EIGHTBELLESLEGACY.NET

I love Rachel Alexandra, Zenyatta, Eight Belles (her death such a tragedy, along with Ruffian), but the greatest all-around horse of the decade? My vote is for either Smarty Jones or Barbaro, both of whom got fans (and more!) excited over horse racing again after a slide in the sport.

...they've all had such a tremendous influence on the racing industry but also made a special place in history throughout the decade, and into our hearts as we watched. I wonder who leaves that Christmas tree by Ruffian each year, I will ask around also. sweet.

The Eclipse Awards presentation is also set for Monday January 18 at the Beverly Hills Hotel, 8:00pm. Should be an interesting evening highlighting a very interesting year//

Ciara, without letting too much out of the bag because I cannot or setting off on a bash campaign which will only diminish our integrity 2 go to that level I will tell you we are among the movers & the shakers. The list is endless concerning shortcomings. Please let me claify in the interest of full disclosure while remaining professionally confidential concerning internal meetings we should be clear to all that our work extends far beyond the blog. So lets talk, glad you asked.

Common knowledge

NTRA takes the attack and react position, they are sensitive to exposure or anyone confronting why these things have not been accomplished to date. Any reasonable caring person can see through the smokescreens. It's rediculous, they've spent more time battling individuals & groups like EBL behind the screen rather than teaming up nationally uniting the fronts on all levels & correcting the many serious isses of concern. We had optomistically hoped for the badly needed first change to occurr, beginning at the top. I cannot mask the problems, honesty and transparency is where it starts, the mother of integrity.... See More

EBL approached NTRA with carefully structured plans, revisions, & unbiased eyes- yes you are right its still a deadend they are a #1 deadend in this business, sorry to say still politically connected after alll these years which is why they react so harshly to horsemen horsewomen & groups such as us who want to team on a positive level 2 bring intelligient clean lined solutions in with a take no prisoners attitude. They are supposed 2 b 'national leaders' & should not act as if threatened when approached, have to be told or worse retaliate.

They are pushing hard now trying 2 put a new image out as if they've been working on it foreverrrrrr which obviously all know has not been the case, rather sweep us all under a rug & take all credit internally.Job security.Very highly competitive group on a negative level something we are not accustomed to dealing with nor interested in dealing with & truthfully a bit surprised giving all the benefit of the doubt until shown differently,not a good recipe for change..businessmen & so called industry leaders that display unprofessional tactics of which we'll kindly leave out 2not embarrass them. We do have extensive business backgrounds so this behavior is a bit foreign to us.

So we have moved on & as I said cannot expose all of our plans here, eyes are on but will say we are in contact with others in highly respectable circles in the horse industry, in other words have gone above ther heads respectively, we are not so impressed with this group at the helm, 'eh not so much. It is clear why NTRA reputation and popularity stands as is to date.

Hopefully fruit will fall from these new trees soon, the seeds we are planting. We don't have a magic wand like we all wish we had 2 clean up the mess but are taking steps 2 make some change really happen & > Rock the boat. Have you noticed NTRA is now using words such as 'ADOPT" 2 replace the worn out "recommendations'. Recommend what? How many times have they repeated 'we recommend'? all they do is recommend,at EBL we insist on adopting new rules, regulation, set penalties AND enforcing them....and have 'ADOPTED' our verbage to' nationally and internationally lead as example' on a larger scale > ADOPT REGULATIONS across the board. We've praised other countries for no drug policy & questioned the usage of primitive whips or as they call them, crops, & that is now rightfully being adddressed STS. We have been working nonstop behind the scenes for quite some time now & initially introduced ourselves, our ideas of reformed policy, our intentions to each & every segment of the industry most of whom are listed in our Links page on the site & then some, all affiliated under NTRA

Enough lip service is delivered from the higher ups, any positive action on their part is welcome at this point even if they do not team with others or give credit where due-
Job security.

