Is anyone else tearing up? I'm sure it's just me.
http://cbs5.com/localwire/22.0.html?type=bcn&item=COUNTY-FAIR-bagm- Bay Meadows has only 5 days of horse racing left before the track that has played host to greats such as Seabiscuit and Citation will close forever.
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23 commentsReplies
Osteocephalic said, (99 days ago)
I don't know. I think horse racing might be a little anachronistic for a progressive area like the San Francisco Bay Area.
We have this image of the good old days, when men wore suits and said "golly", but that image is of our grandparents. Most of the people I've seen at Bay Meadows have been the dregs. It's NASCAR with a smaller carbon footprint. I've never seen the sophisticated ring-a-ding-ding of the thirties at a modern horse racing event, but I've only gone a couple of times.
What are they going to turn it into?
Manuel said, (99 days ago)
@osteo: More Olive Gardens and Targets. Oh and a coffee shop. You have have a coffee shop to be progressive.
lay oale said, (99 days ago)
Berkeley is really happy about it, apparently.
They haven't sent in any protesters.
Osteocephalic said, (99 days ago)
I doubt very many people from Berkeley would acknowledge the existence of San Mateo County, much less be able to fathom the transit required to actually go there.
San Mateo. That's near LA, right?
Ghostie said, (99 days ago)
Seriously. I like history. I'm sentimental. But horse racing is one of very few things that pisses me off. If you're making money off of animals you're doing it wrong.
Please take note of the two horses who died on track last racing season during the crown races.
Remember Barbaro a few years ago? Poor thing was tortured for over a year while they tried to get him breeding sound so they could make more money.
" Thoroughbred racetracks in the U.S. reported more than three horse deaths a day last year and 5,000 since 2003, and the vast majority were put down after suffering devastating injuries on the track, according to an Associated Press survey."
The vasty majority of this horses who make it off the track are sent to slaughter in Canada and Mexico.
People thing dog fighting is bad...
lay oale said, (99 days ago)
If a tree was falling down in San Mateo because they were building a new shopping mall, they would be there in ten minutes in their washed out VW buses.
scurvyman said, (99 days ago)
As someone who's enjoyed a couple of races a year at the Del Mar racetrack and was unaware of this track's history or its impending closing, I AM bummed to hear that. I wish I'd gotten to see it!
(I'm bummed in a different, far more disturbing way because of Ghostie's info that I didn't know about before...)
Manuel said, (99 days ago)
@scruvy: Well if you're hurtin' for a race, Golden Gate Fields is WAY closer to you and still open.
Stark Raving Brad said, (98 days ago)
this was supposed to be a sentimental thread, but i must address the misinformation.
first, horse slaughter. it is not true that "The vasty {sic) majority of this horses who make it off the track are sent to slaughter in Canada and Mexico." in fact, VERY FEW thoroughbred racehorses are lost to slaughter. why? they're too valuable. those not suitable to be bred are desirable as pleasure horses, hunter jumpers, dressage, and eventing. thoroughbreds are very well bred and in compare to most other breeds, are Cadillacs to their yugos.
horse slaughter is an abomination, imho, though. thoroughbred horse racing organizations firmly support a ban on horse slaughter. the industry was instrumental in passing a ban on horse slaughter several times in recent years, only to be rebuffed by the bush administration. in fact, the most recent law passed is being flouted by the bush administration through a loophole by funding USDA inspection through other sources since it was made illegal. your real beef should be with Bush. lastly, the horses helped by the ban the most are non-thoroughbreds.
now, barbaro. the jackson's spent millions on that horse because they love him. the docs at new bolton, the best in the world, had already told them that he would never go to stud b/c he his hind legs would would be compromised by covering mares. there was not a financial benefit to them by saving the horse. they thought it was the right thing to do. and they spared no expense.
horses are euthanized after catastrophic injuries incurred while racing. this is true and unfortunate. non-racehorses, however, have it much worse. if someone's pleasure horse or jumper or even pet injures himself on someone's ranch, they may not even be found until the bleed out. also, there is rarely a vet within a reasonable distance, thus the option of humanely putting the horse down is often not even available.
what people often forget is these are both extremely loved and valued horses. in NorCal it costs about $60/day to keep a horse in training and $100/day in SoCal, giving them MARKEDLY better care than almost any pleasure horse. they are babied and treated far better than their offtrack cousins, getting the very best feed, daily grooming, mucked stalls, proper exercise, and lots of personal attention. even if you ignore that trainers and owners have affinity for their horses, and believe them cold calculating capitalists, they would not want to risk losing such valuable assets to injury. in my experience, horsemen do what's right for the horse and do not take unnecessary risks to attempt to pad their pocket book. for one, it doesn't work, and two, these folks are horsemen and do have pride as horsemen.
the loss of eight bells was certainly tragic. sadly, few mourn for the pleasure horse that incurs catastrophic injury in the line of duty. the racing community should continue to fund research and improve practices so that all horse may benefit. as a member of the 475,000 horse racing industry workers in america, i am proud that we do.
