On the same day – Travers Day – that two horses were killed at Saratoga, a Bob Baffert-trained horse was felled on the other coast. Pastor T, just two, died (fetlock injury) while “working out” at Del Mar Saturday morning. CHRB Chairman Greg Ferraro told the Thoroughbred Daily News that “Bob [Baffert] was quite upset.” He added, “Hard to predict sometimes. We do everything we can to avoid these things.” “These things” being, of course, over 2,000 dead racehorses across the country each year. Vile.
By breeding for speed and power, the bulk of the horse increases while the ankles and lower legs do not, according to some veterinarians. “Anatomically speaking, they run on their toes,” said Lawrence R. Soma, professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. “That makes them very fragile.”
Just another day at the races.
The people who care about, for one thing, the longevity of their horses do not expect or demand that their yearlings and their 2-year-olds perform as though they were fully matured horses which is 6 (six) years of age and up. The maturing phases of horses are well established facts and have been documented. The people who care about the longevity of their horses do not treat their horses as though they were machines.
Bob Baffert has been in this egregious cruelty called horseracing for a very, very long time and knows what he is paid to do which is exploit the young, underdeveloped, not fully matured colt or filly to perform as though they are and were machines. The people of the California Horse Racing Board don’t care about the basic concept of allowing horses to grow and develop into MATURITY. The futurities are for two-year-olds and the derbies are for three-year-olds.
Horseracing is set up to deliberately cause harm and death to horses before they are given the chance to become fully matured. Bob Baffert and the CHRB have a relationship with each other that goes back years and years. They are involved together in Animal Welfare Codes violations and Business Conduct Codes violations that involves racketeering and fixing the outcome of races. Considering that Bob Baffert likes to be the “trainer” of the horses who wins races and then party for a week (after winning the Kentucky Derby) even though he abused the colt to get him to the winner’s circle and doped him to the max and God knows what all other unethical practices to get him there, having a two-year-old colt suffer a life-threatening, life-ending catastrophic injury is basically just another day at the office for this morally depraved individual.
Bob Baffert is a despicable person. I heard him lamenting about his suspension for drugging. His victim mentality is emblematic of our times. He complained he has to spend so much time at the office overseeing his organization. His assistant trainer does the work of “caring” for the horses. Just another day at the office is right.
Bob Baffert is one of the most successful thoroughbred trainers in the world.
He is also one of the most despicable creatures to ever walk the face of the earth.
I met him on one occasion, years ago, at Santa Anita when I was still betting on the races.
I would probably best describe him as an “arrogant prick.”
-Joe
Joe, I would agree with your description of Bob Baffert. I remember his arrogant boastfulness in a video replay of a certain race in which a horse he “trained” had won in a fashion that appeared to be an easy win compared to the competition in the race. He bragged to the woman who interviewed him on his “victory” that his horse didn’t even breathe hard. That also showed his complete disregard for the toll that racing takes on any horse.
A true explanation from these morally damaged owners and trainers would be: “We play Russian Roulette with every horse. And worse, we know some are at greater risk of catastrophic injury.”
But they lie. Always.
Exactly, Martha.
“Quite upset”, huh? I bet dollars to dog s*** that Baffert doesn’t actually know this horse’s name or even what he looks like. Just another blow to the wallet for poor ol’ Bobby.
2,000 horses killed in the races a year and nobody cares enough to stop this? What is wrong with the owner of the horses? I think that they are selfish, greedy, and do not have any feeling for these horses who should be treated as members of the family. These people who are involved in this are arrogant and sickening. The poor horses deserve a better life than this. I hope we will see the end of this racket someday!