Month: May 2022

Ramey: Being An Equine Vet Is Wonderful; Being An Equine Vet Is Terrible

Being a horse doctor is wonderful. Just about every day I get up, knowing that I'm going to be outside, working with what I think is one of the most wonderful creatures on the planet. So strong, so patient, so willing to trust, so willing to do the most amazing things for people, asking nothing more than a little attention and a good bit of food.

Being a horse doctor is terrible. Not a day goes by that I don't worry. I worry about if a horse is getting better. I worry about making a difficult diagnosis that a client may not want to hear. I worry that I won't get called. I worry that I will get called when I have something that I really want to do. I rarely get a full night's sleep. Sometimes it's because I get a call to go out to see a sick or injured horse. Sometimes it's because I'm worrying. My phone rings all the time — when I'm in the shower, or at the gym, at a restaurant, or even in the bathroom. I've coached young boys playing games while consoling concerned horse owners. I've spoken to concerned horse owners while on vacation, walking through the streets of foreign countries. I carry a terrible responsibility — to help horses, to help people.

Being a horse doctor is wonderful. Just about every day, I wake up knowing that I'm going to go out and help somebody, and help a horse. I like that. It feels like I'm doing something good for the world. I really love horses.

Being a horse doctor is terrible. I have to deal with the worst sides of human nature. I have a long list of people who have asked me to be there for them – to take care of their horse, to give them needed supplies, to help their mare bring a new foal into the world – and then have simply refused to pay me for the work that I've done, or for the products that I've given them. Afterwards, I'm the one who is bad-mouthed. I've seen horses given needless medications, and countless needless products and supplements, all in an effort to live up to people's expectations for them. And I've been called ugly names for not wanting to participate in the charade.

Being a horse doctor is wonderful. Just about every day, I get to see friends who I have known for years. Friends who have shared triumphs and tragedies, and with whom I have shared my own. I have become part of their lives. Friends who trust me, not just to do the right thing by their horse, but to do the right thing. Friends with whom I have shared joy and laughter, triumph and heartbreak, both in the horse world, and beyond.

Being a horse doctor is terrible. In addition to my own concerns, I become part of every client's worry about his or her horse. I share hurt and despair when bad things happen, and especially at the end. Each client has his or her personal pain. I carry a little bit of each and every one. I have seen awful accidents happen to horses, bad memories that I won't be able to forget, and that I don't want to describe. I wonder if, in some way, these are not like the emotional scars that soldiers take away from battle. Not as extreme, not as emotionally devastating, but just as real.

Being a horse doctor is wonderful. Veterinary medicine is an art, and a science. I know lots of artistic tricks that help me convince a 1,200-pound animal that I'm not going to hurt him, even when I might, just a little bit. I'm paid to be a veterinary Hercule Poirot, noticing countless details, and trying to assemble them into a diagnostic package that makes sense. Some cases are actually pretty simple, and I can take care of them quickly — with an injection, perhaps some fluids, or maybe just tincture of time. Others are more complicated, more difficult, and more frustrating, requiring time, patience, and a variety of approaches to find the right answer, if a “right” answer can be found at all. I get to help sick horses find health. I get to help worried owners relax and not worry. At the end, I can help provide comfort and understanding, and give my client's emotions a soft shoulder on which to rest.

Being a horse doctor is terrible. I am constantly told that I am wrong. Everyone's an expert, it seems. I'm accused of not being open-minded, that I only like drugs and surgery, that I can't do this or that (even when I can), and that I don't care about the “whole” horse. I'm told that I'm wrong by “dentists,” and farriers, and “chiropractors,” and any number of “therapists.” And when it turns out that I was right after all, no one remembers. I often feel crushed by the stupidity of some of the things that people are told, and by the lies and weasel words that are used to get people to spend seemingly limitless dollars on needless products and services. I hate seeing people waste time and money on needless things, time and money that they should be using to enjoy their horse.

Being a horse doctor is wonderful. Experience has brought a good deal of wisdom, and tempered some of the arrogance that first came with being a “doctor.” I understand more about the limits of what I can and cannot do. I understand the limits of my profession. I accept myself for who I am – I accept others for who they are. I have made many deep connections: it's the most important thing in my professional life. I help horses, and I help the people who own and take care of them.

