George Washington, Horse
The air just went out of everything for me. This is what I rail against. Anybody see this magnificent animal on the Coolmore website racing before they removed him due to his infertility? The regal bearing shows in the races and in the photo below just before the end.
What caused it? Let's open with: enough of the platitudes! It was other than the weather, the track, the conditions. Was it the training?
I've posted before that with every breakdown my thoughts: there but for the grace of god go I. This can happen to anyone. An owner or a trainer can exercise the highest degree of care and that feared condylar-sesamoid fracture combo could happen. BUT, here's my opinion. With the highest degree of care, this is unlikely to happen.
Let's take a look. 2007 Breeder's Cup Classic PPs: Who was the only horse to lack a race since the 9th of September? George Washington. Who was the only horse failing to show a race this year over a dirt track? George Washington. Who was the only horse failing to show a breeze since 9/9/07? George Washington. Any horse in the race fail to get in two breezes since 10/1/07 besides George Washington? In the negative.
Now, please note the European horses never report their breezing on Equibase, so this is hardly unusual except for one little extraordinarily bothersome fact: If you're going to have a horse run in the Breeder's Cup Classic do you have him over here breezing on dirt before the race? It's a no brainer question because I consider the apparent handling of this horse from what shows on papers as gross negligence in the legal sense approaching intent to do the horse harm. How could the handlers of GW expect anything besides what happened?
What the horse did in fact before the race is unknown to us. You'd like to believe that as noted a trainer as Aidan P. O'Brien gave the horse sufficient gallops and works over a dirt surface in England prior to shipping. In this sense, I'd like to make a point with the few folks who read my blog.
I've long believed when there's a breakdown there needs to be an investigation. This should be mandated and the trainer involved put on immediate probation pending the results. And, if the investigation turns up training negligence there needs to be a suspension to send a clear message. I wrote that what GW did pre-race is unknown. This ought to be known and see the light of day!
The investigation will determine the following:
1. The horse's galloping and breezing schedule pre-race.
2. Was the horse acclimated to the racing surface sufficiently to insure structure to the skeletal system that will bear up under the race.
3. The health history.
4. Pre-race diagnostics. If there were none in a race of this magnitude to insure the horse received every known diagnostic method to show it entered the race healthy, that ought to be ground for lengthy suspension.
5. Pre-race warm up. Was he walked to the gate?
Should this investigation uncover training negligence, then good bye license for enough time to send a clear message.
As to GW, rest in peace, fellow. Down to the end you were an inspiration. May they learn something from your undeserved demise.
What caused it? Let's open with: enough of the platitudes! It was other than the weather, the track, the conditions. Was it the training?I've posted before that with every breakdown my thoughts: there but for the grace of god go I. This can happen to anyone. An owner or a trainer can exercise the highest degree of care and that feared condylar-sesamoid fracture combo could happen. BUT, here's my opinion. With the highest degree of care, this is unlikely to happen.
Let's take a look. 2007 Breeder's Cup Classic PPs: Who was the only horse to lack a race since the 9th of September? George Washington. Who was the only horse failing to show a race this year over a dirt track? George Washington. Who was the only horse failing to show a breeze since 9/9/07? George Washington. Any horse in the race fail to get in two breezes since 10/1/07 besides George Washington? In the negative.
Now, please note the European horses never report their breezing on Equibase, so this is hardly unusual except for one little extraordinarily bothersome fact: If you're going to have a horse run in the Breeder's Cup Classic do you have him over here breezing on dirt before the race? It's a no brainer question because I consider the apparent handling of this horse from what shows on papers as gross negligence in the legal sense approaching intent to do the horse harm. How could the handlers of GW expect anything besides what happened?
What the horse did in fact before the race is unknown to us. You'd like to believe that as noted a trainer as Aidan P. O'Brien gave the horse sufficient gallops and works over a dirt surface in England prior to shipping. In this sense, I'd like to make a point with the few folks who read my blog.
I've long believed when there's a breakdown there needs to be an investigation. This should be mandated and the trainer involved put on immediate probation pending the results. And, if the investigation turns up training negligence there needs to be a suspension to send a clear message. I wrote that what GW did pre-race is unknown. This ought to be known and see the light of day!
The investigation will determine the following:
1. The horse's galloping and breezing schedule pre-race.
2. Was the horse acclimated to the racing surface sufficiently to insure structure to the skeletal system that will bear up under the race.
3. The health history.
4. Pre-race diagnostics. If there were none in a race of this magnitude to insure the horse received every known diagnostic method to show it entered the race healthy, that ought to be ground for lengthy suspension.
5. Pre-race warm up. Was he walked to the gate?
Should this investigation uncover training negligence, then good bye license for enough time to send a clear message.
As to GW, rest in peace, fellow. Down to the end you were an inspiration. May they learn something from your undeserved demise.
posted by rather rapid at
8:40 PM
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5 Comments:
I really like you blog.
I totally concur with your analysis. My brothers have a habit in the Derby and Classic, to pick a horse that has NO chance to win in the race. We then exacta box those (3) horses (me and two brothers loser selections). I picked GW.
No chance. What a shame.
mjn
mjn txs for ur comment. i'm upset about gw. interestingly, you'll hit one of those exactas one day!
first things first george had fertility problems he was not infertile,there is a mare in italy in foal to george so thats that.Secondly he ran in last years dirt and wasnt far behind horse of the year invasor so i dont think his lack of time on the dirt would have been much of a concern for aiden plus in europe we dont race horses of georges calibre on dirt full stop.My main problem however is in the suggestion that there may have been intent involved.this is the finest trainer in the world,a genius,an unrivalled horseman,to suggest negligence is ludicrous.lastly who in their right mind would take on magnier,coolmore and ballydoyle for aidens licence? theyd have about as much chance of taking it as curlin would have against george over a mile on turf!
oh yeah and could you please remove the picture of george broken and battered.Its not nice, maybe try one of him winning the guineas or the qe2 stakes and finally a few words on his bravery even in his last moments, in the words of his jockey "he was brave,he didnt go down,he stayed up on it,he saved me"
It's December 2007. I saw just now additional comments on this post. Sorry that posting the photo would offend. It's there to remind of the magnificance of the horse in his last moments.
As to Aiden O'Brien, I know nothing about him or the prep for GW other than what we saw and the PPs. The post indicates that. I mean every word of the post, even on reflection. Whether it be O'Brien, S. McGaughey and Pine Island or M. Matz or yours truly. Trainers should be accountable when a horse breaks down.
The last two lines attempt to give the horse his due. I'm still upset,
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