When You Kneel, Expect to Get Beheaded.

Read the email. Go ahead. Take a couple minutes. It’s great. After reading, you might even consider sending David Perle, an email or even giving him a quick call, both are non-redacted.

On Friday, July 19th, one of my sources forwarded this email to me. This is the official propaganda press release that PETA’s “Media Division Manager” sends out to various press outlets. It is a brazen assumption of authority and bold face THREAT directed against Monmouth Park.

To be fair, I would definitely publish the official “counter” press release from the NTRA, RCI, TRA, WHOA, CHRB, TOBA or the NYRA, The Jockey Club, The Breeders’ Cup or The Jockeys’ Guild. I’d do the same from any state racing commissions in New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio or Kentucky? OR – something directly from Saratoga, Monmouth Park, Ellis Park, Delaware Park, Laurel Park, Belterra, Woodbine, Parx or even Finger Lakes, regarding the same subject?

But I can’t. They don’t have an official counter press release. They don’t have “Media Division Managers” either. These useless three and four letter Thoroughbred horse racing organizations, state racing commissions and Thoroughbred racetracks don’t even have P.R. departments. For those of you playing along at home, P.R. stands for “Public Relations” Departments. They do not exist. If they do – they’re either on their mandatory 15 minute break or it’s their century off.

No siree…instead of a P.R. press release to counter PETA, Horse Racing Wrongs, the ASPCA or the Humane Society (these bogus terrorist organizations are literally all the same and they do not care about animals) the above mentioned racetracks issued statements of surrender and apology. It was and is a pathetic demonstration of cowardice and complete lack of knowledge. One by one, just like little dominos they all fell in line and banded together. Not for the GOOD of the sport mind you but as the true NPC’s they are in a classic “monkey see, monkey do” fashion to cancel their race cards because it’s hot in July. Yes, you read it correctly, it’s hot in July.

These various racetrack managements issued white flag statements that read like they were copy and paste from the most recent issue of “Political Correctness Magazine” – or from their daily morning devotional entitled: “How to be a Social Media Influencer in 15 Minutes or Less!” I say this because all these statements were packed full of virtue signaling, contrition, remorsefulness, guilt, shame and penitence. And while doing so they all proceeded to beat themselves about the head and shoulders with a cesta (look it up), in the name of trying to buy the favor, good graces, acceptance and time, from those who seek their demise.

With these freshly minted articles of surrender grasp tightly in their paws courtesy of racetrack management, PETA threatened to hold Monmouth Park “criminally liable” (they have no power OR authority by which to do this..) if a horse has heatstroke or heat related issue on Haskell Day. Once again, another masterful and very effective demonstration of using the industry’s own cowardice and ineptitude against them. I do not call these activists, terrorists for nothing. These terrorists are true professionals. I mean who uses phrases and words in their motto like: “opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview”??

While initially putting on a modest game face, the capitulation continued at Monmouth Park on Saturday, July 20th. After running two races, Monmouth officials arbitrarily canceled several races on the card and decided to suspend the balance of the races until 6pm with the feature race, the Haskell Invitational, being rescheduled for 8:05pm. WHO exactly – makes these kinds of inept calls? It’s called racetrack management indecision at its very finest, folks. They were all kneeling before the perceived masters of their fate. (More on this below)

Make no mistake, these animal rights activists/terrorists along with their partners in the liberal media and corrupt politicians, smell blood in the water. The social media warriors are also screeching like the small playground children they are…. “OH MY GOD(!!!), horses are going to die!!!!!!! The jockeys and gate crew will die!!!!!!! OH MY GOD(!!!).”

Racetrack managements’ swift CYA response? “Ok guys, to save the game just the other day, we banned Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, the 3rd winningest trainer in the history of horse racing from racing horses in California and New York. Now it’s over 90 degrees (in JULY!) we must CANCEL racing to further save the sport!!” Yeah! Right on, they all screamed! That’ll teach’em! We mean business!

Of course no one was going to die. And banning Jerry Hollendorfer only creates even smaller fields while trainers with far worse records of medication overages and horse fatalities continue to be participating ever so quietly. This is ALL manufactured bullshit.

