It’s not nearly the worst of it, folks (for that, see my posts from earlier today, or simply read this site every day for a week), but that doesn’t change the fact that Rich Strike, winner of today’s Kentucky Derby, was abused by the outrider on national television:
Just cruel. Horse racing is soooo over. This needs to stop., Nobody knew how badly these horses were treated until the last three or four years and now it’s been exposed and now it needs to stop.
I agree the poor horse ran so fast for this winner he was all hyped up, what did these idiots wex]etc him to slow down. The outrider should be in jail.
What was going on there? Was he strapped to the pony? Why were they fighting?
He’s a colt – it’s like having a large unfixed dog – they get sexually aggressive when excited. The outrider should have just let the horse go but he didn’t and Rich Strike kept biting at the pony.
I kept saying to myself, just let him go!!! That beautiful horse just won the biggest race of his young life, still excited & he gets knocked around. Why didn’t the jockey take control??
I don’t know what the jockey was thinking but you are 100% right. Just let the horse go! Bunch of idiots.
This wasn’t abuse in anyway. Rich Strike was taking
Chunks out of the pony and could have bit the outrider. It was necessary to
Protect the rider and pony. Those who claim abuse have no idea what they are talking about
No you can’t just get him go. It’s the job of the outrider to take the winner back in
Rich Strike was being a naughty boy, unbecoming of a KY Derby winner. I wouldn’t consider that abuse since breaking a green horse looks much more violent; however, the outrider should have be communicating with the Jock.
I didn’t see the humans talking about a quick solution. Brings up the question who’s the intelligent beasts here?
The outrider, Greg Blasi, was the most aggressive towards RICH STRIKE. Greg Blasi was the bad guy. The horse was just showing dominance by biting. But the outrider wanted to out dominate the most dominant horse in the race. Sure it’s fine for the horse to dominate as in winning but don’t bite the rude so and so that grabbed control of RICH STRIKE away from the jockey, Sonny Leon. The outrider used extremely poor judgement!!! Give the horse a chance to cool his jets before you rush into his space. Let the jockey handle his mount.
Blasi has a dark history. He abused the young horse and ruined the day for him. He should be fired. He is suppose to be smarter than the animal. Not.
Yes, I do have a horse. Yes, I have been bitten. The outrider should be embarrassed.
Ahhh, the glamour of horse racing and manhandling the horse… (Sarcasm)
…..it’s called savage…..he tried to savage him…..he was savaging him…..u know…like Mike Tyson did to Holyfield…….SAVAGE…….happens more then u know, but gives u reason to post here.
With the many years of research I’ve done on racehorses, especially racehorse behaviour, only very occasionally does this occur. In most cases the horse was being whipped during the race. The equine usually savages another when frustrated in an unnatural and frightening environment. (It commonly occurs on trucks when many racehorses suffer the terrible journey to Mexico/Canada to be slaughtered). Before Rich Strike savaged, it appeared to me that outrider was roughly handling Rich Strike’s reins attached to the bit in RS’s mouth, probably wearing a tongue tie as well, after he was spent, fatigued, still feeling the sting of the whip and the high stress of a horse race plus the crowd noise which can also unsettle the horse.
Yet another disgraceful example of abuse by the horseracing industry.
Jockey if he is equine educated should have told the outriders to leave it to him and any decent rider would let his horse go through the throes of frustration and distress giving him time to settle down and get it out of his system.
But folks, this is the Kentucky Derby and we cannot have the winning horse behaving ‘badly’ as this outrider saw it. They’ve got no bloody idea, they really haven’t.
They don’t, Carolyn – these racing folks don’t know equine behavior! What they know is warehousing racehorses in shedrows for 23 hours/day then sending them to the track for “training” and racing. They’re clueless about everything that enriches an equine’s life and clueless about what environment will keep them as safe as possible. They don’t even know why they give them the drugs they do – they just know they’ve been “educated” to give them.
I’ve read so many racing articles about owners, trainers, jockeys, grooms – and how many have had zero horse experience before finding a job WITH them at the track. Or they’ve learned everything they know from racing-employed daddy – and then perpetuate the animal exploitation and abuse that’s just “normal” for them. It’s frightening, it really is.
You are so right Joy!!!
I concur with this. It is a high stress environment and the best thing to do would have been to let him settle. I’m sure having his tongue tie on was frustrating as well. Humans subject them to all sorts of crap. Was the outrider actually swatting him ? Geez next time we shall hear of this horse colicky and dead in his stall.
I love when semi-literate dinosaur blood sport fans jump in here to insist the equine victims DESERVE the abuse they’re forced to suffer from the monsters in this sick game — monsters like Chubs, here, sawing on Rich Strike’s mouth and pummeling his face at the same time(!). Yet Chubs refused to BACK THE F OFF because it was his (Chubs’) big moment to shine on Derby Death Day.
