”I’ve been running, always running….
Now I ain’t running anymore” – Jon Bon Jovi
Just thought about the new song from the movie Stand Up Guys when I think of a great horse racing year, the excitement to come as well as the hard times ahead for people and horses.
It is business as usual on Dec. 21, 2012, the first day of winter.
There were no catastrophic events this morning despite the end of the Mayan calendar.
The situation in Ontario horse racing may not be as rosy. No it’s not the end of the world, but just a few days out from Christmas day and New Year’s day and no one knows what kind of business will be able to be held come April 2013.
The good news is, wagering on Woodbine is up again. It offers a great product and its racing is loved and appreciated worldwide. Let’s hope it can sustain that role.
The horses are now resting at farms or in parts south of the border. Some are just getting back to racing.
Others are not wanted anymore.
It is an expensive business and yes, it is a business. Horses make their money for their owners and trainers and then most of them are sold off once the well has run dry.
You can’t make money in this business unless you treat it like a business.
There is something to be said about conscience and respect for an animal, however. What Thorooughblog has been involved in recently does not fall under that category. see more below.
WOODBINE WAGERING UP AGAIN
Woodbine has announced that handle on Woodbine’s 2012 live Thoroughbred meet, which concluded on December 16, showed impressive growth over the 2011 season.
The 156-day meet saw an “all-sources” wagering total of $453,865,564, up 7.2% over the $423,209,365 wagered on the 165 dates offered in 2011. The numbers are even more impressive on a per card basis. Last year, an average of $2,564,905 was bet per card. In 2012, an average of $2,909,394 was recorded, an excellent 13.4% hike.
It is the fourth consecutive year of handle increases on the Thoroughbred season. Wagering rose 7.5% in 2011 over 2010, and increased 8.9 % in 2010 over 2009. It also increased 7% in 2009 over 2008. All-sources wagering on Woodbine’s thoroughbred product is up over 34% since 2008.
Wagering in WEG’s home market held relatively steady, slipping just 1.6% per card. The gains primarily came from international exports, including another significant market share increase from the U.S. outlets.
“We’re seeing legitimate interest in our racing programs in Toronto, across the country and internationally,” said Nick Eaves, WEG’s President & Chief Executive Officer. “We’re proud of the quality of our racing product and the positive momentum that we are experiencing with it. We are very thankful for the support and loyalty from our horsepeople and our increasing fan base, particularly in these challenging times.”
Customer support for racing in Toronto couldn’t come at a more important time. In February 2012, the Ontario government announced the abrupt cancellation of the Slots-at-Racetracks Program, which has played an important role in the recent success of Woodbine’s racing product and the economic impacts it has generated.
“While we are pleased with the results of our 2012 thoroughbred racing season, we are extremely concerned about the lack of certainty which exists for 2013,” said Eaves. “The continued success of Woodbine’s live racing program and the significant employment and economic impacts which come with it are dependent on a new partnership between the industry and the Province of Ontario. We remain optimistic that such a new arrangement can be achieved. We continue to work with the Government toward this end and hope to be able to provide the necessary certainty soon for all stakeholders in the province.”
Standardbred racing continues at Woodbine through the winter, including a special Boxing Day card that features a 1:00 p.m. post-time. A New Year’s Eve program will also be offered at 1:00 p.m. In the new year, racing will be conducted on a four-day-a-week basis (first race post-time is set for 7:25 p.m. on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights) through the end of March.
PARTY ON!
Ontario bred colt wins at Gulfstream
The very speedy PARTY LAD, bred in Ontario by Nancy Mitchell, zipped to a big win in a $75,000 claiming optional/ allowance race yesterday at Gulfstream.
The son of Vibank – Helen’s Fury by Stormy Atlantic went wild fractions on the pace in the 5 furlong turf dash, 21.18. 43.57 and won by 4 lengths in 55.8. Trained by Mike Pino, the bay 2yo was a $5,000 yearling purchase.
He was a recent winner at Penn National and won his maiden at Woodbine.
Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, $79,310.
O-Jal Dastur. B-Nancy Mitchell (ON). T-Michael V Pino.
UPCOMING ENTRIES FROM WOODBINE TRAINERS
Good luck to all the owners, trainers grooms and riders who are working in other places during the winter. I know some are in Florida, Philly, New Orleans and Arkansas. All the best.
Josie Carroll
Entries
December 22 – Fair Grounds
James Street Race 5 Buddy Diliberto Memorial H.
Mark E. Casse
Entries
December 21 – Gulfstream Park
Cowdray Park Race 6 Maiden Special Weight
December 22 – Gulfstream Park
Patrioticandproud Race 2 Allowance
Northern Lion Race 8 Maiden Special Weight
Mark R. Frostad
Entries
December 21 – Gulfstream Park
Milwaukee Blitz Race 6 Maiden Special Weight
Shane Learn
Entries
December 23 – Parx Racing
Cantona Race 8 Allowance
OHRIA: Ontario NDP gives horse racing the recognition it deserves
The Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association (OHRIA) is applauding NDP MPP Taras Natyshak for taking a strong stand on behalf of his party to express support for the horse racing industry.
