The Power of Twitter: The Story of Monzante

Note: Today's post was going to be my recap of the Delaware Handicap, but something over the weekend happened that was much more important.

On July 21, 2006 the Maria's Mon gelding Monzante made his first start at Newbury in the UK. He would eventually make his way back to the US where he would win the 2008 G1 Eddie Read Stakes. One of the horses he defeated was the multiple G1 winner Lava Man who was making what turned out his final start in his career. Sadly that would be the last time he would win a stakes race, and slowly he would go down the ladder of the racing ranks.

Then the power of a tweet sent a shocking 48 hours on Twitter by various horse racing tweeters. This story though starts last month when this tweet was originally sent out: http://twitter.com/stakesplaced/status/341944403541245952/photo/1

He would actually be scratched from that race and on Saturday, 5 years to the day of his Eddie Read win, he would be euthanized. This tweet was the first one I saw about the situation originally: https://twitter.com/alexbrownracing/status/358748732830920704

Since then a Twitter account and Facebook page called Project Monzante has been set up, as has a petition on Change.org. Meanwhile the NTRA has issued a statement and an investigation has begun. However, possibly the most powerful tweet so far has come from the son of a Hall of Fame jockey: https://twitter.com/hrtvlaffit/status/359432525266952192.

Lets hope that no matter where they have run in the past, that a horse like Monzante doesn't fall though the cracks like he did. 

Networking with Other Horse Racing Bloggers, Tweeters and Facebookers etc. Idea

The best way to network with other horse racing fans is to get out to the track, but many people might not have the ability to go to tracks that far away on the major racing days. So why not have a conference that has panels so that people can network that way. Here is what I'm thinking:

Facebook Panels
Twitter Panels
Photography Panels
Radio/Podcast Panels
Blogger Panels
Networking Sessions

The downside of this though is that you would need to have multiple panels since there are so many Facebookers, Twitters, Photographers, Radio/Podcast hosts and Bloggers in the horse racing industry out there. Also who would really be interested in doing this considering it does take time to put a conference.

However, if somehow someway this could all work out, it would be an amazing experience for all.

Social Media and Horse Racing

In a way social media and horse racing go together hand and hand. It's a good way for people who have different opinons on the sport to take their opinons to the World Wide Web. Now of course social media is blogs, Twitter MySpace, and Facebook. In matter of fact here are a few groups to prove it.

Twitter: Bloodhorse and Thoroughbred Times have Twitter Accounts. They mainley use them to get articles that where posted up quickly for the public to see. Also there are some of the writers from both of these magazines who have twitter accounts. Also having twitter accounts are members of the Thoroughbred Bloggers Alliance who are a group of bloggers who well blog about Thoroughbred (and Harness) racing. There are many other twitter accounts out there to mention here today.

Facebook: I actually just created a page for Thoroughbred Chat which you can find here. Other groups have Facebook pages as well such as TBA, Alex Brown and many others.

MySpace: I know there are several profiles of horses on there that are run by either fans or the actual owners. However I don't have a profile there so, I can't say for sure.

Blogs: There are many out there to be looked at, some of my favorites are on the side panel (along with links to TT and Bloodhorse), so I hope you check those out.

Again these are just a few examples of social media that involve horse racing. I had hoped to have a preview of the two G1's that are up at Canada this Saturday, however I didn't get a chance to do so. So I'll have a full recap on Monday (taking Sunday off for once) and then on Tuesday or Weds I'll start previewing the Breeder's Cup. Don't forget to check out the Facebook Page and if you are Twitter once again my screename is Tbchat!

Horse Racing and the Internet

Okay so this may sound a little bit of a dorky post, but when you think about it horse racing and the internet go hand and hand. You see more and more horses getting websites. For an example, Rockport Harbor (Now Fox Hill Farm), Afleet Alex, Xcellent, Funny Cide, Curlin, Dollar Bill and Smarty Jones had websites when they where running (All, but FHF and Funny's sites are down now). Also Facebook groups are around as well, one such belongs to Arrr, a solid race horse in NY.

Now becoming popular is Twitter, which was in the news recentently with the CNN vs Ashton Kutcher challenge. Since I started on Twitter, West Point Thoroughbreds started Twitter pages for Justwhistledixie (proable 2nd choice in the Oaks) and Fitz Just Right (also heading to the Oaks), both are really cute as they are tweeting from their point of view. And it's just not them, Imperial Council, I Want Revenge also have Twitter pages.

Finally, there are forums. Among my favorites are Fox Hill Farm (http://rockportharbor.com/forum), and Call to Post (http://thecalltopost.com/). Tonight, I'm proud to announce that Thoroughbred Chat will now have a forum! (http://tbtalk.proboards.com/). The big reason why it's called Thoroughbred Talk and not Chat, as there is a forum already called Thoroughbred Chat. Anway, if there are other forums everyone likes let me know!

A rabbit for Dunkirk?, Lime Rickey to the Wood and Twitter

Possible Florida Derby favorite Dunkirk could have a rabbit for the FL Derby. Rabbit is just a name for a pacesetter and not an actual rabbit. Europe (Unbridled's Song x Zing) is the possible rabbit, he is the full brother to graded stakes winner Half Ours. Link

Also Lime Rickey will make his dirt debut in the Wood Memorial. His owners are Dogwood Stables who owned Limehouse a few years ago. Link

Finally, I'm now a Tweeter! Still really getting used to it, so there maybe times where I might just post something on Twitter and not on here. Look out for a Facebook group sometime withen the next week or two as well. Link

The Stallion Spotlight might not be ready for tomarrow, so stay tuned for it. I might just skip it this week, because of the huge weekend of Derby preps and the Dubai races.