Here is an active “For Sale” ad for a 5-year-old gelding named Qu:
“A gorgeous, well balanced horse with a great shoulder, neck and topline. He is also super friendly and quiet. This guy is lightly raced but has not shown much potential for it. According to his trainer, in March he sustained an injury to his left hind leg from kicking through a stall wall, and then getting stuck in the hole and slicing his leg down to the bone is [sic] trying to pull it out. Although there is still scarring, he said the leg is completely healed now and he is sound on it despite the cosmetic changes. Indeed, Qu has raced twice since the injury.
His trainer says he is a kind and well mannered horse who has no vices and he feels Qu would make a wonderful pleasure horse, but could also be shown. He was very quiet for his pictures but the dreary day didn’t do justice to his lovely coat. Such a nice boy, come see him in person and decide for yourself, and please don’t let the cosmetic scars on his leg stop you from giving him the good home and new career that he deserves.” (pics here)
In both of Qu’s races (last month at Finger Lakes) after “slicing his leg down to the bone,” he finished dead-last – 28 lengths back in the first, 50 – yes, 50 – in the second. This, of course, explains the “not much potential for racing.”
To trainer/owner Eduardo Maver, I ask: Has not this pitiful animal endured enough on your watch? Compassion here would be an immediate and free – preferably with a donation – retirement to a reputable rescue. Anything short is unconscionable. We all have better angels, Mr. Maver, we need only let them out.
Perfect sentiments and the advice contained in the last paragraph is excellence of heart and of writing!
UNBELIEVABLE!!…admitting the horse has no “racing potential”, hit-you-in-the-face evidence of his injury, yet…YET!…putting him on the track! For WHAT, Mr. Maver?…because Qu just LOVES IT?!? For WHAT racing apologists? Unbelievable…but I don’t know why I’m surprised.
I do NOT support horse racing. While I do not know about fingerlakes specifically – I DO know that many groups like CANTER etc that find homes for OTTBs demand that there is a price tag. This helps keep the horses from ending up in the hands of “kill buyers” who will take free horses and sell them for $250 – $300 for MEAT. Usually if you want a horse to “be safe” you put a $500 price tag on it to keep the meat buyers away. As for rescues – most are full up and not accepting horses on the track. “free homes” – again, look out for the “kill buyers”. That said – I do not see a price listed on this horse. Personally, I think the trainers or the breeders should be responsible for permanently retiring the horses they brought in this world – and broke.
I never heard of the organization Finger Lakes Finest Thoroughbreds (FLF). It looks like the organization is trying to find a home for the horse. Also, it seems the trainer, Maver, will keep starting him until someone takes him. What a plight for Qu and one more black mark for this sorry industry. I hope and pray there is a place for him because we all know what the fate of this beautiful gelding will be. Racing must be about finished for the season at FL so he does need to be placed soon.
This situation and so very many others remind me of why I despise racing more and more.
While they try to find a “suitable” home for this beautiful, but maimed horse wouldn’t you think they could at least keep his hooves trimmed ? of course that does cost money, and … well… he isn’t making them any money finishing 50 length’s behind, sooo…?
This kind of thing is really heartbreaking. More shameful is the fact that it happens all the time and those in the midst of it all are so complacent. I have a beautiful farm of thirty five acres in Tn. We have one rescue TB gelding, that similarly disliked racing and two teenaged paint mares. We have room for another to join our family where it could enjoy R%R for the rest of their lifetime. Problem is, we don’t have the funds to re-locate a deserving individual. Just the same, we would gladly welcome such a deserving individual into our family where they could enjoy a safe and loving home if there was someone who was willing to help out in this matter.
Speaking of tragedies. Princess of Sylmar was sold for 3.1 million to the Japanese.
How could the owner say he cares about this horse when this horse will probably end up slaughtered where they no longer find any use for her like famous racehorses before her including Ferdinand the 1986 Kentucky Derby WInner. I wonder if there is a clause in there saying that she will not be slaughtered. I may call them and ask them if I can find their number.
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/17051/death-of-a-derby-winner-slaughterhouse-likely-fate-for-ferdinand
“I’m very, very happy the Yoshidas got her,” said Mark Taylor, vice president of sales for Taylor Made. “She’s going to a great home. Actually, Mr. Stanco does a lot of business in Japan, so hopefully they’ll let him have visiting rights.”
Taylor reported that Stanco was not at the sale, as he felt that it would be too painful to see the horse go.
Full story
http://www.paulickreport.com/news/bloodstock/follow-the-fasig-tipton-november-sale-2/