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I hope that is only your opinion. I only raced overnights and only claimed horses with tactile speed for a reason, to suck along, especially on half mile tracks. I enjoy Nascar and thus the word drafting. In the 60's thru 80's, I WAS a big part of the harness world and I can't believe YOU said these things.
The poster was saying that harness people BET on horses with fast times that sucked along. You are talking about BUYING them to cash purses and or milk classes like Pat Lachance. Big Difference. I like your way.
Reasons for faster times,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,FASTER RACING SURFACES,,,,,,,,,,,,FASTER BIKES,,,,,,,,,,,,,,BETTER DRUGS,,,,,,,,,,,,HORSE TRAVEL WAY LESS DISTANCE WITH NO HUB RAIL AS GUYS DRIVE TIGHT TO THOSE PYLONS INSTEAD OF 1 YARD AWAY,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, tHAT IS LOTS OF REASONS WHY,,,,,,,,, THIS WAS A VERY EASY ANSWER,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
"Turn'em and Burn'em"
Interesting. Who said that first? Joe O'Brien or Puggy Pearson?Nowadays that should be Yannick's catch phrase.
Very easy. Thoroughbreds have peaked out through breeding. You won't see them get any faster and you will see more and more breakdowns because of inbreeding and evolution of breeding 3x2 and 2x2
My take is that it is a result of artifical insemination. The need for live covers greatly reduces the number of potential offspring for any one sire. In harness racing, you already have a much smaller pool of offspring each year, and I am guessing that a small number of high quality sires dominate the gene pool since artificial insemination predominates.Another issue may very well be that thoroughbreds have lost so much durability that few horses are still sound and racing when they are fully mature.When I was a kid a good thoroughbred could go around 1:34 for a mile....and a million years later that is basically the same. For standardbreds, I am old to enough to remember when a sub 2 minute mile meant something. I cannot recall the last race I watched that was not in a blizzard where the winner did not go under 2 minutes. I guess I would have to go a fair and watch some 2yos nickel bred trotters for that pleasure nowadays.
tmbz1Spot on. Main Factor !!! 1)A standardbred stallion these days-can breed close to 300 foals a year(sent oseas or the frozen semen is)--hell even when hes dead they still use frozen semen. -so This ensures that the elite horses are bred to the best mares in greater numbers compared to Tbreds -and the breed has improved steadily last 50 years. Tbreds have a natural gait-which hasnt changed last 50 years-so the level of improvement is nowhere near the Sbreds. Sbreds gait and temperaments esp in trotters-has greatly improved last 50 years and there is still improvement there. HOWEVER because of the smaller gene pool--expect more unsound horses.2)Along with this-the bikes are faster--in fact this was demonstrated with the Cheetah bike--that bike was seconds faster I have been told by experienced horsemen. Opinion is that todays bikes and wheels-are now almost level with the Cheetah bike. 3) Now add the driver factor--they are now more aggressive and they are definitely better than those of yesteryear.John Campbell was one of the greats--but if he was driving today-he would definitely not be as effective--still win races but hes no Dexter Dunn.Even greats like Takter and Ake-attest to this.Tbreds--jockeys are no better than they were 30-40 years ago.I dont buy the pre race drug factor--as I dont believe Tbreds dont use anything and Sbreds are all loaded to the gills.
Sorry bond I agree with almost everything you said except the GOAT John Campbell. Saying he is no Dexter Dunn is a huge stretch. Listen Dexter is the best driver in the world right now and it's not close.. but saying John couldn't adapt to today's horses and drivers is foolish. They both actually drive in a very similar manner.. a thinking man's driver, not run and gun every race. Maybe in 10 years I would agree about Dexter being the best ever.. but he has a ways to go for that title.