Being a horse doctor is terrible. I have made countless decisions that affect the lives of other people, and their horses. Happily, almost all of them have turned out well. But not all. Sometimes it's not possible. Sometimes bad things happen, no matter how much you know, how well you work, how perfectly you do your job. I remember the battles that I've lost, and the people that I've lost them with. Soon, there will be another battle to fight, and I will fight it as hard as I can, replacing some of the old memories with new ones. Again and again.

Being a horse doctor is wonderful. I live comfortably, but not extravagantly. I can go out to a nice restaurant every once in a while. As a veterinarian, I still get a little respect. There seems to always be something to do. My days aren't boring, and in between my work, I get to play some: on the golf course, in magic sessions – isn't horse medicine just another kind of magic? – with friends, with family.

Being a horse doctor is terrible. Paperwork is a constant part of my life. There are insurance forms. Health certificates. Lab forms. Over and over again. I sign lots of papers every month, and I'm not always sure what my signature really means. It takes lots of time, and some people don't think that's worth anything at all. I know, because that's what they tell me. My time isn't worth anything to them. It's terrible, being told you're worthless.

Being a horse doctor is wonderful. I wouldn't have chosen any other profession. No matter how terrible it can be sometimes.

Dr. David Ramey is a vocal advocate for the application of science to medicine, and—as such—for the welfare of the horse. Thus, he has been a frequent critic of practices that lack good science, such as the diverse therapies collectively known as “alternative” medicine, needless nutritional supplementation, or conventional therapies that lack scientific support.

This article original appeared on Dr. Ramey's website, doctorramey.com and is reprinted here with permission.

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Irad Ortiz Fined $500 For Whip Rule Violation In Kentucky Derby

Irad Ortiz, Jr., has been handed a $500 fine by stewards in Kentucky for violating the state's whip regulations in this year's Kentucky Derby. According to the ruling published May 13, stewards found Ortiz exceeded the allowable use of the crop in an overhand style while riding Mo Donegal to a fifth-place finish in the race.

Ortiz was later issued an additional $100 fine after he waived his right to a hearing and failed to appear for a race replay review before Kentucky stewards. Ortiz is based in New York, and rode the card at Belmont Park on May 12, the date stewards had requested he appear for a replay review.

Kentucky implemented new regulations surrounding whip use last year, restricting overhanded hits to six or fewer in the course of a race, with no more than two together before giving the horse a chance to respond.

Although Ortiz's violation was the only one that came in the Derby, stewards issued other whip rule violations to fellow jockeys Jose Ortiz (who had two), Manny Franco, Reylu Gutierrez, Colby Hernandez, Mitchell Murrill, and Brian Hernandez. All fines were set at $500 per violation.

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Equine Worlds Collide In Team Behind Classic Hope Onesto

“Ca va, ca va, ca va,” says one rider after another as they report back to trainer Fabrice Chappet on their respective mounts during a routine Monday morning exercise in Chantilly.

Then comes Gregory Defrel, the Martinique-born rider of G2 Prix Greffulhe winner Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

“Tres, tres bien,” he says, before gesticulating with the internationally recognised hand signal for 'ok'.

That's good enough for the trainer, who remains outwardly impassive as he watches his second lot circle under the trees in the Rond Allez France. Chappet is not prone to issuing wild statements of excitement about his runners, either pre- or post-race, but he does concede that he is very happy to have Onesto in his immaculate Chantilly stable. One wouldn't have Chappet pegged as overly superstitious, but he notes with the merest hint of a smile that the horse arrived in his yard from America last year on Prix du Jockey Club day. An omen, perhaps?

Onesto has certainly taken a fairly unusual route towards this year's 'French Derby'. Bred in Ireland at Coolmore by American breeder Adam Bowden of Diamond Creek Farm, he made his first public appearance in England at the October Yearling Sale at Tattersalls, where he was unsold at 185,000gns. With the pandemic showing no sign of abating and 2-year-old sales potentially being halted or delayed again, the colt was shipped to the States and was eventually consigned to the Ocala Spring Sale in Florida, where he first caught the eye of bloodstock agent Hubert Guy.

