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Thursday, March 22, 2012

Scratched

I wrote yesterday that nothing will have changed at Aqueduct on Wednesday other than the switch to the main track, but that was not quite the case as it turned out.

Eighteen of the 73 horses carded for Wednesday’s nine-race program, or 24.6 percent, were scratched – a high number considering conditions were dry and the track was labeled fast throughout the day. [Daily Racing Form]
NYRA of course tried to portray this as business as usual.
NYRA president Charles Hayward, in an e-mail, stated “any vet scratches that are announced are the direct result of the NYRA vet pre-race physical exams, a procedure that has been in place for some time.”
Well, what else is he going to say? Only human nature though for everyone involved - not just NYRA, but the horsemen too - to take a more proactive approach given the circumstances. Five scratches were said to be the track vet's decision according to David Grening's above-and-belowlinkedto piece in the Form. Not clear whether or not that includes the two that David Jacobson withdrew "in consultation with the veterinarian."
“We both agreed these two horses needed to be scratched today,” Jacobson said. “They’re not being scratched for any other reason.”
That doesn't sound like business as usual to me.

6 Comments:

jk said...

14 more scratches today.

NYRA has some 'splainin to do.

Anonymous said...

Let us not forget that the Aqueduct main track that was once considered the best racing surface in the country is in desperate need of major repair.

Coincidence that the last three Wood Memorial winners didn't make the derby gate???

Anonymous said...

Anon 7:45

Your post is just more misinformation on the internet.

The problems with the main track mproplea sputsighwere with the prior track super, and were rectified years ago, and the main track is once again as safe as any in the country. Any trainer will tell you that.

Anonymous said...

Should half the field in Sunday's last race have been scratched?
RG

Anonymous said...

Your buddies at the times had this to say.

"NY Times lays it on with an anti-racing editorial - labels industry as "disreputable"

Maybe the Marxists in the Obama Administration will put an end to horse racing since the intelectuals think that it is the "Right Thing To Do." Like Healthcare.

Anonymous said...

Why do you need to politicize everything just because it come from the NYT? The racing industry IS in total disarray. Can't stand demagogues like you. -jp