So, sorry, Ken. Not gonna state it as politely and eloquently as Carolyn has, above. We all know that abused, beaten, drugged animals do tend to get frustrated and lash out.
And, we can all see who the “savage” one is here.
Actually, it seems you think it gives YOU reason to comment here, Ken. What was that again? Savage, you say? 🙄
He was not abusing Rich Strike but doing his job. The hyped up race horse was biting the outriders horse and biting him. If a 1100 pound horse does not respect being led and gets in the outrider’s space he needs to be disciplined.
Really, Barbara? “Gets in the outrider’s space”? Don’t know what video you watched, but I saw your Mr. Consummate Hero Using Brutality (CHUBs, for short;) sawing on Rich Strike’s mouth while hitting him on the face at the same time — both while his victim COULDN’T GET six inches away. In the real world of horse care, we call that ABUSE. (But you racing apologists think of that sick behavior as “discipline.” Of course you do.)
Amen. As a spectator and animal lover, I was appalled.
Yeah, Barbara, that’s what you say when you’re okay with ABUSING the hell out of the horse and MANHANDLING the hell out of the horse and MAKING the horse do WHAT you want the horse to do WHEN you want the horse to do it. Yeah, Barbara, you call it discipline — you don’t call it abuse. Don’t dare call it what it is! Don’t dare call being SADISTIC to force a horse to comply with the demands of an industry that kills SIX HORSES every day ABUSE, because, you know, it’s a “job” just like the “workers” at livestock auctions and slaughterhouses have a “job” to do. They have a schedule to keep. It’s a “job” that requires an employee to be okay with using sadistic and brutal methods to force animals to comply.
How bizarre that racing & its supporters are upset about a non-life threatening bite on the neck (in defense of the outrider punching Rich Strike in the face) but will ignore the literal thousands of racehorses who suffer broken limbs training/racing and are euthanized. Barbara, care to comment about those thousands of dead racehorses?
That said, this industry SETS HORSES UP for injury, dangerous situations, death – both the racehorses and the ponies. The pony didn’t deserve to be in a position to be hurt by the hyped-up, just-turned-3-year-old colt and Rich Strike didn’t deserve to have his sensitive mouth jerked around nor to be punched in the face. The humans who find employment in racing and those who support it are solely to blame for this sick and unnecessary occurrence.
Oh yes, teach the horse RESPECT! Hello Barb – it is a HORSE. An animal that doesn’t understand respect and it is obvious that the people around him don’t understand or respect him. That horse would rather be running with other horses, grazing, rolling in dirt not being kept in a box, let him out an hour a day, and expected to do what – RESPECT!? What would you do Barb??? Give him a smack, pull his ear and teach him a lesson? What is wrong with you?
Pure and utter bullshit. You are living in a land of strange cruel people. Go get a life.
I call BS on your comment!
People need to LEARN how to work with their animal . . . . let’s try these whips out on the jockey, the trainer, the outsiders, the OWNER.
This horse just won the KD. Let RICH STRIKE have his moments to defuse & regain his composure without being “disciplined”.
I hope you don’t have a horse. If you do you shouldn’t. Be merciful and sell it.
Rich Strike was probably not gelded. Usually gelding the colts usually calm the horses a bit, just so they ain’t as feisty. Still, if I was that official on the lead pony, I would’ve let the reins go and see if someone else could bring him in. That was unnecessary to beat the horse. That official was probably pissed coz he bet his life savings on epicenter to win!
The horse won the race. His reward was to get yanked about and punched by the outrider who was busy sawing on his reins as well as yanking his own horse about. I keep hearing well Hes an 1100-pound intact stallion. And everything is blamed on hm. Really? If you can’t handle horse leave him alone. ,It nipped the pony. So I bet he did not get any vet care while they hauled that loutish lard butt off to the hopsital cause the only thing RS could get a hold of was his chubby leg. Oh gee too bad. And how do you feel about the dead horses that pile up everyday? Do not give me your crocodile tears. Where is your concern for the horses killed on tracks , in the gates or dying alone in their stalls and tossed out like trash.
Yes it’s so much greed here, it’s sickening. Beating a young champion colt he outta be reprimanded He probably was taking out his anger on a horse who wasnt a favorite. A horse who won and I wonder if that outsider lost a bunch of money. No horse should be drugged and abused! Is what this sport is coming to Beating up a horse that won all odds?? The greatest story of this special horse. I pray for the safety of rich strike!!!
I really think you get a better result with any animal if you temper your handling with common sense and some kindness. But isn’t racing about power and every last penny you can eek out of a horse till they collapse?
