Everyone needs to read Rob Whiteley's Op Ed in today's (11/5/12) Thoroughbred Daily News. Rob has been a star in our industry for many years and has never been afraid to address the tough issues. His professorial background has prepared him to analyze every issue carefully, accurately write clear summaries and offer clear guidance.
Few people in our industry have been as successful as Rob.
Fewer still have done more for our industry with less acknowledgement.
Please read his Op Ed and think hard about all his points.
I am a "less government is better government" guy, but after years of frustration have finally come to agree with Rob - for our industry to recover its footing (much less increase its national standing), we must have Federal intervention.
Rob Whiteley
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da hossman
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Rob Whiteley
A difference of opinion is what makes horse racing and missionaries.
Will Rogers
Will Rogers
Great read. I am in full agreement with points 1; 4 and 5. Here's a link to the OP Ed which begins on pg. 18:
http://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/re ... N=88070348
http://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/re ... N=88070348
"Politicians should be limited to two terms, one in office and another in jail." Anonymous
I think the point he is trying to make is if we don't do a number of things to make racing more attractive the game will be unsustainable at current levels and undoubtedly he is correct. What surprises me the most right now is the upward price trend for horses at auction. There is absolutely no way the majority of buyers will ever recoup their investment yet they continue to buy. I guess selling a dream is a powerful thought.
"Politicians should be limited to two terms, one in office and another in jail." Anonymous
OpEd, I think, stands for Opinion Editorial - these are Mr. Whiteley's opinions formed over quite a long time in the industry. I agree with quite a LOT of what he said, although the veiled references to some in the industry with evil intentions seems a little out of place. Certainly the face of the KY sales will change with no entries from Liberation Farm.
Speficially, I wholeheartedly agree that two year olds should not be timed in the sales. The racetrack/ADW takeout issue is one I am not familiar enough with to comment on. Mostly he is probably fairly on target - I DO agree about the medications.
Sorry to see Mr. Whiteley go, though. It's got to be a very hard time for him.
Speficially, I wholeheartedly agree that two year olds should not be timed in the sales. The racetrack/ADW takeout issue is one I am not familiar enough with to comment on. Mostly he is probably fairly on target - I DO agree about the medications.
Sorry to see Mr. Whiteley go, though. It's got to be a very hard time for him.
So Run for the Roses, as fast as you can.....
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da hossman
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Taking a quick break from the sales to check emails & communicate with clients - spoke with Rob this AM and am happy to report he is in good spirits. He did say that he is leaving the business entirely for at least a couple of years.
Glad to see him in good spirits!
Glad to see him in good spirits!
A difference of opinion is what makes horse racing and missionaries.
Will Rogers
Will Rogers
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stlouiskid
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da hossman
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St Louis Kid - I am not sure how you read Rob's Op Ed and came up with the phrase "ticked off". I thought his comments were measured and direct, stating the facts without any vehemence.
Those "individuals that work for selfish interests without any longterm concern for the industry" are in almost every arena of the Thoroughbred business, just as they are in any industry. They may be the truly nefarious that do under-the-table deeds, kickbacks, or less than fair trade. They could also be those that deal legally but without any concern for the future impacts of their business, (this phrase taken broadly could implicate almost all of us as any time one breeds to an unproven stallion one could be wasting a year of the mare's production or simply putting a poor animal into the gene pool). They could also be stallion managers whose short term profit goals often destroy the longterm fashionability of the same horse they are promoting (too many foals create less demand, lesser mares produce lesser foals thereby cheapening the stallion, etc.) and make it more difficult for their customers (breeders) to turn a profit.
As far as Rob's Ten Points, I agree with most. However for purely selfish reasons I object to the suggestion of not timing of 2 year old sales - why? Because I buy primarily based on how they do their breeze rather than the time of their breeze. This gives me the opportunity to buy quality horses at a discount as the majority of buyers put time first. Even if there are not official times, everyone would clock on their own, so the elimination of official times would not solve the problem.
