The day at Saratoga Race track where I felt the electricity run right through my body.

[shockey80]

I have been going to Saratoga Race track for over 35 years. It has wonderful fair like atmosphere.

I have seen some of the greatest horses, greatest races in the history of horse racing. On this day I witnessed, heard something, that I have never witnessed, heard, before or since.

It was 2009, Woodward Stakes day. The Woodward is a race for the best boys in the country. In this Woodward a female was attempting to beat the boys. Her name was Rachel Alexander. On this day a legend would be born.

Rachel was a speed horse who could carry her speed a long way. She liked to take the lead, catch me if you can. I knew this was going to be a tough race for Rachel. The race was a mile and an eighth long. I thought she could win IF she could take the lead and slow the pace down, If no one challenged her for the lead. Even the greatest speed horses can be beat if they go too fast at the beginning and middle of the race. They can tire coming down the stretch.

I always sit on the lawn behind the grandstand. For this race I stood on a bench in front of the grand stand. There was a decent size crowd, but not near the size crowd you see on travers day.

The race starts, Rachel goes for the lead and a couple of horses quickly challenged her for the lead, not good news for Rachel. I looked towards the tote board to see what the fractions were. The first fraction, quarter pole, came up. They were going way too fast.

Second fraction, half pole, was slower than the first fraction but still too fast.

Rachel held the lead coming into the stretch. When she hit the stretch, she dug in. The closers in the race made their move and they were gaining on Rachel quickly. She was tiring, she ran too fast at the beginning of the race. One of the closers Macho Again, was gaining on Rachel with every stride. Then it happened, A noise came from the grandstand I never heard before. It was not a normal roar from a crowd.

When this noise hit me from behind the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I felt something go through me. For a second or two I stopped watching the race. I looked behind me and said out loud, What the hell was that?

I turned back to the race. Macho Again was still gaining, inching closer, Rachel kept fighting and hung on to win the race by a head.

As I walked back to me seat I was still confused, shocked by what I heard. What the hell was that? Then I figured it out. I saw women crying everywhere.

What I heard that day was, thousands of women screaming like someone was beating their own daughters. It was amazing.

Go to youtube and type in 2009 Woodward States. The call of the race by the announcer is one of the great calls in racing history.

[BannonsLiver]

1. Horse racing is inhumane

[shockey80]

3. OH Please!

People could say all sports are inhumane. What are we going to do cancel all sports?

People just hear the bad stories about horse racing and react. There are owners and trainers that treat their horses like we treat our pets. Horses have better health care than many people do. I also know this, horses love to run. I could say owning a dog or cat is inhumane because of all the abuse. But I don't do that because I know most people treat their pets well.

[MrsCoffee]

6. It is inhumane.

Many sports are inhumane.

That's just a fact.

[shockey80]

8. I guess we have to cancel all sports and sit home and do nothing.

[MrsCoffee]

9. Womp womp.

[Tipperary]

16. Um, soccer is in humane? Baseball? Tennis? Swimming? Skiing? Bowling?

Seriously dude.

[obamanut2012]

27. No, just all sports that use animals, like horse racing, polo, dog racing, etc.

When an animal can legally sign a contract (ie never), then we can discuss if it's humane. Because now? It is cruel and appalling, and as much as I cry for how my fellow women are treated, I cry more for the voiceless cruelty done to animals, just so humans like yourself can have a good time with their buddies and picnic while animals are used and abused and tortured, and then literally shot when they quit earning money.

So yeah, that is why so many of use don't like your OP.

[LanternWaste]

58. Your consistent usage of Reductio ad absurdum illustrates little rational thought.

But I get it... fandom allows our biases to easily overpower our critical thought. I suppose logical fallacies are more entertaining than "siting home and doing nothing..." those being the only two choices you allow yourself.

[USALiberal]

18. Wow, humans have a choice. Do more reading. Nt

[BannonsLiver]

25. Blah blah blah

Santa Anita. Ever heard of it? Yeah, just a bunch of bad stories. Rigggght.

[lagomorph777]

31. Humans get to choose their sports. Animals do not.

[oioioi]

35. The Final Race...

[Crunchy Frog]

70. Absolutely horrific. Ban it.

[PTWB]

73. Ban it!!!

[Goodheart]

11. I agree, and I really wish they'd outlaw the whips.

[a kennedy]

30. I thought I did hear they are limiting whips to six slaps per race

I hate the whip as well. So at least keeping it to six is at least a start. Ugh.......

https://www.playfecta.com/kentucky-horse-racing-commission-rules-on-new-rules-for-whips/

[Tipperary]

15. Yes it is.

The drugs used on these horses kill them before their time. Never mind how many meet with unfortunate “accidents” because they are no longer profitable.