“He went to Ciaran Dunne, who is one of the great consignors at Ocala,” Guy recalls. “This horse worked and I was shocked. He had an unbelievable stride and did a fantastic time (breeze-up video). Then I saw that he was by Frankel out of a Sea The Stars mare, so it looked  on pedigree like he was a mile-and-a-quarter, mile-and-a-half horse, and his grandmother was by Kahyasi, and you go back to the dam of Hasili, from the best family of Juddmonte. I called Jean-Etienne Dubois and I said 'we have to buy this horse'.”

Therein two worlds collided, in more ways than one. Adam Bowden has only relatively recently added Thoroughbred breeding to his repertoire, having majored in Standardbreds. His Diamond Creek Farm, with wings in Kentucky and Pennsylvania, stands 11 stallions. On the other side of the Atlantic, Jean-Etienne Dubois is a name etched in the annals of the French trotting scene, as a former champion trainer, driver and breeder. Dubois, who is now based in Australia, owns a third of Onesto, in partnership with his father Jean-Pierre-Joseph Dubois, as well as Ecurie Hunter Valley, Ecurie Billon, Haras d'Etreham, Hubert Guy and Fabrice Chappet. Quite a vote of confidence from agent and trainer, as well as a potentially shrewd investment from the renowned stallion-makers at Etreham.

“He has a super turn of foot. Unfortunately it doesn't happen all the time that you are able to buy the horse that you really like, and then for that horse to repeat it on the racetrack. But he had a perfect vetting, everything was right,” says Guy, who rallied the troops to buy him at $535,000.

“When I watched the work, I rushed to the barn to see him. When I arrived, I saw a little chestnut pony, but he walked really well and had a fantastic attitude. Nothing fazed him.”

An agent glimpsing a catalogue page with Frankel and Sea The Stars in the first two generations may reasonably assume that the horse in question could be on the large side. Perhaps Onesto's neatness comes from his dam's side of the family. As Guy has referenced, this is one of Juddmonte's best. His great-grand-dam Kerali (GB) (High Line {GB}) produced the petite Hasili (GB) (Kahyasi {Ire}), the legendary dam of five Group/Grade 1 winners. It is Hasili's unraced sister Kalima (GB) who features as Onesto's grand-dam.

His pedigree is lent some nice historical symmetry by the fact that his fourth dam Sookera (Roberto) was the joint-top-rated filly in the Irish Free Handicap of 1977 with Fairy Bridge (Bold Reason), who also appears in Onesto's fourth generation in the top line as the dam of Sadler's Wells. Furthermore, with Galileo (Ire) and his half-brother Sea The Stars as his grandfathers, Onesto is inbred 3×3 to Urban Sea (Miswaki).

“He has always been a nice horse,” says Chappet of Onesto, who lives only a hop, skip and jump from his front door. The trainer celebrated his first Classic success five years ago with Precieuse (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, and he has come agonisingly close in the intervening years with Dice Roll (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}) finishing third in the colts' equivalent, the same season that Intellogent (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) won the G1 Prix Jean Prat after finishing a length off the winner when fourth in the Prix du Jockey Club. During the delayed Classic season of 2020, Speak Of The Devil (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) was beaten a nose in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and was followed home in third by her stable-mate and paternal half-sister Mageva (Fr).

He adds, “Everybody saw that when we bought him at the breeze-up. He went very fast, and he's not born for that.”

Onesto, whose name translates from Italian to mean 'honest', certainly has the look of a horse deserving of such a moniker. As he wanders through the Chantilly forest, he keeps his head low, focused on his job, never putting a foot wrong as one or two of his stable-mates exhibit a touch of Monday morning high jinks. His lack of stature is compensated for by powerful quarters and a long, loose walk.

The chestnut colt made his racecourse debut on his home track last September when rounding the field to break his maiden with ease, beating Juddmonte's Badge (GB), a close relative to his own sire Frankel. He was awarded a 'TDN Rising Star' for his efforts.