“Roughly 60,000 people in the province rely on the horse-racing industry as their means of employment,” Natyshak said. “With this singular decision [to end the Slots at Racetracks Program], it has led to a massive contraction of those jobs.”
Natyshak definitively stated his party’s support for preserving the program, and argued in favor of holding local referendums before the government goes forward with its planned gaming expansion.
“We are delighted that Ontario’s NDP is expressing support for continuing the Slots at Racetracks Program through 2014, allowing for a more manageable transition for the horse racing industry.” said Sue Leslie, President of OHRIA.
“It is our hope to continue to work with all parties to develop a solution that is best for both the Province of Ontario and the horse racing and breeding industry,” said Leslie. “Until this year, the government and industry enjoyed a successful partnership with historic returns on investment for the government. Ontarians can’t afford the massive job losses which ending the Slots at Racetracks Program is expected to cause, nor the social impacts of the government’s current gaming modernization strategy.”
HER NAME IS PRESS EXCLUSIVE
She won 14 races in her career at Woodbine. She posted Beyer Speed Figures in the 90′s. She had 6 different sets of owners and raced from $6,250 claiming and ended up at the allowance classes.
She went off to a life as a broodmare for many years and gave us:
X Squared 2010 1 0 0 1 $5,582
Press Inclusive 2008 0 0 0 0 $0
Press Here 2007 13 2 2 2 $119,346
Exclusive Dan Sir 2006 25 0 3 3 $12,202
Jumptoconclusions 2005 34 8 7 4 $128,253
Moment of Zen 2004 11 3 1 0 $21,843
She was sold in 2010 for $2,100 at the CTHS Mixed Sale in foal to PHILANTHROPIST and her yearling filly sold in September for $10,000.
From foaling this filly in 2011 until recently, we don’t know where Press Exclusive was or how she ended up at an auction recently – in very bad shape.
I won’t publish all of the 30 plus photos of this mare – they are available on the Facebook page of Transition Thoroughbreds and other pages. What you see is just one of dozens of sores and injuries.
How a horse can be passed along looking like this is impossible to imagine. She has provided the industry with about $750,000 in income.
Press Exclusive has been taken out of the auction and under veterinary care. Whether she makes it or not remains to be seen, she is being given a chance and will not suffer anymore should the meds not work.
How can our industry let this happen?
That is disgusting! Persons cruel to animals really makes me question them? Persons known to be involved with these kinds of acts should no longer be allowed ORC licenses
You got that right… but I see Bruno Schickendanz is back racing! When is the ORC going to clean house?
I am horrified to see any horse in this condition, this is criminal as far as I’m concerned.
Is there an address where I can make a donation towards her rehab and vet care? I watched this mare run in many races and would be more that happy to offer her a little help now that she needs it.
You can send a cheque to :
Transition Thoroughbreds
3152 Wilhaven Drive,
Cumberland. Ontario K4C 1K4
Last year,Mindy and myself tried to save a filly that had gone through Carsons sale,then Quebec.This was long before slot money withdrawal announced. This filly was from a mare I owned, and I had been looking for her.The result was not successful.The meat buyer eventully told me on phone, his partner sold her, it wasn’t him. However, I am proud to say that I have never bred an animal.Other people over-breed them like plastic cups from a factory, the puppymillers of racing. However, 2014 will show a different ratio of horse supply vs.demand and from what I’ve seen so far in my very limited time in your industry, its ok. There is only good with being pro- racing, but anti -slaughter. ORC has yet to enforce this. There is no doubt racing needs to clean up its act.Sherri,if you by any chance read this, did you light your candle for Press Exclusive and say a prayer for her? I bet you did.
It’s horrible that this girl gave so much, and this is what she gets for all her efforts. People are sick. I hope someone of the many people that profited off her step up and help give her the care she deserves to live out a happy retirement…loved and appreciated. I really hope this mare pulls through.
Something has to be done to make people in this industry accountable for what happens to these horses once their racing and breeding days are over.
The racing industry can’t have it both ways – crying out against the unfairness of the Ontario Liberal government for forcing tracks to close causing people to lose their livelihoods while not doing enough to prevent this kind of treatment of the animals. This is exactly the kind of situation that gives the racing industry a bad name. It is why so many people won’t support the industry. If you want people to come back to the tracks, you have to do better than this. The horse certainly deserve far better.
What I would like to know is who is the last owner of this mare? They should be held accountable for this blatant neglect and lack of care. They should be criminally charged! This is an outrage! No animal deserves to be put through this!!!
Please do let us know who last owned this horse and allowed her to get in this condition.
So this lovely creature has spent her life in service to us and this is how we repay her? I’m ashamed of us right now…..
tIf rescue groups and interested parties would pool their knowledge and approach Woodbine people about flagging this track and others to be ‘non’ slaughter tracks as Suffolk Downs in Boston and other tracks in the US then I would hope less of this poor mares ordeal would take place. Owners and trainers would be held accounable for what happens to these horses after the running is done. If the track authorities are notified a horse has been sent to slaughter then the would automatically loose their right to run at that track. Check out Canter.org and marvel at the work these people do.