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The outrider who “escorted” Rich Strike back to the winner’s circle should be ruled off for life. I have been going racing for fifty years all over the world and I have never seen an outrider, jockey, hotwalker, trainer or assistant trainer abuse a horse in full public view the way this lout did. If Churrchill Downs does not take immediate action against him, it loses ll credibility.
You’re assuming Churchill Downs HAS credibility after all the disasters of the past several years.
With hundreds of people who had too much bourbon all day screaming no wonder the horses are in a frenzy. Also, at the starting gate in the beginning of the race #2 had to be backed out. THE REASON??? His tail was stuck in the gate closure.
Are you kidding me??? No abuse. Protecting himself and his horse. Was it pretty no..It was a dangerous situation.
Totally uncalled for abuse
Why did the horse need so much help being led…somehow the jockey got him around the circle all by himself. It was unnecessary – let the horse go and allow the jockey to handle it. Or better yet, get a human to escort if the horse is getting excited around another horse. Abuse is never acceptable!
There was no abuse. I ponied at the racetrack and horses like to bite on you our your horse. If a thousand pound stallion tries to bite you, it is not abuse for you to push his head away.
This horse has been drugged and more than likely has ulcers that cause more aggressive behavior. A stallion locked in a box for 23 hours a day or more! Sometimes these wound up stallions don’t get let out because no one wants to deal with them because they act like a stallion locked up in a box day and night. Maybe let the horse be a horse or a gelded horse not a future profit for the owners to bring more and more horses in the world to be run through the race horse meat grinder.
He picked the horse up on the gallop out like he was a loose horse. The horse never even got the chance to slow down on his own and turn back. As soon as he grabbed a hold of the poor horse’s face and mouth it escalated the situation. That poor horse was amped up coming out of his skin with a 100,000 drunk idiots screaming at him. Him jerking and punching on the horse made it worse- all for the almighty post race interview and video.
The outrider made this situation worse. Had he just let him go, and the 2 outriders calmly flanked the horse on the way back the situation would’ve been alot less dangerous.
Sonny Leon is used to riding amped up, sore, and crazed horses on the lower level circuits here in WV, Ohio, and Ky. He could’ve handled that horse no problem without that fat ass getting in the horse’s face. He just wanted to be the big bad ass on national TV. Instead he just made himself look like an asshole.
Marie, this is the comment that I recommend that a commenter by the username of “Myguygus” read (he commented under the Blasi family post), because I know that you know what you are saying & you explain the thought process behind the actions. Most of the people defending the ABUSE have this preconceived notion that we don’t know anything about horses or we would not be criticizing the bad behavior of the outrider, namely Greg Blasi. He used very poor judgement but I don’t think Blasi gave one damn about being CRUEL to either RICH STRIKE or the horse he was riding. A lot of this drama could have been avoided, but this is not nearly as bad as what happens every day in horseracing — PETA says three horses a day are killed and Patrick Battuello says SIX HORSES ARE KILLED EVERY DAY.😣 The ABUSE leads to death, obviously.
You are so right, Marie.
Imagine if he had broke a tooth or ripped his lip?? Buddy was wayyyy too aggressive!!!
Striking an animal does nothing to defuse the situation and actually exacerbates the behavior by adding to the extreme stress of the horse.
It highlights the ignorance of the people involved.
YES
You are spot on, Kelly! I’ve been around racetrack people and have a longtime friend who used to exercise horses. She understood horse behavior. She was one of the very few. It’s heart-breaking to realize how uneducated and compassion-less backstretch people really are. Jockeys are not horsemen. Neither are modern-day trainers. These people just exploit horses knowing they can make a half-decent living at it. Lazy, base and lacking seriously in understanding basic horse psychology, their tactics center on domination. It’s very sad. The outrider should be disciplined. What he did was uncalled for. The jockey could have easily pulled Strike’s head to the right to redirect the horse’s attention. No he sat there like a dumb bumpkin. All you racing apologists–did you ever stop to think about how the horse was feeling? No, that doesn’t matter, does it? It’s just more fun to yank and slap the poor creature! Horse-racing…..showcasing mankind at his finest!
He is a 3 year old colt. They will bite mares like that if allowed. that was dangerous for all 4 involved. Kind of hard to let go when horse biting him. He should be corrected for his behavior. next time, he could really hurt someone.
How about we end horse racing. Actually they for the most part are immature baby’s. Then we can stop breeding more horses to
Die for human amusement and save the outriders and their horses.
Far as that goes if your an outrider don’t you know how to deal with a frustrated colt who beaten down the track but otherwise locked in a stall all day.
Rich Strike outrider was Greg Blasi. His brother Scott Blasi is assistant trainer for the notorious horse abuser Steve Asmussen, trainer of 2nd place finisher Epicenter. Birds of a feather. Greg pissed and likely took out his aggression on Rich Strike.
I wondered, and assumed, these turds are related somehow. Boy they both show their “love” of racehorses!