[Phoenix61]

2. What a beautiful horse! nt

[Coventina]

4. Horse racing is cruel and barbaric. n/t

[shockey80]

13. That's a little harsh, and simply not true.

It is sad horses do not heal when they break a leg like we do. That's how they were made. They put horses down out of mercy. You may not know that.

We put on a cast when we break a leg. 6 weeks later we are healed. That doesn't work with a horse. People have tried.

If horses bones healed like ours there would be very few horse deaths.

You may also not know this. Horses by nature are very high strung. They are easily panicked. Horses kill themselves when they are in their stalls, out for walks, running in a pasture on a farm, getting a bath, at stud, etc.

Horses love to run. Horses love to race. Nature made them the way they are.

[Coventina]

17. I am well informed on the subject. My family followed horse racing for years.

Horses love to run and compete, yes, but horse racing is cruel and barbaric.

They do not know the risks they are incurring under human control.

Also, they have been bred to have locomotive-powered lungs on champagne-flute legs.

Humans have turned them into something nature never intended.

[Tipperary]

19. You might want to read up on horse racing and all the unfortunate deaths of horses.

And I am not talking about broken legs. Others in this thread have told you it is barbaric. And it is. All so some idiots can bet money on innocent animals.

[USALiberal]

20. Lol, so a broken leg is ok because they kill them nicely? Nt

[obamanut2012]

28. And why the fuck was their leg broken???

JFC just stop excusing animal cruelty, especially cruelty for profit and "entertainment."

This is barely a notch above dog and cock fighting.

[demmiblue]

47. Then there's factory farming... which is the last circle of hell. n/t

[demmiblue]

45. +1

[brooklynite]

5. I honestly never understood...

...why people spent the entire day picnicking behind the grandstands and watched everything on TV.

[shockey80]

7. Why?

[brooklynite]

10. How is that different than sitting in your backyard and watching a simulcast?

When I went to Saratoga, I’d go to the rail for every race.

[shockey80]

14. It's the atmosphere. You're partying with your friends, having a good time.

Myself, I do go out and watch the big races or if I have a long shot I love in a race. Some people don't go out and watch any of the races.

[brooklynite]

22. Sounds like people tailgating at a football game when they don't have tickets...

Never understood that either.

[USALiberal]

21. Really, that is something you are shocked about? Nt

[George II]

82. Nor do I. I've set up tables in the backyard at both Belmont and Saratoga over the years....

....but I HAVE to go out front to watch each race live.

[Goodheart]

12. Loved Rachel Alexandra, but Zenyatta was better.

Zenyatta's races were SURREAL.

"How on earth did she do THAT? " we'd all exclaim.

[Awsi Dooger]

34. I'm still sick that Zenyatta didn't pull out that last race

Mike Smith simply waited too long. Supposedly he still can't get over it. It would have been beyond incredible for a filly with a deep closer style to finish her career unbeaten.

[Goodheart]

36. It was a bad ride. At one point he took her inside and wasted that motion and energy.

Clearly the best horse in the field. Denied a perfect record by a head! What a jewel.

[shockey80]

24. I would like remind everyone that football players, baseball players,

Many of our sports heroes take drugs, steroids. How cruel and barbaric. I know what you are going to say. It was their choice, lame. Just because you don't like a sport doesn't give you the right to judge me. This was a good story I told and the high and almighty, all knowing, have to ruin the post.

[BannonsLiver]

26. The attempts at whataboutism are ultra lame.

And illogical.

[Tipperary]

42. No shit.

Comparing humans choosing to take drugs to animals who have no choice. Smh.

[obamanut2012]

29. IT IS THEIR DAMNED CHOICE

If an MMA fighter or footballer wants to ruin their health by taking PEDs or getting CTE, they are sentient adults.

JFC just stop and take the loss.

[USALiberal]

37. LOL, ok! n

[Awsi Dooger]

32. The OP should have realized he was feeding a bunch of frothing simpletons

All they see is a raw number of short term injuries and deaths, and launch their simpleton outrages accordingly. They can't wait for the next spike so they can launch their simpleton outrages again. It is like a jack o lantern with the lid unlatched.