Please donate what you can to Mindy at Transition Thoroughbreds. She does so much but has so few resources of her own. Please help if you can.
We know who owned her and trained her when she last raced(and indeed her earlier races) – we know who consigned her to the sale and we know who bought her. For that matter, we know who sold the Philanthropist yearling. Any comments from them?
From the checking around that has been done so far, there is a possibility that the person that bought the mare at the sale no longer owned her, so please don’t judge too quickly.
Still trying to confirm suspicions, and Jenn is trying her best to help get to the bottom of this, as well.
Have also read that some previous connections have stepped up to help with the care of Press.
H
Good to hear that – I was not linking previous connections to the current situation with the mare, but we all know of situations where, like the current debt crisis, horses kind of get “kicked down the road” – we believe we have found a new home, a new owner, a happy solution … and then if there is a problem, it is someone else’s problem. It is a complex problem – in order to expand the sport’s base, we now have many new owners who are not even remotely prepared for, or cogniscent of, the implications of long-term aftercare for a racehorse. This is hardly a new issue, but it is one that finds itself in this “perfect storm” of industry uncertainty and chaos. As to Press, hopefully this ongoing conversation, and the care she is now receiving, will make her one of the lucky ones.
there are some people in the industry that do step and do it all the time. Then as in all facets of society there are the other bad apples…who get all the attention by doing things like this. And If you look at the horses going thru the auctions a majority are reg riding horses. So pls dont point fingers. This mare and others in the same boat , regretably and realistically, thanks to McGuinty and his policies over this past year which has caused cheaper horses/Ontario Sired horses to have no place to go when their careers are finished. This includes broodmares. Then you have those people who dont care and send them to auction and death. Disgusting……I wont get into why she ended up here because of the intricacies of pedigrees, and racing with Ontario sired horses etc…as it is complicated and will cause a flaming war.
Wise up race and other horse people- all of our horse “industries” are guilty of incredible callousness. If you can’t afford to give your horse the life it deserves after its career, then you shouldn’t be in this game. After 48 years of the horse “business”, I am sickened by the carnage.
Odd that when I heard that song, I thought it would be a berfect background to a collection of my horse photos. I have been following the sad story of Press Exclusive and remembered her baby running at the end of the WDB season. The owner of her at the time of this vicious cruelty is on record. That person has to be held responsible for this. For all that that mare did, now she has to suffer this way. Saved, but still a long road ahead. Shame….Sport of kings my A#$. Thanks for posting it here and making sure thatt there is a public record. Brave mare. Sunlight is an effective disinfectant. Let’s see who this sick person is.
I posted this information yesterday on Facebook and I am re-posting it here in case those of you that are concerned about this mare have not seen it:
My own vet has now been out to see Press Exclusive as well and these are her findings: heart rate, lungs, temperature are all normal, blood was drawn to test to see if she is septic – I will have the results of that tomorrow but it is looking positive that she may not be as her temperature is normal, all abrasions and cuts have been treated, she is NOT blind and there appears to be no damage to either eye but that is not 100% as it is hard to completely determine due to the amount of swelling, gut sounds are normal, she is eating and drinking well, is quite alert, she will remain on bute for another 5 days and antibiotics for another 5 to 7 days as well, she will also remain on stall rest for a week, she does need to have a caslick done but it is not crucial at this point and can be done when the vet comes back next week, she most likely has extensive muscle damage and bruising to her body and she has four fractured ribs; however, they are the ones furthest back so her breathing does not seem to be impaired at the moment. The next 48 to 72 hours are crucial at this point and she will be watched closely to see if she starts to deteriorate. At the moment things are looking fairly positive and we are really hoping and praying it will continue to remain that way as I really want to try and save her and will give her every chance possible. Should all go well, she can be started on short periods of hand walking in a week’s time and then move on towards single turnout in a small area. We will do EVERYTHING we can to save her but if she starts to go drastically downhill in this period of time and the signs will be very obvious, we have no intention of having her suffer needlessly and the decision will be made to have her humanely euthanized. I think I pretty much covered everything that was discussed. The next few days are going to be very difficult to get through in not having this answer and are probably going to seem like the longest few days of my life right now but I will do the best I can to keep everybody informed of her condition. THANK YOU again to ALL of the many, many people that have given so much to try and help save this mare and so many others and I wish you all a very, very Merry Christmas!!
This mares injuries were en route to the slaughter house…moral of the story is – DO NOT SHIP thoroughbreds…and donate to Mindy and Transitions thoroughbreds if you can. She is an angel.
I am appauled to the point of tears. I own a retired Thoroughbred. He is the son of Little Et the winner of the Kentucky Derby and his grandfather is the renowned Shergar. He has a bowed tendon from 2yrs old, he’s sound enough to trail ride and my wife and myself enjoy him everyday. I concider him royalty. Everytime I look at him in his eye I see the tenderness in him (even though somedays he can be a handfull) he is trully a joy of my life. Sorry I’m rambling, I think there needs to be legislature setup for the health and well being of the horse after retirement. A percentage of total money made from the horse has to follow the animal for care purposes.