THAT explains a lot. Unfortunately.
Mean spirited small minded men.
I’d like to see you sit up on that pony horse and react any different! There’s such a thing as manners and horses should have them as well as people! Until you’ve sat in that saddle and had a horse try to savage you and your horse don’t pretend to act like you know what you’re talking about.
I suspect you would like to be treated better then those horses are but perhaps a tongue tie on you might persuade you other wise.
Ginny Clark, you are suggesting that this bloodsport requires abusive action towards the horses.
Horse racing is deliberate ANIMAL CRUELTY to horses!!!!
#EndHorseracingNOW
My sister spent many years on the backs of these race horses before the ‘sport’ got more abusive towards the horses due to greedy people. There is no reason to punch a horse. You’re an idiot.
There is 0 abuse happening here. “Greg is being eaten by Rich Strike…Ignorant people are blaming him and calling for his firing. I am sure he did not want this, especially on national television, due to scrutiny of the ignorant crowd. A typical thoroughbred race horse weighs in at over 1,000 lbs., and this horse was savaging not only the Outrider, but his horse as well. Greg did EVERYTHING he could to get Rich Strike to stop…he had to resort to physically correcting a horse, which is something ALL horsepeople might have to do. This is the Kentucky Derby winner, and imagine if he “just let go” and Rich Strike got hurt? There are also tens of millions of dollars of horses and people still on the track…if Rich Strike had gotten loose, people and horses might have died.
This Outrider, Greg, did the BEST JOB HE COULD HAVE DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!! He should be applauded for his work, not scolded. Shame on those who blame him without knowing the facts…SHAME!!!“
People & horses might have DIED if Leon simply RODE the colt just like the other 19 jockeys were riding their mounts, Emmi? Is that right? – slowing RS to a canter then jog then walk (without the outrider yanking on RS’s mouth and punching him in the face) is more dangerous than what the two just did? You racing minions are brilliant in “Open Mouth, Indict Racing”.
Maybe he could have – I don’t know- LET HIM GO instead of just trying to hang on to try to get a stupid interview?!
Emmi, you are so full of crap! You’re so full of crap! The best thing the outrider could have done was to let the horse, RICH STRIKE, go!!!!
The point is HORSE RACING IS INHERENTLY ABUSIVE AND KILLS HORSES. Horse racing is deliberate ANIMAL CRUELTY!!!!
#EndHorseracingNOW
For heaven’s sake – there was a jockey on the horse, correct? It’s not as if the outrider letting the horse go would have caused an incident. The jockey could and should have handled it. Not like Rich Strike was a loose horse, HE HAD A RIDER. Let the horse go and avoid more bites and a disaster on TV, not hang on for dear life no matter what happens.
Well not only that but you can see clearly in the clip that that Rich Strike was full of beans but didn’t react violently till his reins were grabbed. For a couple of strides he walks along next to the outriders horse with little reaction. The fact that he’s wearing eye cups on his bridle and has his tongue tied down that outrider could have unsettled him and even pinched his tongue. Incidently with cups on a bridle I doubt RS would have been able to see the whip coming down on his backside. So I am voting for mishandling on the outriders part. The horse was not loose and calming down till he was grabbed by the outrider .And once he take the jocks reins away he has no control over the horse. That then can put his life in danger. Just think about that.
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Abused because he was not supposed to win much much less have a chance at the next two races. Odds destroyed and investors are pissed. Looked like a runaway horse to me then came punishment for being high spirited and claiming his ALPHA. Tongue tied and needing oxygen blame the champion thoroughbred race horse that just kicked 19 political asses being prepared for possible Immortality at The Prick-ness and Bella-mount Steaks.
What is that horses name again, I forget? He won but did not win fair ?
Was this a poem? This is really good! I feel the same way. He was marked as a loser, and they hated he won!
You dumbass, he wasn’t abused, he was being corrected from attacking the pony and the outrider , who did an outstanding job. The horse bit the hell out of the outriders leg, and worse grabbed the reins of the outrider, almost making the pony flip over , which could’ve killed the outrider. Unfortunately these situations happen where an animal needs corrected to avoid a serious injury to both horses and riders. Until you have been in this situation, and we know you haven’t , shut up with your ignorance.
Tony, you are obviously okay with manhandling a Thoroughbred race horse. Horse racing is deliberate ANIMAL CRUELTY to the horses and where are you when multiple horses are reported injured and killed by racing????
Are you busy collecting the 10 cents you won on a two-dollar bet while an injured horse is being “vanned off”???