Ghostie said, (98 days ago)
I don't want to open a can of worms but I think that people should know that they are contributing to.
Four years ago I went to a *SLAUGHTER AUCTION* where there were about 30 OTTB and picked THREE horses up with good confirmation and good breeding for a grand total of $500. Horses that were sold for at least 25,000 as yearlings. The horses were out of their minds on drugs and could hardly be touched. They still had racing shoes on and they were all at least 100 lbs underweight.
The last I heard two of them were progressing well as dressage mounts. Those two had only been in a few races thankfully. The other is a pet that can be ridden only at a walk by people under 100 pounds. Why? Racing injury. Someone is compassionate is taking care of the WASTE of your industry.
There is a reason that reasonable equestrians wont go near a horse with anything but a halter and a lead rope until it is three and the racing industry KNOWS this. I'm sure that YOU know that a horse doesn't fully mature until around 5 or 6. So why are you running animals with bones as soft as butter? BECAUSE IT'S LESS EXPENSIVE to keep a horse for three years than it is to keep one for six.
Shame on you.
Ghostie said, (98 days ago)
Maybe I'm tearing up over the $450 a month I pay to keep a discarded injured unridable puppy of a standardbred well cared for even though he is of no use to me?
Nah. I like him lots.
What upsets me is that there are lots of animals like him who win their owners lots of money and and up at the mercy of charitable people at the auction houses.
Maybe race farms should consider setting up retirement home for the many injured unridables they create every year?
:)
Stark Raving Brad said, (98 days ago)
@Ghostie, i commend you for you for your rescue of horses headed for slaughter. did you check the tat #s on them? again, while some thoroughbreds to go to slaughter, they represent a very small percent and are highy under represented compared with other breeds.
again, i commend you for rescuing a standardbred. i'm not terribly familiar with the breed and am limiting my comments to thoroughbred racehorses in compare to non-thoroughbreds.
i did not start this thread to individually address your continued incorrect assertions, and do hope you can be respectful in my thread. otherwise, please leave.
Manuel said, (98 days ago)
Back to the neighborhood bashing: http://sfist.com/2008/08/13/how_berkeley.php
hahaha
Ghostie said, (98 days ago)
Someone is in denial. Typical.
It's a completely relevant argument to make in this topic
"This race track is shutting down. I'm sad."
"I'm not. And here is why."
People aren't always going to agree with you.
If you can tell me where your ex racers are and how they are doing I will shut up. I have a friend who has race horses and he takes excellent care of his horses once they stop racing but even he admits that this is uncommon.
---
Anyway. Berekley. Which is where I am at. I took my Italian greyhound to the dog park today and some idiot informed me that she is EMACIATED.
No, she is just naturally skinny you fat ass. Do you see the muscle tone? Emaciated animals don't gots that. Let's talk about the fact that you and your pug are so fat you can hardly walk.
scurvyman said, (98 days ago)
manuel, that's fucking hilarious.
Hang on Ghostie, YOU'RE in Berkeley too? Why is it so impossible to get you Bay Area people to want to do anything in the same room when at least three of us live in the same, not very big town?
Manuel said, (98 days ago)
@scurvy: The EB people are always up for fun and game, its just a matter of getting those in the 415 to hop on BART or dare cross a bridge if you want to do anything over here.
I was talking in one of Gingers threads to go to Thalassa when she is here. Its at Shattuck and Durant, lots of pool tables and beer. If not that, I have plenty of other East Bay ideas.
Manuel said, (98 days ago)
Oh and you have to form something to do, I haven't heard of you wanting to do anything til now.
scurvyman said, (98 days ago)
Well, I mainly haven't formed something to do because I just moved here and don't know what there is to do yet. (chicken/egg problem?) Anyway, I have posted a couple of threads about how I was going to move here and about how I moved here and wanted to hang out but they went nowhere and I keep dropping hints. I guess, if not sooner, then at least we'll get something together when ilg comes to visit. Maybe I'll spread rumors that I'm coming to visit the bay area and see if that gets results!
Stark Raving Brad said, (97 days ago)
@ghostie, the first filly i ever bot i still own. of the others, some of them were taken in claiming races where the owner has no control over who buys the horse. still, i know where all of them are and that they are getting excellent care, except for one that was taken by a trainer that later died--that's the trainer died, not the horse.
also, i participate in the California Retirement Management Account (http://news.bloodhorse.com/article/42781.htm?id=42781) which diverts a portion of purse earnings to fund training for second careers as jumpers etc., or retirement for those not so suited.
lastly, all the revenues from my horse racing blog go directly to thoroughbred retirement charites. previously i supported Old Friends in KY(http://www.oldfriendsequine.org/), and since 2006 all money has gone to Tranquality Farms here in Cali (http://www.tranquilityfarmtbs.org/). my blog has raised over $3000 for these charities, and the thoroughbred bloggers alliance, of which i'm one of the ~20 members has dontated thousands more from our dues and other revenues.
Didn't I say this was going to happen a few years ago?!
Nyeh!