Letter I sent to The Blood Horse

[winds]

Dear Mr. Liebman,

First I want to congratulate you on your new post. It is a daunting job, and having been a subscriber throughout my 30 years within the sport, I've never been disappointed by the people at the helm of The Blood-Horse.

I want to write to you regarding the online article regarding bringing back the "marathons" to racing. BRAVO!!!! I hope the racing secretaries and officials that have approached the Breeders Cup officials go ahead and put on these races. There are many of us within the industry that are not happy with the direction the thoroughbred breed has been heading. We don't appreciate seeing the nice horses we have watched leave the ranks to go to stud at the end of their three year old season.

Some of us have been discussing how to approach the powers that be that we as breeders, owners and fans of racing want to see longer races, and more importantly longer careers for the equine stars. We thought of a series of races with big, I mean big purses for older horses, that would intice owners to keep their horses running would be a good way to start. If the Breeders Cup would also get on board that would validate the idea. We also thought of a "Seniors Series" for horses over the age of 5 as another way to help the owners of the "senior" horses find a reason to keep them going. Can you imagine getting the AARP involved by sponsering the final race, and the advertising would be priceless.

Unfortunately today during the Classic, a wonderful 4 year old broke down (George Washington). I know Roy and Gretchen Jackson, not well, we're not buddies, but we have met and spoken over the phone on many occasions. But I think I know them well enough to say that they breed for durability, stamina and soundness. Sometimes fate gives us an ugly hand and they sure were dealt that with Barbaro and now George Washington. But I'm sure there will be detractors saying the modern thoroughbred isn't sound enough to withstand a lengthy career.

Tell that to the thousands of claiming horses that fuel our races day in and day out, week in and week out, year after year. They have the same blood and breeding as the top horses, their just not as fast. But that doesn't mean they don't give their all everytime they run. Their races are just as hard on them as the races the top horses run. The claimers just don't have the luxury of getting weeks off after a race, until the next race comes up.

So, I'm not saying we need to run the top horses like claimers, but what I am saying is we need to stop the 4 races a year stallions from standing at stud. We need to have horses that run consistently and more frequently, and for more than a few months. We need horses that can go out there and run 1 1/2 miles or farther, carrying more weight than the 3 yr. olds do in the Triple Crown races. We need the trainers that have the courage to look at high weights as a badge of honor, instead of running away from them. We need the Jockey Club Gold Cup to be two miles again.

These are thoroughbreds, not Quarter Horses. I can't believe when I hear people calling a mile race a distance race, it's not, it's a sprint. A distance race is anything over a mile. So, do I believe we need to have longer races ? Yes, do I think they will fill ? Yes, I do. More importantly, it will start getting breeders to start breeding for these types of horses, instead of just sprinters. We also need to stop breeding for the sales and start breeding horses to race. Yes there is a difference, everyone knows there are the commercial stallions and the stallions you breed to when you want a racehorse. His Majesty was that type of horse, he didn't have the commercial appeal, but his progney could run and would give you a 100% everytime they ran. Can the same be said for the top commercial stallions? No, they have home run hitters, one, two or three a year and everyone wants one of their babies. The rest of them, well, let's just say they don't pay back their purchase price or stud fee. But I'll take a stallion like His Majesty any day. That's what we need to start producing again, the horses that can run and win for years and I guess I'm just partial to the ones that can get a distance of ground, on any surface.

Isn't that what we need again? Well, let's get the races out there so we can start running these types of horses again and commercial breeders will get back to basics and start breeding for racehorses again.

Thank you,
Vita Licari
Stablewind Thoroughbred Management

[Rokeby Forever]

Excellent letter, Winds!

[FOS]

hi winds

Thanks for sharing your so-eloquently written letter (to the Blood-Horse) with us.

Your love, concern and passion for the thoroughbred breed, horseracing and the industry (in general) is palpable...and much appreciated.

Best.

Respectfully

[Barbaro06]

Awesome winds, awesome!

[Mood Swings]

hi winds

Thanks for sharing your so-eloquently written letter (to the Blood-Horse) with us.

Your love, concern and passion for the thoroughbred breed, horseracing and the industry (in general) is palpable...and much appreciated.

Best.

Respectfully

What FOS said Well done!!

[docjocoy]

Wonderfully articulated, Winds, I hope they print it.

[valjoe]

Well done Winds!!!

[spex4me]

I hope it becomes an article in itself!!! It can't hurt anything at all to show that YES INDUSTRY there ARE people who want more than the 5 hit wonders of today!!!!

Great Job V!!!!!

[Heidilady]

Good one. Glad someone said it.

[nythoroughbredvz]

Very nice! My biggest fear of thoroughbred racing is that we are going to end up with "Crystal Quarter Horses" and not the dominant strong horses of long ago!
would you be offended if a link to this posting was sent to the:
Bloodhorse,Breeders Cup,NTRA,Thoroughbred Times,and the Daily Racing Form?

[winds]

No, go right ahead. I think you're correct, the more the in power people know what real horsepeople are thinking the better.

Also, thank you everyone for your extremely kind words.

winds

[clh]

Great article - now let's just hope he publishes it so everyone else knows about it!

C

[ZZTOPPERS]

Nice letter, Winds, a very nice read. The fact that maybe half of the Classic field won't be back next year means the Breeder's Cup isn't really a race anymore, it's just an advertisement for next year's New Stallions.

[winds]

ZZ Toppers,

I agree with you, it does seem like it is an advertisement for the colts retiring. Luckily, this year, the winner of the biggest race will be with us next year.

To all,

I haven't heard a thing from the Blood- Horse yet about publishing my letter. If I do, I'll let you know.

Thanks,
winds

[skeenan]

Hats off to a well-written, passionate letter! Hope they publish it, as I'm sure there are many others out there who feel the same way.