“He had a small break when he first came here, but he has always done what we've asked him to do,” Chappet says. “He was very impressive first time out. Next time we wanted to give him a good lesson and he was beaten by Welwal (Fr) but he was dropping back to 1,500m. And then first time out this year, since he was a winner and because he has showed such a good turn of foot, we thought maybe he could go for the Guineas. So we sent him to the Fontainebleau, and he ran well–as a matter of fact, if you look at the clock–but he just showed that the mile is definitely a bit short for him now to show his best.”

Onesto bounced back from his eighth place in the G3 Prix Fontainebleau when stepping up to the Jockey Club trip of 2,100m in the G2 Prix Greffulhe. Once again his turn of foot was deployed to full effect as he accelerated past odds-on favourite Agave (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) to win eased down.

“Then last time he was impressive and that was what we wanted to see before we decided to go for the Jockey Club,” Chappet adds. “And he has come out of that race perfectly well. I'm quite happy with him at this stage.”

Golden Start For Diamond Creek…

For breeder Adam Bowden, an avowed fan of European turf racing, it has not only been Onesto who has made his early-morning race viewing even more exciting this year, as his Diamond Creek Farm is also the breeder of 'TDN Rising Star' and Royal Ascot-bound Queen Olly (Ire) (No Nay Never). The farm will also be doubly represented in the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. by graduates Missy Greer (Nyquist) and Favor (Pioneerof The Nile).

“Two of the fillies that we've bred are in the Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico on Friday, so it seems like there's too much good luck all at one time,” says Bowden with a chuckle. “I'm just very thankful and I'm enjoying it because I know it's extremely difficult, so when it happens you'd better enjoy it.”

Of his foray into the Thoroughbred world he adds, “I was a huge fan of Galileo and Frankel. I spent all my mornings in the office watching all the English and Irish tracks and just got hooked on it years ago.

“My wife and I had gone over to Ireland as we sponsored the Vincent Delaney Memorial Standardbred race, and one of the days we had free, we had a tour of Coolmore. While we were there they told us they had some mares for sale. Eddie Fitzpatrick was fantastic and is my contact there, and we ended up buying a couple of mares from them.”

If breeders want to make a splash in European racing they could do worse than buy from the best, and in addition to the mares acquired from Coolmore, Bowden later bought Onesto's dam Onshore (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), as an unraced 3-year-old from the Juddmonte draft at the 2016 Tattersalls December Mare Sale.

“Her pedigree was the huge draw for me,” he says of the relation to stallions Dansili (GB), Champs Elysees (GB), Cacique (GB) and Leroidesanimaux (Brz), not to mention star racemares Banks Hill (GB), Intercontinental (GB) and Heat Haze (GB). “We had circled the mare and my agent Mike Akers went to see her and said, 'well if you're willing to spend what it takes to buy her, then I think she is the type of filly that we want.' And it worked out.”

It also appears to be working out with Queen Olly's dam Surprisingly (GB) (Galileo {GB}). The mare's elder offspring, the dual winner Schooner Ridge (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}), is one of two fillies Bowden has in training in Chantilly with Nicolas Clement, while Queen Olly was herself bought at the Orby Yearling Sale for €300,000 by Amo Racing.

“It's crazy that all of this is happening at the same time and she looks pretty special too,” Bowden notes. “It's more than I could have hoped for in a short period of time. We really only got into the Thoroughbred side six or seven years ago. We've had decent success at the sales and now it has rotated to the track.”

Four Diamond Creek mares have recently returned to Coolmore after a spell in America.

“We've cut to 10 mares and have split them relatively evenly between Europe and the U.S.,” the breeder explains. “All of our mares shipped over to Kentucky in the fall of 2020. I couldn't travel because of the pandemic and we just wanted a better feel for them, and to see what the foals looked like. I wasn't sure how long the pandemic was going to last so they ended up staying here a while and have recently gone back with the yearlings.”

And the small world that is the horse world recently brought Bowden together with Onesto's part-owner Jean-Etienne Dubois, who has also enjoyed success in Britain as part of the syndicate that owned Group 1-placed Flotus (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}).

“He happened to be over here in Kentucky doing some Standardbred stuff a couple of weeks ago and we ran into him,” says Bowden. “We were there looking at one of their Standardbreds to stand as a stallion and we ended up talking about Onesto the whole time.”