Here’s a few facts: No matter what you do to assuage terrorists or the angry mob, it’ll never be enough. They will ALWAYS demand more. Once you start running, they will chase you down and beat you into submission. Here’s the deal, you don’t back down. You don’t negotiate with terrorists. Stand your ground. Make sure you understand your business and fight back! Instead of uniting around cancelations and issuing statements of acquiescence, how about these racetracks straighten their spine and band together – to race! Kneeling and capitulating will only get you beheaded.

I have personally ridden many races in a row and saddled hundred’s of horses in 100+ degree temperatures. Oh make no mistake, it was hot. But not one time – ever – did I have a problem. Of course there are always exceptions but the fact is most horses experience heat related issues when temps are in the 80’s, not in the 90’s or 100’s. On a side note regarding the jockeys; most of these guys are people who REGULARLY sit in the hotbox or sauna, sometimes for hours in 120 degree temperatures to lose weight so they CAN ride. I was one of them. So do not lecture me about the poor jockeys and the heat. If the heat is an issue for any of them, they need a new gig.

Since I have personal experience, knowledge and perspective, here are a few simple steps racetrack management could implement in a calm, rational way during extreme conditions that would silence every single critic while still maintaining your integrity and the sport of horse racing. These insightful protocols will also make racetrack management look smart and professional (no easy task) while you stab the chattering class in the eye and WIN!

During the summer months, put the following, extreme hot weather conditions, special rules into effect:

1. Move post time for the first race to 5pm (Please, don’t forget to inform the public. This is just one more reason you need a competent P.R. department)
2. Shorten post parades to 5-6 minutes, with 22 minutes between races
3. The Stewards shall issue the equivalent of two “Executive Orders” that say the following; (1) If, after conferring with their owners, any trainer who feels it would be detrimental to any horse in their care or members of their staff, to race under the current extreme hot weather conditions, they may scratch any horse by simple request to the Board of Stewards. (2) All jockeys will be allowed an extra 2 or 3 pounds of weight exemption so they can stay more fully hydrated in these extreme hot weather conditions. Furthermore, if any jockey feels it is not in the best interest of his or her health; or believes that he or she cannot perform their riding duties to the very best of their abilities because of the said heat conditions, a jockey shall communicate such with the Stewards and will be dismissed from their mounts without penalty.
4. Make all horsemen aware of these special protocols and make sure they are fully informed that 5-gallon buckets of ice water and sponges will be placed at each corresponding post position unsaddling point when horses return after each race and that there will be a cold water hose available for their needs.

These are simple steps that can be taken. They cost little to nothing and shut down your critics. On Haskell Day, Monmouth Park stumbled forward – miserably – and did sorta what could have been viewed as a full on game plan had they thought it through beforehand. With a grandstand full of people, the entire card was delayed from 2pm until 6pm, post time for the Haskell Invitational was moved to 8:05pm. You coulda looked smart if this were an organized plan based on real knowledge of HORSES and HORSE RACING. Instead, they just served up confusion and likely made their customers mad, creating yet more fan apathy.

NOW – you want proof that racetrack management is completely incompetent in every possible way? After Monmouth Park bumbled through everything yesterday; racing, canceling, delaying, racing again, trotting out spokespeople who can’t even speak intelligently about racing and then – sticking the Haskell Invitational in their hip pocket while milking it for all it was possibly worth and NOT ONE man or beast died, they canceled the races today.. Since conditions were so “deadly and dire” yesterday and they raced(!) – this decision today proves them to be the most greedy, incapable and amateurish clowns you can conjure up. I’m guessing the next day they race, attendance will be free to anyone wearing a PETA button. Odds GOM?

WE MUST DEMAND BETTER RACETRACK MANAGEMENT!

I just recently launched my YouTube channel “Don’t Get Me Started” where I will be posting weekly videos talking about and answering your questions about horse racing. I’ve got another video coming up soon. Check it out and click here to subscribe > “Don’t Get Me Started”. Send any questions to me via email: clint@dontgetmestarted.wtf