Honest you saw all that in that video. Squirting blood, as well as the pony almost tipping over?let him go then. The jockey just rode him to victory and was doing fine till someone decided to Step in. So just let the jockey ride him in!!!! Too top it off the horse had his vision partially blocked with cups on his bridle and his tongue tied down. That’s some horse and I would like to buy him then. He didn’t try biting the Money till his reins got snagged. Crap that winner was having a little celebration. The outrider didn’t win the race and actually the jock didn’t either. He just hung on. I’ve always hated this heavy handed crap used on these horses as well as Standardbreds too. Hard to Tell what’s done to show horses cause owners polish that up a bit. But seriously it’s your job to handle that horse so if you all insist on racing them try to be professional about it. And if your that afraid don’t ride him
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Jennifer, these apologists do have some wild imaginations to come up with this extremely delusional justification for ABUSE of a horse.
When has anyone ever seen a horse and rider “tip over”?
What is Tony smokin’ or snortin’???
😂I did see him get so mad that he was yanking on his own horse too. Never get mad and forget what your doing. Then you will get hurt.
Hey Tony, how do you “KNOW” we haven’t? 🤔
There’s a reason some of us are on here!
You have to be smarter then the horse. Myself I always loved a cheeky horse. Test your skills and shows the horse hasn’t been beaten down so much he can’t react.
Listen you uncaring greedy bas_tard I’ve been around a horse trainer who trained and broke many types of horses much larger. The woman trainer was probably 5′ tall and this horse was over 2000 lbs. All she did was yank on the front of him from rearing snd he quit. Most of us know this smells like S h i t. Pretty fishy trying to justify uncontrolled anger on a horse..what a cover up all for the greed of money. Horses do have feelings too!
The jackass that abuse the derby winner should be fired
I feel like many of the people who are leaving comments here don’t handle horses on a regular basis. There is a safety protocol. It’s NEVER ok for a horse to bite or savage a person or another horse. These are very valuable creatures and all care is taken to keep the safety of all involved intact. To those who say “he should have just let him go”: really? Are you aware his job is to keep the rider and racehorse safe and that means maintaining CONTROL over the animal. Strike is a brilliant racehorse but he’s got a difficult temperament and the outrider should be commended for bringing this young, hot, adrenalized stallion under control without any casualties. Please try not to judge based on limited knowledge of the situation. It makes you look like ignorant.
June, it appears that you have not read all of the comments. There is a common sense reason that the outrider could have waited a little longer to grab a hold of RICH STRIKE. Nobody would have been hurt just by letting the jockey have control of the horse after the race was over. Obviously, the jockey didn’t need the outrider before or during the race. Above all of this, the main point is that all exploitation of horses for racing and wagering is CRUEL to the horses. You might want to take another look at the facts of the personalities of the Blasi family and their horrible language regarding the horses. Google the undercover video of NEHRO for example.
June, what most pro- outrider folks seem to not realize or comprehend is that this had nothing to do with the horse being out of control. He was trying to grab the horse so he could interview Sonny on the way back to the winners circle and to hand him off to that hag Donna Brothers. You know- so we can hear the same ol “I thank God, the owners, the trainers, my wife, my kids, the groom, the Walmart greeter down the road…, I had so much horse left and he’s so amazing that it seemed someone shoved a rocket up his ass and he took off…” the same crap we hear every year. THAT is the only reason he was trying to catch the horse!!
june … not all juvenile babies have the cool,calm mind and laid back temperament of Orb, American P., and such. Rich Strike sensed the unbelievable excitement and happiness of not the same old Bob Baffert winning, but, let’s be real …. it’s all bs. Bet on REAL sports … consenting humans.
Tabasco Cat ran over Jeff Lukas and ruined his life.If the outrider let a wild unruly horse run back towards the crowd and other horses someone could have been killed.Has anyone commenting ever fed or handled a stud horse.Has anyone nearly had their arm torn off or an ear bit off.Go into a field with a retired high strung stallion.Bring your padded arms or learn how to run fast.
Lee,
This was a race horse with a jockey on his back, not a loose horse! The jockey, Sonny Leon, had control until the outrider made the decision to grab ahold of the reins and take away control from Sonny Leon of RICH STRIKE. The outrider used poor judgement in that he could have waited until the jockey had more time to let RICH STRIKE gallop down to a walk or a trot. There was another outrider that wanted to help but this one guy, Greg Blasi, evidently wanted to steal the show and play the big-bad-ass horse-manhandling outrider. He was rude and insensitive in his choice of timing. He put himself in that situation to get bitten, so it is his own stupid fault. He was rough on the horse he was riding as well. Being heavy-handed is being abusive. He could have handled this situation differently and with better judgement. Well, at least someone else could have handled this situation with much better judgement than Greg Blasi did.
I saw a different video on YouTube of the people on the ground walking RICH STRIKE back to the barn area and to the spot where they give the horse a sponge bath. RICH STRIKE is not trying to bite anyone. They have his tongue tied up so he can’t close his mouth and his tongue is hanging out of the right side of his mouth. It’s CRUEL to the horse! It is not healthy for horses to have their tongues tied up! It isn’t healthy for any horse to NOT BE ABLE to close their mouth. In racing, this kind of ABUSE is CONSIDERED NORMAL, but in horseracing everything is ABNORMAL!
