctional Complex near Lexington. I don't know how the financials work there--how much funding comes from the state and how much comes from TRF. I do know that "my" horse is well taken care of by the farm manager and the inmates. Although the horse is in his late 20s, he's healthy and looks younger than his years. His caretakers seem to be dedicated to the horses, and some of them become quite good horsemen. I intend to sponsor him for as long as I can.

Dawn, I wish heartily that they would close that loophole too. Unfortunately, horse slaughter will become easier rather than harder, now that the State of Montana has passed legislation authorizing the construction of a horse slaughter facility. They intend to export the meat to Europe.

re: Crunching Numbers - By Eric Mitchell

Dawn in MN — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:53:52 GMT

Who WILL save the horses? Not the NTRA. Who will save the sport? Not the NTRA.

Unfortunately the TRF didn't, or wasn't able to pay their farms. Thoroughbred rescues are not the answer to the problem of horse slaughter.

Lobbying? NTRA, How about lobbying to closing the loophole that allows horses to be transported out of the country to slaughter.

I recently read a fine Bill Finley article that points out that vilifying the TRF does more harm than good. to quote Bill Finley;

"...the majority of people in the sport, its leaders and its leading organizations don't care enough to want to do anything about horse slaughter or the treatment of retirees. To place the burden on a handful of charities and then largely step aside was never a good idea, was never going to work."

See Bill Finley's artile at sports.espn.go.com/.../story

re: Crunching Numbers - By Eric Mitchell

Rachel — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 10:33:04 GMT

Well, there you have it in a nutshell...horsemen don't want to give up their drugs, so pay back's the proverbial "B"...

re: Crunching Numbers - By Eric Mitchell

@stldustin — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:57:57 GMT

I just went to the TRF website and donated for the first time. If every racing fan in America donated $10, the TRF could get back on it's feet. We owe it to these horses who run their hearts out for us!