The hard part

There are times that I wonder why I love horse racing. Is it because of the thrill of the sport? Or is it because I love horses? Honestly right now, the only person who can answer this is me. Last night was one of those nights where I have to really think why do I love the sport. At Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, California, Jorge Herrera was killed after being thrown from his mount and suffered a fatal head injury. This has been at least the 4th jockey death on the track since 2008 (this list from the Courier Journal has jockey fatalities from 1940 to 2009).

Apparently the Pleasanton track announcer Frank Mirahmadi (who also works for TVG and Oaklawn Park) was doing his legendary impressions during the running of the race where Herrera was killed. This led to the DRF's Jay Hovdey (who not only was a writer on the ill fated show Luck, but is married to Hall of Fame jockey Julie Krone), to tweet about it was unprofessional of Mirahmadi for doing impressions during a racecall. The announcer shot back at Hovdey by saying that when the horses where behind trees when the incident happened (he also told Hovdey that he had spelled Herrera wrong, but I'm not going to get into that).

As a fan, it upsets me that sometimes as horrendous as a horse breakdown might be, that a jockey's well being might be brushed aside. I will admit I'm guilty of being more concerned about a horse then I am about a jockey's well being, that might no longer be the case anymore. I will prob. be worried about both of their well beings equally from now on. It's a risky sport, just like auto racing which banded together after the death of Dan Wheldon late last year.

I hope that there are more imporvements upcoming for not only jockey safety, but horse safety as well. My hope is that Jockey's Guild and the NTRA can work together so that it will happen. However, the NTRA has yet to release a statement, while John Velazquez the chairman of the JG (and who himself is recovering from injuries suffered at Churchill shortley after his Belmont win with Union Rags) has released his statement.

As for Hovdey and Mirahmadi, I completely understand their thoughts from both of their prospectives. Jay's wife is a former jockey and he was trying to say that while impressions can be funny, announcing them might not be a great time if something where to happen then what? As for Frank, an hour before he responded he did give his condolences to the Herrera family. From what I read on Twitter, it seems that most fans are on Frank's side on this deal.

Hopefully, the Herrera family can have some privacy during their griving time.