Hmmmm…able to take a young lasix fueled horse under control? I often wonder how my 5’2″ sister can manage horses like this without anger or abuse – oh! She cares and understands horses and treats them properly, without drugs and without keeping them in a box 23 hours a day. You know nothing about horsemanship if you believe this or support any aspect of the racing industry.
Seriously? Are none of these keyboard warriors actual horse people? That STALLION not only was biting the out riders horse, but actually got ahold of his leg. As someone who has been around horses all my life ( and been bitten) that man handled himself as professionally as possible given the situation. If anyone was hurt, it was the outsiders horse and the outside himself. It’s not uncommon for racehorses, especially stallions to be nasty, and to tip it off, going into a race is full of stimulation and adrenaline for everyone involved.. I’d ask many of you to get off your soap boxes and consider what you would do ( if you knew the first thing about horses, or could even stay on top of one, much less control yours AND another horse) in that situation. I’d put money on the fact that it wouldn’t well.
And for those saying to let him go, that’s a 1200 pound animal that’s now loose around millions of dollars of other horses, riders, and spectators. I am not the biggest fan of horse racing, but to call this abuse is untrue and meant to cause a ruckus.
He wasn’t loose till the outrider took the reins. Then the jock had no control. Time to end racing when you reward the winning horse by punching him in the face. Maybe your right about keyboard warriors and I don’t ride anymore but I will tell you this clearly the horse was behaving till his reins were grabbed. Horse racing serves no viable use today and should be done away with. If the horses are that big a danger I would expect to see more dead humans then all the horses killed instead. End horse racing and stop breeding them.
Sarah, you might want to get your eyes examined because it is only too obvious that RICH STRIKE was not loose. He had a jockey on his back and the jockey handled the horse before, during and, for a short time, after the race. Blasi, the outrider (or as you say, outsider) chose to interfere with the jockey’s control of RICH STRIKE. It appears that the outrider, or if you prefer outsider, Blasi, chose to cause a ruckus.
Sarah, since you are accusing the “keyboard warriors” on this blog post of not being knowledgeable enough about horses to be called “horse people” in your perception of things, you might at least try to use the correct terminology. A STALLION is an intact male horse OVER THE AGE OF FOUR YEARS. In this case of an INTACT male horse running in the Kentucky Derby, RICH STRIKE is THREE YEARS OLD. A male horse UNDER the age of FOUR YEARS is called a COLT, especially an INTACT male horse. Geldings can also be referred to as “colts” when UNDER the age of FOUR YEARS, but most people I know generally always refer to castrated male horses as GELDINGS regardless of their age.
RICH STRIKE IS A COLT. He is NOT A MATURE HORSE and should NOT be expected to perform as though he were a mature horse which means he should not be exploited for racing and wagering!!!! It’s not HORSEMANSHIP — it’s ABUSE of an immature, underdeveloped colt!
I absolutely loved it. Thank you for making my day.
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This asshole needs fired and prosecuted for this. This was uncalled for. GRRRRRRR
Give me a break. If you ever had a young stallion come after you and your horse, you would do the same thing. I would! It really bothers me when non-horse people spout off without knowing what they’re talking about.
I know horses and have handled stallions. Get over yourself. It’s what they signed up to do so be a professional and handle it like an adult. End horse racing. It serves no purpose. And if it’s that dangerous (to the horses) mainly just quit and enter the workforce
Diana, if you take a closer look at this situation, you should be able to see that it was the outrider, Blasi, who went after the winning horse, RICH STRIKE. Blasi chose to be the dominant aggressor and he chose to be less than kind. He could have used common sense and let the jockey handle his mount, RICH STRIKE.
It makes sense that a lot of people were affected negatively in their pocketbooks, because allegedly EPICENTER was “supposed to” have won the Kentucky Derby 2022. Horses should not be treated as mere gambling chips and discarded like trash when their owners have used them up.
I oppose the cruel treatment of horses. We must end horseracing.
The outrider should be fined and or suspended for his actions!! Just let Rich Strike go!!! He just won the biggest race of his young life and got treated like a POS!!!
Unreal actions that needs to be addressed so this never happens again! Again why didn’t he just let him go until he calmed down!! Just my opinion!
Thanks
William, you’re correct in your assessment of this ugly situation!!! The outrider was aggressive towards the horse, RICH STRIKE. Having experience with horses and knowing horses, it’s possible to tell when they’re going to be aggressive or not. The outrider was the aggressive one to start with and could have handled the situation in a much different way, but, no, Blasi chose to be the dominant aggressor instead of letting the jockey handle his mount. He could have let the jockey handle his own horse!!! Unlike some of the accusations made by some of the commenters, most of us who comment here do know horses and horse behavior. Many of us have spent most of our lives being around horses. Handling horses is like second to breathing for a lot of us.
