There has always been the issue of “they race them too
young” by non-horsetrack people (which I agree with, & am one).
However, I think there is another disturbing trend going on in the
Thoroughbred &/or racing world (& I am backed up by Penny Cherney,
Secretariat’s owner & breeder)…
Soundness/big bone is not being bred for by the TB racing
world anymore, only speed.
If you study TB pedigrees, you will see this (& I am
talking 8 hrs/day for 3 years [or more] type of studying, before you could
understand what Penny Cherney meant).
IMHO, there are very few people with Class that are
breeding TBs anymore, this includes non-USA. Trying to dominate TB international/USA
racing with toothpick legged, shelly hooved speed horses (who STILL cannot
breed a Secretariat, or Kelso, or Ruffian’s records etc), IMO is
classless.
Breed class. Classy horses have speed, good bone &
stamina.
Lets face it, those classless (International & USA) people
just want money/fame
& greed…
It is even more about money than it was in the 1970s (my
era). In fact I just read the book (for example) of the money hungry
“new” horse people in TB racing (& I use the term
“horsepeople” loosely. They are not. A horse is a commodity like
rice or soybeans to them).
Read this book & weep (I have): Wild Ride: The Rise and Fall of Calumet Farm
Inc., America's
Premier Racing Dynasty
