Comments on: RACETRACK CASUALTIES REVISITED http://www.horseracingbusiness.com/2739-2739.htm William Shanklin Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:02:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: D. Masters http://www.horseracingbusiness.com/2739-2739.htm/comment-page-1#comment-293 D. Masters Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:35:15 +0000 http://www.horseracingbusiness.com/?p=2739#comment-293 Mr. Shanklin: I am not emotional about the numbers of cast-offs, either living or dead associated with the racing industry. Please don't try to dismiss or diminish my points (yeah, I made a slaughter point...but no less relevant because many of the walking dead /injured go to kill directly). I will not go into the pseudo-psychology of those that "quibble" about the specifics of the death and injury rate of the athletes (human or animal) involved in this game. Please understand that there is nothing more beautiful, even spiritual like than that of a horse running AND winning, even just competing for me in race...the movement is perfection poetry and struggle for life in form. The death and injury is just the same, just in reverse philosophy (v. win). I'd say, as opposed to being "emotional" (which I do not agree with), you tend to maintain the staus quo and stick your head in the sand.There is a problem here, sir. You missed (as the "it's just the price of playing the game" crowd continually rationalizes) my points: (1) There is no national data collection authority as to these statistics (so don't bitch about the AP...it ain't their job in the first place); (2) How do you qualify what constitutes or quantifies a horse racing fatality????? You seem to be focused on the freakin' oval....why? (3) Related to the former (1 and 2), there is absolutely no doubt in my simple mind that the industry doesn't want to know the answers or stats to these issues/questions. Why is this lost on you? Why do you focus on AP? ...or me or the Del Mar poster? Wasn't an aspect of the Safety/Integrity thing suppose to start tracking this info (albeit, voluntarily which is a joke)????? I'd love to know what trainers have the highest injury and mortality rate. Wouldn't that be a fun blog?! There is more that I could say, but will not (you get the drift) and I do respect your knowledge and acumen regarding this industry. I just think your focus is wrong on this issue, intentionally or blindly so. I hope it's the latter and why I post my opinion. Thanks for the opportunity. Sincerely. Mr. Shanklin:

I am not emotional about the numbers of cast-offs, either living or dead associated with the racing industry. Please don’t try to dismiss or diminish my points (yeah, I made a slaughter point…but no less relevant because many of the walking dead /injured go to kill directly). I will not go into the pseudo-psychology of those that “quibble” about the specifics of the death and injury rate of the athletes (human or animal) involved in this game. Please understand that there is nothing more beautiful, even spiritual like than that of a horse running AND winning, even just competing for me in race…the movement is perfection poetry and struggle for life in form. The death and injury is just the same, just in reverse philosophy (v. win). I’d say, as opposed to being “emotional” (which I do not agree with), you tend to maintain the staus quo and stick your head in the sand.There is a problem here, sir.

You missed (as the “it’s just the price of playing the game” crowd continually rationalizes) my points:

(1) There is no national data collection authority as to these statistics (so don’t bitch about the AP…it ain’t their job in the first place);

(2) How do you qualify what constitutes or quantifies a horse racing fatality????? You seem to be focused on the freakin’ oval….why?

(3) Related to the former (1 and 2), there is absolutely no doubt in my simple mind that the industry doesn’t want to know the answers or stats to these issues/questions.

Why is this lost on you? Why do you focus on AP? …or me or the Del Mar poster? Wasn’t an aspect of the Safety/Integrity thing suppose to start tracking this info (albeit, voluntarily which is a joke)?????

I’d love to know what trainers have the highest injury and mortality rate. Wouldn’t that be a fun blog?! There is more that I could say, but will not (you get the drift) and I do respect your knowledge and acumen regarding this industry. I just think your focus is wrong on this issue, intentionally or blindly so. I hope it’s the latter and why I post my opinion. Thanks for the opportunity. Sincerely.

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