So people who are okay with INHUMANE treatment of horses accuse us that we don’t know anything, because we’re not okay with abusing horses. Horse racing is deliberate ANIMAL CRUELTY.
Well I just want to ask if this is one of the horses that was in the barn fire? Didn’t the owner have a lightening strike and lost a lot of horses? I really would think it would make Rich Strike stand out all the more.
If you feed into a horses energy you get back what you put into it. I can still walk into a barn and calm my energy to bring theirs down. It’s not all about bullying the horse to do what you want.any animal for that matter.
This is a special horse and race people talk a lot about God giving them these horses. I frankly want to take it as a sign that racing will end soon and they will no longer be bred to be tormented.
Jennifer, I found a New York Post article about the trainer of RICH STRIKE, Eric Reed, having a barn fire SIX years ago, in 2016, at his Mercury Equine Center in Lexington. He lost 23 horses in the fire and almost walked away from racing. Thirteen horses survived the fire which was reported to have been caused by lightning.
RICH STRIKE could not have been in the fire since he was not born until April 25, 2019; just barely three years old. Calumet Farm is listed as the breeder of RICH STRIKE.
Thanks. I was unsure. My age I guess. But I still consider him a special horse and certainly did not deserve that treatment. Horse racing is a dead end for those animals. I would like to see it done away with. And at the end of their lives I do not deserved to be tossed away like rubbish. Way too many are are bred and in that respect many companion animals suffer similar ends because of human greed.
Jennifer, I knew a certain woman and her husband who had a small boarding stable. She had a “knack” for pretending to calm a horse down but in reality, at the same time, she was doing certain subtle things to get the horse to act up. It makes me sick to see people doing deceitful garbage like that to and with horses. I know what you mean about being able to calm horses down by your attitude and demeanor. Horses take their cue from the “leader” of the group for the most part. When I was a child growing up, my dad shod horses. He did the shoeing and I did the holding of the horses in many cases. It takes some degree of knowledge and skill to get a horse to hold still that doesn’t want to hold still AND I know you will believe me that you don’t go smacking the horse upside the head or anywhere when you want them to be calm and relaxed and not resisting.
I and my husband were watching this amazing animal run and do something no one thought he could, then after his win, the abuse this animal took. I would have bitten that outrider myself. The whole scene was horrible for this horse.
You are obviously not horse savvy to make a ignorant statement like that.
Should not be allowed near horses, lock him up.
bs how would you like a horse to bite you fyi the gentlemen went to the hospital the bite went to the bone I own race horses and have no problem with the outsider did trying to protect his pony horse and himself
Then you have no problem with animal abuse.
Another apologist who OWNS racehorses – and another owner who hasn’t a clue about what enriches an equine’s life because if she did and if she cared she wouldn’t risk their lives by racing them.
Ms. Edwards, I’m not at all surprised to see you supporting the cruel and unnecessary abuse of Rich Strike in commenting here as you did – have you ever commented here in sorrow over any one of the thousands of horses killed for egos and profits? No? – I didn’t think so.
I can’t watch this! But this needs to end
I am not even sure why they are involved with horses when they don’t seem to even like them and certainly they don’t respect them. It’s got to be the criminal acts you could be involved In or the fact you can make money by letting the horses do all the work. If the horses are so bad and so difficult to deal with , we’ll get outa the business. Far as I’m concerned that dummy outrider should of known better. When you torture a horse who came in at the last minute to run a race he was not expected to win he handled it quite well. Don’t want to get bit well then back off and let the jock handle it. You go yanking on your own horse as well as RS and what do you think was gonna happen. Why’s the outriders wearing a tongue tie? And tell me again how savage that horse is when another jock Was riding next to him for a bit to congratulate him. Them hateful savage horses are paying you wing nuts bills. Be respectful and professional. I bet ya the outriders horse didn’t see a vet for his injuries. End horse racing. It’s a really bad deal And serves no purpose. Then force these folks to give us our taxes back. I live right near one of these “racing’s” and it’s a bottom feeder. While I gave up going there when I saw them ride a horse outa site after it’s broke. A pelvis. And I don’t miss it abit. I’m quite sure most of their horses go to slaughter. But I have to laugh on the backs of the restroom doors are signs telling you where you can go for gambling help.
Sent from my iPhone
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This wasn’t abuse in anyway. Rich Strike was taking
Chunks out of the pony and could have bit the outrider. It was necessary to
Protect the rider and pony. Those who claim abuse have no idea what they are talking about
Susanne, taking chunks? That’s a laugh because it is not true. Biting is one thing but taking chunks out of the outrider’s horse is so ridiculously exaggerated. The outrider could have used much better judgement. So, how do you feel about the horses that were INJURED and vanned off?