Anyway, I love Saratoga and the 15 year stretch I was a regular from 1995 through 2010. It is an incredible atmosphere. I always camped in Scotia then drove up to the races in early afternoon. Sometimes I'd play golf at SPAC or at Van Patten before making the afternoon trek to Saratoga. That's when I'd often experience the change of weather that the OP described. It could rain like heck at the track after being perfectly clear for golf, or the other way around. Some days were brutally hot and humid. It would vary even more year to year than day to day.

I remember that 2009 Woodward. I was supposed to be there. But I never made it to Saratoga that summer at all. A month earlier my father and I were involved in a major traffic accident in southern Georgia on I-95. We were fortunate to survive. We had to call off the trip to heal, physically and mentally. It was my dad's goal to make that trip the following year. We did and I'll always be grateful. It was my father's final big trip before his health declined to the point he couldn't do it. In 2010 we not only attended Saratoga but also we went to see Pimlico and Belmont. Granted, they were simulcast days not racing days but we were able to walk the grounds and get a feel for everything. Belmont is impressively expansive but hardly the atmosphere of wondrous Saratoga.

Hialeah during my youth is the only track that rivaled Saratoga along those lines. But I place Saratoga clearly on top. I always loved to watch the entertainment not far from the paddock at Saratoga, then get as close as I could to the walking ring as the jockeys were mounting, then after evaluating the horses from a physical standpoint I'd make my way back to the rail area maybe 100 yards shy of the finish line. It was fairly easy to move around in that area, except for huge days like Jim Dandy or obviously the Travers.

Best race I ever saw at Saratoga was the amazing finish from You and Carson Hollow in the Test Stakes. I felt so devastated for Carson Hollow. I remember eating at Ripe Tomato and not being able to taste the food at all. That race was another phenomenal call by Tom Durkin, in fact one of his best. The race is on YouTube.

I liked Rachel Alexandra but was never a huge fan. I think that aspect of Calvin Borel dumping the Derby winner Mine That Bird to ride Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness didn't sit right with me. It was obvious it would play out that way. Borel was the regular rider on Rachel Alexandra. I was hoping he would honor the historical nature of giving the Derby winner the best chance of maintaining opportunity for the Triple Crown. Instead Borel chose the more shortsighted route.

BTW, Billy Turner's wife is a member here. Or at least she was about a decade or so ago. Great Democrat. I used to reply back and forth to her in the sports forum. I always regretted that I didn't stop and visit them at Saratoga. But I had no way of knowing that my annual visits were coming to an end. Once my mom died in late 2008 then my dad was diagnosed with a terminal condition I was the only one in the family who could stay and help.

[BannonsLiver]

33. ....

[USALiberal]

38. LOL, ok! nt

[PTWB]

40. Why do you support abusing animals for your personal amusement?

[Tipperary]

49. Frothing simpletons?

Are you calling your fellow duers names? My goodness.

[Coventina]

52. Raw numbers of death.

[MrsCoffee]

84. Gross.

[PTWB]

39. Horse racing is barbaric. It is cruelty to animals for your pleasure.

Please take some time to reflect on the absolutely disgusting practice of everything that encompasses racing animals - from the disgusting breeding practices, the grueling training, the horrible injuries, etc. All for the cheap amusement of low-brow, anti-intellectualists.

[Tipperary]

48. Perhaps the op will take your advice.

One can hope. But at any rate, thanks for your post.

[Raftergirl]

41. I live about 30 minutes from the flat track

We go once, maybe twice during the session. It’s a fun day. Bet a little on each race and usually come out even, a little ahead or a little behind. But spend more on food and drink.

We get reserved seats in the clubhouse but always go down to the rail for the races.

Will never go on Travers Day. Way too crazy for me.

We’ve been going for as long as we’ve lived here. Will be 30 years this summer. I’ll have to start remembering to always subtract a year from now on.

[Tom Traubert]

51. I live near Saratoga.

It’s a beautiful track steeped in history. My issue with horse racing is that horses are run far too young. 2 year olds are not physically mature enough to deal with the stresses of training and racing. Horses shouldn’t be raced until they 4-5 years old. But horses cannot earn money unless they race, and an early start increases the potential financial return on the investment made in the horse. I won’t go to the track until this changes, and there is little chance that it will given the cost of breeding and maintaining thoroughbreds and the money that’s in the sport.

[Doremus]

43. Anthropomorphism. The horse wasn't running for love or glory. She was running for her life.

More than likely she ended up in the same glue factory that Secretariat and all the other greats did when they ceased making money.

[Tipperary]

44. This.

Sad, but true.