The post Equine Worlds Collide In Team Behind Classic Hope Onesto appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Delaware Park’s 85th Live Racing Season Opens May 25

The 85th season of live horse racing at historic Delaware Park opens Wednesday, May 25, with a first race post time of 12:30 p.m. The opening week festivities will continue with live racing cards slated for Thursday, May 26, and Saturday, May 28.

Nine-time defending leading trainer Jamie Ness will be returning for his twelfth season. The native of Heron, South Dakota, will be seeking his eighth consecutive title which would break the record set by Delaware Park legend and Hall of Famer Grover “Buddy” Delp from 1963 through 1969 and equaled by Scott Lake from 2002 through 2008.

After finishing fourth in the trainer standings last season, former leading New York conditioner Gary Contessa will be back for his second full meet. Contessa came out of retirement to become the private trainer for the locally-based Bell Gable Stable, owned by Nick and Delora Beaver, who won the 2021 title as leading owner.

“I have always loved Delaware Park,” said trainer Gary Contessa. “Delaware Park has always been one of my favorite places even when I was one of the leading trainers in New York. This place has a country atmosphere and the people are so nice, so I have always enjoyed coming here and I also have had a lot of success here over the years. After retiring in March of 2020, I met with Nick at a sale, one thing led to another and we came to an agreement for me to train privately for Bell Gable Stable. I came into the meet last year looking down my shed row not knowing what to think and we wound up winning the leading owner title. We really scraped and scrapped to get to that point.

“I really enjoyed being here last year and I really enjoyed helping them win the leading owner title. Plus, we won two stake races and they had never won a stake race before so everything was incredibly positive. This year, we are back with more 2-year-olds. We have an equal split between 2-year-olds and older horses but we have more 2-year-olds this season than last, so in the beginning of the meet, I might not be as active because with 2-year-olds it is a little bit of a waiting game. I got a couple who are showing me some pretty good signs. I think we are going to win some races, but it is just going to be a matter of when we get there.”

Other trainers who will be stabled at Delaware Park include Cathal Lynch, Juan Arriagada, Gary Capuano, Andy Simoff, Anthony Pecoraro, Mike Gorham, Jane Cibelli, Lynn Ashby, Baltazar Galvan, Scott Lake, Michael Stidham, Tim Ritchey, Ben Perkins Jr., Kelly Rubley, H. Graham Motion, Greg Compton, Brittany Russell, Victor Carrasco Jr., Chelsey Moysey, Edward T. Allard, Sam Cronk, John Robb and Arnaud Delacour.

Jaime Rodriguez, the defending leading jockey and regular rider for trainer Jamie Ness; Carol Cedeno, the former six-time defending leading jockey and second in the standings last season; and Daniel Centeno, who won the G2 Delaware Handicap aboard Miss Marissa and finished third in the standings last year; are set to return.

“I have the same approach to this season as I have had every other season which is to keep fit, work hard every day and to be ready to go for my trainers,” said Carol Cedeno who was the leading rider at Delaware Park from 2014 through 2016 and 2018 through 2020. “Was I disappointed not to win the title last season? Yes, I certainly was because Delaware is my home and I am proud of everything I have accomplished here. But we still had a great meet and the hard work and dedication was rewarded. Jaime (Rodriguez) had a fantastic meet and I tip my hat to him. I am not sure where I will be in the standings at the end of this season but I am sure this going to be an exciting season and I am going to continue to work hard, be committed and take it one day at a time.”

Rodriguez, Cedeno and Centeno will be joined by Angel Suarez, Raul Mena, Skyler Spanabel, Roberto Alvarado Jr., Aubrie Green and John Hiraldo.

Live racing will be conducted on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Friday will be added June 10th through July 8th and August 26th through November 4th. The G3 Delaware Oaks is scheduled for Saturday, July 2, and the G2 Delaware Handicap will be run on Saturday, July 9. The 30th Owners Day will be on Saturday, Oct. 1. The 88-day meet is scheduled to conclude on Breeders' Cup Saturday, Nov. 5.

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