Bananas – We eat ’em, luv ’em and throw away the peel

My great harness racing friend, Mike Murphy, of Top Line Collins fame 40 years ago (p,4,2:03.1f—$23,046) and, more recently, Just For Trix, (4,1:49.4—$269,182) conversed recently and, of course, the subject of Feel Lika Winner came up.

That’s the horse that Mike’s (non-blood) grandson, Jacob (J.W.) Fox, plucked off a kill pen truck a while back, sent him to grandpa, who nursed him back to health, and won another $25 G’s in a couple of months before Mike kept a promise to the horse to live a life of luxury at The Kentucky Horse Park.

Mike said, “They do all they can for you during their racing career and should NOT be tossed away like a banana peel.”

That profound statement got me thinking…

The breeding of bananas has become quite complicated with new varieties created by using modern techniques, especially over the past few decades.

Of course, when we buy them and enjoy them, it’s as simple as peeling them and enjoying their wonderful taste after throwing away that peel.

That peel has protected it throughout its growth on its plant after several months and being picked off just at the right time, just before its perfect ripeness reaches your shopping bag for your waiting taste buds.

Ummm…Ummm…good!

While ancestral bananas are known as diploids—having two sets of chromosomes (one from the “father” and one from the “mother”)—the main groups of bananas grown today are clones of plants, mostly triploids, meaning three sets of chromosomes.

While this is way over my head in terms of knowledge and understanding, the triploid variety has advantages with one giving the plant vigor and the other making it easier to grow and, of course, sterility, enabling the banana to be enjoyed by the world’s billions.

Again, this is way over my brain absorption capability.

So, what’s this got to do with our sport?

To me, it’s throwing away the peel part!

An equine rescue farm had taken a trotting bred horse—not a gelding—that had a two-year-old mark under 1:54 years ago with lifetime earnings over $150,000.

The horse was in emaciated condition with the rescue farm taking the horse into its program for much needed care, which it is receiving.

The rescue farm contacted the breeding farm of this trotter to inquire about any type of “full circle” program it had for its many equine sons and daughters it has produced over the years.

Well, a copy of a letter was received from the breeder, and it suggests an advocacy for slaughtering animals—standardbred horses—just like throwing the peel away after enjoying the “fruits” of that horses’ labor on behalf of the breeder, owner(s) and trainer(s) over the years.

Quoting now from the letter, “If slaughter was legalized in the USA (,) the horses would be treated much better prior to slaughter or (h)umanely (e)uthanized to end any suffering much sooner than bouncing them around from donation/rescue center to donation/rescue center.

“As with all other meat slaughter plants (,) there are USDA Reps and Vets at these sites to monitor the animal’s care. If plants opened up in the USA (,) they would not have to be shipped so far and suffer on trailers.’

(Isn’t that like making sure someone on death row gets some aspirin after catching a cold before being executed?)

Going further, the breeder said…

“I personally think that people that save these animals and are against slaughter are going down the wrong paths. They should be advocating for the legalization of horse slaughter in the USA (,) not prolonging the suffering by bouncing them around…”

Is this what we do as an industry?

Do we “throw the peel away” after a trotter and pacer gives its heart and soul from start to finish—year after year?

Could/should breeders take any responsibility or try and preserve the lives of their prodigy, whether that begins after an injury as a two-year-old or a 14-year-old or 15-year-old (amateur events) that has been to the starting gate 200 times…or more?

To me, the breed of the horse doesn’t matter…standardbred, thoroughbred, appaloosa, quarter horse…doesn’t matter.

This one breeder is spitting in the face of the Standardbred Retirement Foundation, After The Finish Line, American Horse Rescue Network, Equine Advocates Rescue, Peaceful Ridge Rescue, Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center, Safe Harbor Sanctuary, Redemption Ranch, Volunteer Equine Advocates, Steel Magnolia Sanctuary, Cassidy’s Cause, Tomorrow’s Rainbow, Rockin T Equine Sanctuary, New Vocations, Bit-By-Bit, Equine Assisted Therapies…and so many others that are for aftercare and life for these horses…not death by slaughter.

For those who aren’t even in their 40’s or even 50’s yet, here’s a stark reminder of the injustice of horse slaughter…

A winner of $3,777,978…and The Kentucky Derby..,the Breeders’ Cup Classic…the Hollywood Gold Cup…the U.S. Horse of the Year…exported to Japan…

Slaughtered in Japan for pet food and, probably steaks!

That’s the story of Ferdinand, winner of the 1986 Kentucky Derby!

There was a bill introduced in the House of Representatives years ago but it didn’t become law and there is no Federal ban on private slaughtering of horses for human consumption but there are some States that have made the practice illegal—California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York and Texas, among them.

Ask Mike Murphy and Jacob Fox about that aforementioned pacer Feel Lika Winner, that was plucked off that kill truck, put back into training with a guarantee of a grand retirement home.

He’s at The Kentucky Horse Park now…along with four other Murphy retirees, enjoying a life of leisure and luxury—unless they are giving some children an unforgettable experience with the rides of their lives at a farm in Sadieville.

Some of these retired horses are used in therapeutics, helping children of ALL ages—two to 92.

“I have five retired horses at The Kentucky Horse Park,” Mike lamented. “They worked very hard for me over the years, and I vowed to take care of them in retirement!

“You know, when J.W. took Feel Lika Winner off that kill truck,—(paying $5,000 to save its life)—we put him back into training and, yes, he won around $25,000 for us in a couple of months!

“He’s living the life of a millionaire now!”

He deserves it!

So do all of our equine retirees.

They sure don’t deserve to be thrown away…like a banana peel!

May The Horse Be With You

by John Berry, for Harnesslink