Don't equate dogfighting with horse racing

Horseracing Betting Lines

08/18/2009 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In Philadelphia the sports reports have been dominated by Michael Vick. His signing by the Eagles has also filled a sizable block of the overall news programs.

It didn't take long for a defender of Vick to call a sports-talk show equating dogfighting with horse racing. The caller tried to say that horses are just as poorly treated as the dogs Vick and his associates tortured and killed.

As soon as the caller mentioned horse racing I changed the station. The program host did not interrupt the caller to tell him how wrong he was to mention horse racing being equal to dogfighting.

First off, horse racing is legal. It's a well regulated sport in the United States with committed individuals involved in the industry. People in the sport care about the horses, with an extremely small percentage outside the mainstream.

The caller mentioned that racehorses, no longer able to race, are cruelly killed. I nearly hit the roof. Horse racing is continually working to improve the fate of horses that are no longer able to compete.

There are new style riding crops being used throughout the racing industry. These equine friendly riding crops are made to encourage the horse through sound and not pain.

"The padded flap is much kinder to the horse," said Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado. "Jockeys across the country have been using the new riding crops on a trial basis for quite a while, and in Kentucky the new riding crop is the standard. In New York, now is the right time to make that change and Saratoga is the proper place."

Jockeys at Saratoga will begin using the riding crop on Wednesday, August 19 following the lead of Monmouth Park and Del Mar earlier this summer.

"The New York jockeys, like the Del Mar jockeys last week, deserve the credit for being proactive in adopting this measure," said Terry Meyocks, national manager of the Jockeys' Guild. "This action is an example of the commitment of the jockeys to work with all groups in the industry to help overcome the challenges facing it. In New York, the jockeys want to continue to work with NYRA to strengthen the racing industry in the state."

Basically, I needed to write this column just to let off some steam. Horse racing may not be perfect, but everyone involved is working to improve the sport and the care of the beautiful animals that keep us coming back.

Casniuo Horseracing Betting News

<< Favre is a Viking
Eden Prairie, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brett Favre is coming back again, and this time it's with the Minnesota Vikings. After weeks of speculation, Favre ended his second retirement on Tuesday. He boarded a plane from Hattiesburg, Missis

<< Red Wings ink Bertuzzi
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Red Wings have signed free agent forward Todd Bertuzzi to a one-year contract. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Bertuzzi will join the Wings for the second time in his checkere

<< 11th Solheim Cup Preview
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Out of nowhere, ladies and gentlemen, it's the Solheim Cup. The reason this is out of nowhere is that it has been three weeks since the last time the LPGA Tour played, in the Women's British Open, which wa

<< Bikey seals switch to Burnley
Burnley, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Burnley has signed defender Andre Bikey from Reading for an undisclosed fee. The 24-year-old Cameroon international has agreed a three-year contract at Turf Moor and could make his Premier Leagu

<< Calgary's Copeland among CFL weekly award winners
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Calgary Stampeders wide receiver Jeremaine Copeland, Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive end John Chick, Toronto Argonauts kicker Justin Medlock and BC Lions slot back Paris Jackson were named the CFL's t

Barca stars dominate shortlist for UEFA awards >>
Barcelona, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Barcelona players dominate the shortlist for UEFA's Club Football Awards following their domestic and European success last season. The Spanish giants won an unprecedented treble of La Liga, Champion

Dallas acquires Honduran Chavez on loan >>
Frisco, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - FC Dallas acquired Honduran forward/midfielder Marvin Chavez on loan from Club Deportivo Marathon of the Honduras Primera Division on Tuesday. Chavez will officially join Dallas pending a medical exam an

Hewitt wins; Verdasco exits Cincy Masters >>
Mason, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt posted an opening-round win Tuesday at the $3 million Western & Southern Financial Masters. The unseeded Hewitt came from behind to upset 12th-seeded French Open runner- u

Raptors send Delfino to Bucks >>
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Toronto Raptors sent forward Carlos Delfino and guard Sonny Weems to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for forward Amir Johnson and guard Roko Ukic on Tuesday. The Raptors had to sign Delfino before

Orioles promote 1B Aubrey, RHP Mickolio >>
St. Petersburg, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Baltimore Orioles promoted first baseman Michael Aubrey and reliever Kam Mickolio from Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday. The 27-year-old Aubrey, who was acquired in June from Cleveland for a pl

Mayweather picked to beat De La Hoya
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya and his rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. arrived at the MGM Grand here Wednesday amid the pomp and pandemonium befitting two of the biggest stars in the sport who are about to duke it out for the WBC super welterweight crown this Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

As of Wednesday, MySportsbook.com closed its book with Mayweather a favorite to defeat De La Hoya at -170 (a $100 bet wins $70), while De La Hoya is a +140 underdog (a $100 bet wins $140).

Mayweather arrived at about 11:30 a.m. on a big truck with his face and a big "World's Best Pound-for-Pound" sign scribbled across the vehicle. He was accompanied by his entourage made up of rappers and his training team.

A crowd of close to 3,000 eager fans packed the MGM Grand lobby, with their cameras in tow, all trying to vie for position to get a good angle at Mayweather, who is acknowledged as the world's best fighter pound-for-pound.

Eric Gomez, Golden Boy Promotions vice-president, described the fan turnout as "amazing" and swore he had never seen anything quite like this event.

"The crowd was fantastic. Everybody was just too eager to see the two fighters," said ALA manager Michael Aldeguer, who was among those who waited at the lobby together with his ward Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista and AJ Banal.

De La Hoya made his own grand entrance at the hotel lobby at around 12:30 p.m. accompanied by GBP chief executive officer Richard Schaefer and trainer Freddie Roach.

The same group of fans who trooped to see Mayweather also lingered around to get a close look at De La Hoya, who has been secretly working out at a Las Vegas gym for days after arriving from his main training camp in Puerto Rico.

The golden boy then took part in a closed-door afternoon workout with Bautista and Banal. The two, along with Aldeguer and wife Christine, as well as an HBO crew were the only ones allowed inside the gym.

De La Hoya and Mayweather take part in today's final press conference before the official weigh-in this Friday.

Ring Magazine, the acknowledged bible of boxing, reported in its June 2007 issue that 12 out of 20 boxing experts it interviewed have favored Mayweather to defeat De la Hoya, with only 8 favoring the latter.

But Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao said in a recent interview with The Freeman's Emmanuel Villaruel that De La Hoya will win by unanimous decision over Mayweather.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on boxing needs.