Wow...I Agree with Andy Beyer!

I actually enjoyed reading Andy Beyer's column today. I even agree with most of the points that he made. It is not often that I agree with Mr. Beyer, but today he was right on.

In today's column Andy speaks about all the breakdowns at Del Mar, and Arlington. We keep hearing from the trainers that the track is bad, dangerous, or even neglected. The trainers bad mouth the track, the public starts to have ill feelings for the track, and it becomes a public relations disaster for the industry (not nearly as bad as it will be when Barbaro gets put down...A post for a different day).

The problem is not the track, its the trainers! The trainers are entering horses that are not sound, or drugged (legally, and illegally), and become surprised when they breakdown. The breeders are also guilty. The number of lightly raced stallions is incredible. If a 3 year old son of A.P. Indy or Storm Cat suffers a career ending injury, they send him to the breeding shed. Even if he only had 3 races and broke down. The breeders are guilty of breeding out soundness. Breeding is all about speed, and finding that magical nick. I would rather have a horse that can run for 6 years at the allowance/stakes level (like Spooky Moulder), than an unsound regally bred horse that COULD be pointed toward the Triple Crown . The success rate, and ROI would have to be much greater for the modestly bred sound horse.

Trainers.......STOP BLAMING THE TRACKS.....WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO RUN WHEN THEY HAVE TO SHUT DOWN THE TRACKS.

Breeders......I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A STALLION AD THAT SHOWS THE AVERAGE RACING CAREER OF IT OFFSPRING...NOT TOP BEYER THE STALLION RAN BEFORE HE BROKE DOWN!!!!