Horse Friendly Riding Crops

Some fans have noted with dismay what they interpret to be an overuse of the whip by Rachel Alexandra's jockey, Calvin Borel, in her last start, the Haskell. He does hit her about five or six times as they turn for home but them manages to hand ride her to victory. When asked about the tactic, he said it was to keep her focused. Apparently she was looking around at the crowd when she should have been concentrating on the finish line.

In any event, a recent article in the Miami Herald notes that overuse of the crop may soon become a thing of the past, thanks to the recent trend to institute horse-friendly riding crops at most major tracks. As of this week, Del Mar and Monmouth become two of the most recent tracks to convert to the softer "stick." The new crop has already been mandated for use at Delaware Park and Philadelphia Park and jockeys at Saratoga have voluntarily adopted its use.

Ironically, the use of the softer crop may actually look like more whipping is actually going on since the jocks may have to use it more frequently than the more rigid stick, but the good news is that it is much more horse friendly. "With the new racing crop, horses seem to react to the sound of the popper rather than from a physical reaction to the whip," noted jockey Garrett Gomez who is based at Del Mar. The new crops have been endorsed by the Jockey's Guild.

At Monmouth, where the new crops will become standard this week, jockeys have been voluntarily using them in the last race each racing day since July 8. Of course, this does not explain Borel's use or overuse of the whip in the Haskell since it was not the last race, but it will be interesting to see if he goes to the whip if Rachel runs in the Travers at Saratoga.

The Miami Herald also notes that the use of these crops is one more example of humane treatment of thoroughbred racehorses, an issue that has "been front and center since the tragic accident Barbaro suffered early in the running of the 2006 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course."

The Barbaro Effect continues.....