While the racing community and media congratulate Rich Strike’s trainer Eric Reed, others in the racing community are sharing THEIR thoughts about him…
“He’s a lot worse than that. He’s a racist, an anti Semitic and the biggest POS human being I know. He trained on this filly for 3 weeks with that bow [photo was included that showed a chestnut’s front limbs with a left front bowed tendon]. That is just the tip of the iceberg of things I could tell you about him.” – Paula Taube, Thoroughbred breeder and owner
“He breezed my friends horse while it was being treated for a lung infection. It landed in the hospital and Dr Slovis said it was the worst case of bleeding he had ever seen. I could go on” – Paula Taube, Thoroughbred breeder and owner
“There’s so many things I know, 1st hand, not rumors, not 3rd party. I saw him abuse the shit out of horses, including my own. Couldn’t get them out of there fast enough. He QUIT FEEDING my horse because they said he was a bad actor. WTF!!!” – Paula Taube, Thoroughbred breeder and owner
“Sorry to rain on your parade. I would love to see the little guy win as much as anyone, but not him. He is as evil as they come. That’s coming directly from someone whose horses he abused, mine.” – Paula Taube, Thoroughbred breeder and owner
“108 rulings. I got lost trying to go thru them all. Most are not drug violations but I did see a Bute, tramadol, dex, Gabapentin and Isoflupredone positive, whatever that is. Still, Reed seems to have little if any regard for rules. This is separate from what I’VE SEEN him do.” – Paula Taube, Thoroughbred breeder and owner
In other words Paula …. you are admitting this gambling racket using unable to consent innocent creatures is a shit show.
Totally agree he should be banned from any racetrack.
I know there were alot of horsemen coming unglued watching that abuse…this is not the norm so don’t jump on horse racing jump on the pony rider!
Horseracing is definitely Animal Cruelty every day at race tracks all over the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Korea, China, the Middle East and anywhere else that people exploit horses (and camels and dogs) for racing.
This ABUSE of this racehorse by the outrider was bad but racing horses to the point of broken bones, Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage, and a myriad of other life-threatening conditions that cause horrendous pain and agonizing suffering to the horses that usually necessitate euthanasia and/or cause immediate death is what is even worse.
The stress of being a race horse causes them to have ULCERS. That is not something that is going to be seen by the average person watching the Kentucky Derby.
Well, YouTube is starting to remove videos showing the alleged abuse, due to copyright issues. A wonderful underdog story ruined by how this animal was treated after winning. I did not see an out-of-control animal, I just saw an animal true to nature. I thank all those who brought this to light. Horses are beautiful. Horse racing is ugly. I will no longer be watching.
Dam disgusting poor horse l hope someone made the sod get punnished cruel sod, just so long as the horse makes money for them sack him he is a brute and should never be allowed to look after any animal
He was Biting the attending horse!
Disgusting to watch!!! Absolutely ruined the moment of his winning! The stupid outrider should be better qualified!
That piss ant with the black hat should never be around a horse or animal ever again, the Kentucky Derby better fire that ass hat peace of shit
Racing is so cruel… horses are racing at 2 years old and their bones have even grown properly yet… most of them end up ruined at a very young life with arthritis and chronic back problems. If racing has to continue at least back the horses minimum age 4 pref 5 to give them a chance of a longer life and not just for greed and money. I’ve rescued a few
Charlotte, the standard procedure is to start riding colts and fillies at 18 months of age and then they keep riding them. They don’t turn them out to pasture to let them grow some more. They just keep grinding away at their bodies and minds with the “mental torture” and “physical fitness” type training to where their bones and their bodies break down before they even get a chance to mature. I have thought of what you said, let the young, underdeveloped colts and fillies grow to at least four or five years old, but the racing industry is too steeped in their own tradition of racing two-year-olds for the futurities and three-year-olds for the derbies. The people in this industry are INHERENTLY CRUEL to the horses and they see it as normal even though their Modus Operandi is completely contradictory to TRUE HORSEMANSHIP.
Fight or flight. This is the decision that horses have to make in perilous situations. The horse didn’t have time to slow down naturally. Then the outrider grabs Rich Strike, and then the horse has to make a decision. The rider should know what to do. The horse looks to the rider for an answer. The jockey made the decision to allow the outrider to handle the horse. So, the horse decides to fight! The Jockey probably assumed that the outrider knew how to do his job. Also the jockey’s adrenaline may have taken over or may be light headed. Thus, the outrider should be responsible and this outrider chose to do the wrong thing. I blame the outrider, hopefully the jockey learned something from this too! Although, I think Sonny Leon is a very skillful, talented, and genius jockey