According to Equibase, the 7th race at Delaware Thursday was “Canceled – Management Decision.” Now we know why. This from the Stewards’ Report:
“Race 7 was declared a No-Contest when #10 Trumpence clipped heals [sic] past the finish…horse and rider were down and not moving [and] the Warning lights and Siren were activated. Stewards ordered the outriders to pull the field up…. Horse was euthanized on the track when he couldn’t get up.”
Trumpence was nine years old; this was his 26th time under the whip.
The day before, the stewards say, 2-year-old Ladida was scratched after being “injured in the paddock.” This was to be her fourth race; in her three previous she had finished a combined 57+ lengths back.
The following race that day, 5-year-old Distorted Times was scratched for being “lame in the post parade.” In other words, his people – owner Michael Rhodes and trainer Jennifer Quinones – had every intention of racing him, but alas (for them) the regulatory vet intervened. The lameness, by the way, should not have come as a total surprise. In his most recent five races, dating from March and all under Rhodes/Quinones, Distorted finished either last or second-to-last – and a combined 91.5 lengths back.
This, every day, is horseracing.
Welcome to the “new” horse racing. I say “new” because when I was still actively betting on thoroughbred horse races, you [you, of course, meaning trainers and owners that is] made NO MONEY if your horse finished last. Or next to last. Or next to next to last. You actually had to have your horses compete in order to collect a paycheck.
Now, I’m not saying that horse racing in the “good old days” was wonderfully honest, incorruptible and conducted only under the most auspicious of conditions. Far from it. But this ‘First to last” payout schedule brings out the absolute worst in people whose moral compass is quite skewed to begin with, knowing there’s a check waiting for them no matter what the outcome. Further, it only begs for unscrupulous individuals to enter a horse in a race that has no chance of effectively competing for a win, also, I might add, cheating the bettors. Add to that, the crooked vets who know that there’d be way too few horses running if they didn’t allow push these unsound animals through the starting gate. Put it all together, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.
Terrible game. If anyone reading this is still betting, is contemplating attending the races, or is curious about the ‘sport’, take my advice: don’t. Leave it and leave it for good like I did
-Joe
The racing commissioners have a big responsibility but unfortunately they are corrupt.
Horrible weather in the East Coast today. Big big race at Parx today..the Pennsylvania Derby and Cotillion. From what I understand,Aqueduct canceled. Chances of Parx taking the same route are nil.
The BloodHorse is singing the praises of the track announcer, Jessica Paquette, because she has weathered the storm in the past. By all means, deflect attention from the horses to the track announcer.
Yes and local news made “big stink” she’s the first female announcer in this capacity to call a grade one.