Regarding the vet issues, the conflict of interest situation has resulted in 2 near lawsuits that I am aware of in recent years. In both situations the vet with the conflict was quick to settle the matter quietly & privately (one paid and the other took the horse back). I like the disclosure of seller identity for every owner, but especially for veterinarians. I have seen instances where veterinarians wrote the vet summary sheet on a horse in which they own an interest, which is stupid on the vet's part because their conflict of interest is obvious.
After reading vet summaries for years, the part I now consider to be extremely important is the vet's name...summaries written by certain vets I completely disregard. I consider the opinions of those vets to be worthless for reasons of either incompetence or integrity. Have your own vet review the radiographs in the repository before you buy the horse!
When buying weanlings, yearlings or 2 year olds I use a vet that had a thriving racetrack practice for years. He knows what will be a problem on the track and what will not. He has passed horses other vets did not, and he has failed horses passed by other vets. I cannot remember him being wrong on any of those horses, but that is not to say that some of those horses did not run or did not run well. However their reasons for poor performance were not items he overlooked or discounted.
When buying mares use a reproductive vet. Usually you palp the mare before she leaves the sales grounds, but if you have a mare that has a spotty reproductive history it is worthwhile to have your vet examine her before she goes in the auction ring.
It is buyer beware, but a properly prepared buyer should be confident.
Those "individuals that work for selfish interests without any longterm concern for the industry" are in almost every arena of the Thoroughbred business, just as they are in any industry. They may be the truly nefarious that do under-the-table deeds, kickbacks, or less than fair trade. They could also be those that deal legally but without any concern for the future impacts of their business, (this phrase taken broadly could implicate almost all of us as any time one breeds to an unproven stallion one could be wasting a year of the mare's production or simply putting a poor animal into the gene pool). They could also be stallion managers whose short term profit goals often destroy the longterm fashionability of the same horse they are promoting (too many foals create less demand, lesser mares produce lesser foals thereby cheapening the stallion, etc.) and make it more difficult for their customers (breeders) to turn a profit.
As far as Rob's Ten Points, I agree with most. However for purely selfish reasons I object to the suggestion of not timing of 2 year old sales - why? Because I buy primarily based on how they do their breeze rather than the time of their breeze. This gives me the opportunity to buy quality horses at a discount as the majority of buyers put time first. Even if there are not official times, everyone would clock on their own, so the elimination of official times would not solve the problem.
Regarding the vet issues, the conflict of interest situation has resulted in 2 near lawsuits that I am aware of in recent years. In both situations the vet with the conflict was quick to settle the matter quietly & privately (one paid and the other took the horse back). I like the disclosure of seller identity for every owner, but especially for veterinarians. I have seen instances where veterinarians wrote the vet summary sheet on a horse in which they own an interest, which is stupid on the vet's part because their conflict of interest is obvious.
After reading vet summaries for years, the part I now consider to be extremely important is the vet's name...summaries written by certain vets I completely disregard. I consider the opinions of those vets to be worthless for reasons of either incompetence or integrity. Have your own vet review the radiographs in the repository before you buy the horse!
When buying weanlings, yearlings or 2 year olds I use a vet that had a thriving racetrack practice for years. He knows what will be a problem on the track and what will not. He has passed horses other vets did not, and he has failed horses passed by other vets. I cannot remember him being wrong on any of those horses, but that is not to say that some of those horses did not run or did not run well. However their reasons for poor performance were not items he overlooked or discounted.
When buying mares use a reproductive vet. Usually you palp the mare before she leaves the sales grounds, but if you have a mare that has a spotty reproductive history it is worthwhile to have your vet examine her before she goes in the auction ring.
It is buyer beware, but a properly prepared buyer should be confident.
A difference of opinion is what makes horse racing and missionaries.
Will Rogers
Will Rogers