They also speak of change 2 b attempted within 1 year now instead of the 10 they always griped it will take. Not, as we proposed, all that does is continue to make their jobs easy,all lunches as usual & no real work put in to unify the industry state to state which = riding out their retirement.

We also have inquired WHY NTRA has no anti slaughter policy in place to date- states are reacting now, New York recently signed on through heavy exposure of such. They may not hold national power but if it is put it out there to lead on positive levels the response is tenfold willingly from many within the industry, most have good intentions & are waiting for someone to take the lead beside the horse.

If you've noticed AWaldrop has screened behind BloodHorse most recently, individually Alex's blog was getting bombed with harsh criticism & his commenting on other blogs causing wars which is why they switched over teaming behind BH. Fights were ensueing. So you see much is going on.

Sorry to say EBL saw no light with them, the new approach starts at the top & clean out an old disfunctional office, renew it with selected experienced horsemen from all groups of discipline (ex: think Larry Jones), representation of all racetrack professions who participate daily along with fanbase & public input (our promotion of a newly formed commisssioner's office with experienced divisionss included) 2 cents in.

We also questioned why this is an office loaded with attorneys ?? What the *&^^ is a bunch of lawyers doing based in a horse industry national leading office rather than the horsemen & women who are the legs of this industry with years of priceless combined experience running the helm implementing necessary regulation 2 emulate other sports leagues who propser safley, professionally and financially. They are fully aware of where we have set the bar so 2 speak. I would think 2 lawyers on call would b more than enough concerning any legal issues that need 2 b addressed & this has been verified by our legal connections. We feel at this point the office needs a cleaning out & fresh start to thrive properly.They want to hold their seats in place of what's best to revise and save the horse industry.

Why has there been no health/catastrophic injury insurance offered?

It's a stalemate- until the masses cause it 2 change or federal intervention occurrs it will not change enough. Its like a drug addict assigned 2 regulating the medicine cabinet inventory.

NTRA, under spotlight now, have been forced to emulate taking charge, fed up with the lack of a structured Sport of Kings, prompting the goodwill attempts.We'll take anything we can get on the smallest level at this point 2 help the animals,jockeys,the sport, but rest assured (although flattered by their attention) we are not satisfied & will not stop there. EBL works with a far less budget & team employed than the main office representing the horse industry yet through aligning ourselves properly, hopefully we intend 2 evoke & adopt more guidelines.
A force to reckon with! We don't complain and walk away-we offer streamlined solutions. I hope this website displays the dedication & time devoted although most is left unsaid concerning our pursuits

THANKS for your input,
if we had more people on board with us like you we could move walls.
You can help! by spreading the word further about EBL and the reasons why we exist, Significant Change Is Made With Numbers. Eight Belles Legacy is full time with a minimul staff sustaining the site, the faster we grow the faster it will enable us to expand our services, and one step at a time help 2 solve some of the problems.

we certainly do wish you the best of luck with all your hard work and time put into your endeavor supporting change in your state > with all the states to follow suit soon & work this out

Cheers!
back to work...

back to work...

Thank you! I totally agree! We need to shake things up! Being a Gov. employee as of late I am finding my hands tied at all different turns but I keep pushing on! I may be a small voice and activist but this is where horsemen/women fall apart! they forget how big/many we are! If we all speak we will be heard! I think in the past year huge ... See Moreaccomplishments have been made, compared to the last...10? or more! It's the small hobbiests/ownerseveryone that seem to be content to simply complain and watch as our industry falls by the waste side! This is where they need to learn how much they count and to be moved into forward positive action not just complaints. Thank you for all you have done and will continue to do! I know wee will move this sport forward! I will spread the word to everyone! Best of luck! ciara

ditto Joani

Did yu see who won the Japan Cup. Vodka, another great female.

sure did.. Japan's reigning HOY ran a heart pounding edge ofyour seat win by a nose race to victory. Girls rule this year!

Every wise decision is another step toward a better racing industry.

Absolutely. Any positive change is welcomed & certainly is a hoof in the right direction.