A.D.D. and the decline of the thoroughbred - Pace and Cap

Tim Y · 01-18-2009, 02:04 PM

I love racing but it is serious decline. If you look at the horse over
the past century (where there was no where near the great vet care,
steel shoes, lack of understanding of nutrition and exercise
physiology) the thoroughbred was a much hardier animal: racing longer,
carrying more weight, having a career not a quick flash in the pan run.

About 80-85% of all thoroughbreds are so inbred (coming from the
single Darley Arabian line) that, akin to their canine cousins, inborn
genetic errors are rearing their ugly head and being COVERED UP by
over medication. Stamina is disappearing in North America as exampled
by the recent Santa Anita WORLD Thoroughbred Championship debacle.
There are fewer platforms to demonstrate true stamina and if there is
a single angle to look for in these contests it is European breeding.

Also, a long standing problem at the races is keeping the fan base.
Why is it that the Yankees, even when they are as mediocre as the past
few seasons, draw huge crowds? STAR POWER. I remember days at Anita
when John Henry or Ack Ack ran, that the handle, and crowd would be
significantly larger just for the chance for people to see the same
equine stars up close as those who want to see the Yankee equivalents.
Racing really needs to study those trends and realize that their bread
is NOT going to be buttered, in the long term, by alternate forms of
gambling (except for the thirty something, instant gratification,
Attention Deficit Disorder types who wouldn't be long term racing fans
anyway. Promote the HORSE not the gambling. Pay horsemen for even
personal appearances of their great charges by working them between
races if they are not running.

The breeding end of it has many answers all of which the old moguls
would hate because they would lose money. First there needs to be
promotion of HYBRID VIGOR. The standardbred people do this by allowing
artificial impregnation and sperm is exchanges around the globe
assuring that inbreeding won;t be a long term problem, There could
even be a "parallel" breeding program going back to sturdy Arabian
roots that could be slowly introduced back into the gene pool. There
needs to be MORE stamina contests to balance where those genes come from.

Ultimately, the realists, are going to have to come to the truth that
the breed and the fan base are in serious decline and do something
about it,

01-18-2009, 02:04 PM	#1
Tim Y turf historian Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 6,455	A.D.D. and the decline of the thoroughbred I love racing but it is serious decline. If you look at the horse over the past century (where there was no where near the great vet care, steel shoes, lack of understanding of nutrition and exercise physiology) the thoroughbred was a much hardier animal: racing longer, carrying more weight, having a career not a quick flash in the pan run. About 80-85% of all thoroughbreds are so inbred (coming from the single Darley Arabian line) that, akin to their canine cousins, inborn genetic errors are rearing their ugly head and being COVERED UP by over medication. Stamina is disappearing in North America as exampled by the recent Santa Anita WORLD Thoroughbred Championship debacle. There are fewer platforms to demonstrate true stamina and if there is a single angle to look for in these contests it is European breeding. Also, a long standing problem at the races is keeping the fan base. Why is it that the Yankees, even when they are as mediocre as the past few seasons, draw huge crowds? STAR POWER. I remember days at Anita when John Henry or Ack Ack ran, that the handle, and crowd would be significantly larger just for the chance for people to see the same equine stars up close as those who want to see the Yankee equivalents. Racing really needs to study those trends and realize that their bread is NOT going to be buttered, in the long term, by alternate forms of gambling (except for the thirty something, instant gratification, Attention Deficit Disorder types who wouldn't be long term racing fans anyway. Promote the HORSE not the gambling. Pay horsemen for even personal appearances of their great charges by working them between races if they are not running. The breeding end of it has many answers all of which the old moguls would hate because they would lose money. First there needs to be promotion of HYBRID VIGOR. The standardbred people do this by allowing artificial impregnation and sperm is exchanges around the globe assuring that inbreeding won;t be a long term problem, There could even be a "parallel" breeding program going back to sturdy Arabian roots that could be slowly introduced back into the gene pool. There needs to be MORE stamina contests to balance where those genes come from. Ultimately, the realists, are going to have to come to the truth that the breed and the fan base are in serious decline and do something about it, __________________ Albert Einstein:"The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind."