Trump immigration policy spurs ire at Kentucky Derby: 'We can't find workers'

[Bayard]

23. Sigh....

I am not rich by any stretch of the imagination, but I live in Kentucky, I am from Kentucky, I have horses, and I did NOT vote for Trump. But I'm sure the nay-sayers here aren't talking about people like me, right?

I've known plenty of Hispanic folks that work at stables. They are usually damn glad to have those jobs. In their book, its decent money, often free housing even if it stinks, and it beats picking fruit in 100 degree heat. They get these jobs because your average white guy doesn't want them.

The Derby is a huge tradition here that hasn't changed much in 147 years. Appeals to rich and poor alike, and they all pile into Churchill Downs. I've known many horses off the track that went on to careers in dressage, jumping, and eventing. It's a source for nice, reasonably priced horses that many people would not be able to afford otherwise. Unfortunately, they can also still be shipped to Mexico or Canada for export to the meat market (the last U.S. slaughterhouse closed 10 years ago). But that also happens to many other breeds besides Thoroughbreds. A number of years ago there was a real scare with horses being stolen to be sold by the pound. As long as Europeans will buy it, they'll keep selling it.

One of my main gripes about horse racing is how young they are started. Two year olds are just babies, no matter how beautiful and muscled up they look on TV. Horses don't really mature physically until they are five, sometimes six.

So I guess you'd say I have mixed feelings.