[Green Line]

53. Rachel Alexandra did not end up in a glue factory

Neither did Secretariat. Rachel lives out her retirement days at Stonestreet Farm in Kentucky, she had 2 foals, a colt named Jess’s Dream who stands at stud in Ocala and a filly named Rachel’s Valentina who is broodmare in Kentucky. Secretariat lived at Claiborne Farm in Kentucky during his breeding career, he died at 19 from laminitis, a terrible, but common equine ailment. There are many thoroughbred after care farms that retrain them for a new career, there are also retirement farms where the horses are are taken care of for life. Do bad things happen? Yes, but the entire industry is improving with after care.

[essme]

56. Neither ended up in a "glue factory." I saw Secretariat at his retirement farm

He looked pretty damned happy, and enjoyed visitors.

Rachel Alexandra is alive and fully retired.

[Blue_true]

77. Secretariat is buried in a grave that is a Mecca to horse racing fans.

I am no horse racing fan, but I do know that your analogy is wrong.

I have serious qualms about racing a huge animal whose ankles are barely larger than mine. I would much rather see them while away their life's days eating grass and clover in some pastoral field. But I prefer to keep that argument on a factual plain.

[TuxedoKat]

46. Your description

of the race brought tears to my eyes. What a moment. I immediately found the race on youtube. It was great! Thanks for sharing!!!

[Awsi Dooger]

50. Here's me near the front entrance to Saratoga, August 2010

https://imgur.com/a/Z0fwsoh

I hope I can get back there soon. Actually I visited in late October 2018. Obviously the summer meet was long gone. It was a wet dreary cold day but I'm glad I detoured 100 miles to visit Saratoga and all the spots I immensely enjoyed for those 15 years.

[PTWB]

64. I can't wait until abusing animals for sport gets banned everywhere.

[essme]

54. "Horse racing is inhumane"

How many people that wrote that are vegetarians?

If you aren't, then you are a hypocrite.

[Coventina]

57. I am.

Veggie since 1992.

[essme]

61. Me too- 2006

[Coventina]

62. In that case, I'm sure you are aware of the many horrors of horse racing.

If not, please read up on it. It is stomach churning stuff.

[essme]

63. Of course I am. That said, I think people whining over horses and slaughterhouses

is ridiculous if they are having a double bacon cheeseburger for dinner.

Either care about animals and advocate for them, or don't.

[Coventina]

65. Well, I'm not going to wait for every last person to become vegetarian

before I speak out against horse racing.

[essme]

66. I agree. And I'll call them out on factory farming too

It's horrific. I can't even think about pigs and chickens.

[Coventina]

67. It is disgusting, and beyond evil.

I find comfort that the animals get some sort of revenge from blocked arteries and rotten colons.

[Tipperary]

74. "People whining over horses."

[essme]

76. You are right; that was a crappy way to phrase that

I am just so sick of the whole meat industry.

I think I am sick of everything right now-- the US just seems like an ugly place to me. Trump overload.

[Tipperary]

78. I grew up with horses. As a sensitive kid, they were solace to me.

They are some of the most beautiful and empathetic creatures on this earth. They deserve better than people drooling over race wins and preening over winner ownership. That being said, I understand how you feel about everything right now. But, horses are always a good thing. The pretender in the White House does not have an iota of anything that makes a horse great.

[essme]

79. True- and I apologize for my attitude

I seriously think I need to take a "news" vacation. I have been overdosing on DU since Covid 19, and I started working from home.

And horses are always a good thing!

[Tipperary]

80. I hear you.

I have pretty much stopped watching the news. I cannot take it. I so despise the despot in chief that it makes me beyond sad. This is not the country I grew up in.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

55. This thread is fantastic.

[cwydro]

59. You are seriously comparing a horse race to women's rights?

Trying to wrap my head around this right now.

[demmiblue]

68. Now he started another post basically complaining about a having a post removed.

The whole thing is quite bizarre.

[obamanut2012]

72. Yup

[Tipperary]

75. Ha, been in and out all day so I missed that one.

This op never disappoints. I will have to look for that one!

[Crunchy Frog]

83. And managed to get himself FFR'd.

Bet he's really upset now.

[Raine]

69. They tore down the horse racing track nearest me ..Thank goodness! nt

[demmiblue]

71. +1

[George II]

81. I was there that day, too - behind the rows of seats near the eighth pole. I'd already bet...

...and then got nervous when Borel fell off her in the post parade. Indeed the roar was deafening, and the old Saratoga stands seemed to be shaking. Tom Durkin's call equaled the the excitement of the race - a classic.

Here it is, she really DID "raise the rafters here at the spa"!