Freethought & Rationalism Archive

emphryio · 03-25-2002, 03:56 PM

Heard on the radio about stud fees. A recent champion has sired over 700 hundred horses so far.

So the question: Am I mistaken or haven't the speed records in horse racing not been improved upon since the time of Secretariat? Meanwhile human athletic achievement records have improved steadily?

And yet humans don't use eugenics.

tronvillain · 03-25-2002, 04:35 PM

Breeders are probably pushing the limits of the horse genome - we have been breeding horses for a long time.

emphryio · 03-25-2002, 05:12 PM

I was thinking of more fantastic theories but what you say makes sense.

echidna · 03-25-2002, 11:42 PM

Also, professionalism in sport is only relatively new. Training techniques, high-tech equipment and sports psychology methods have been far more active enhancers in human athletics than in horse racing. There�s more money in the athletics these days.

With the inevitability of cloning and GM, I can�t help wondering if professional sports are increasingly going to lose credibility (not that this need affect their appeal whatsoever). Imagine a bb team with 4 Michael Jordans �

MadMordigan · 03-26-2002, 12:11 AM

Am I mistaken or haven't the speed records in horse racing not been improved upon since the time of Secretariat?

You are mistaken. His 1 1/4 mile record still stands at <a href="http://www.churchilldowns.com/bet_the_races/todays_race_card/track_records.html" target="_blank">Chruchill Downs</a> but mosts tracks revise at least 1 record a year.

Something to keep in mind, at least in the thoroughbred racing industry, is that Artificial Insemination is not allowed. This limits the number of progeny to 1 per year per mare and approx 60-100 per year per stud.

03-25-2002, 03:56 PM	#1
emphryio Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: WV Posts: 4,369	Horse eugenics Heard on the radio about stud fees. A recent champion has sired over 700 hundred horses so far. So the question: Am I mistaken or haven't the speed records in horse racing not been improved upon since the time of Secretariat? Meanwhile human athletic achievement records have improved steadily? And yet humans don't use eugenics.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

03-25-2002, 04:35 PM	#2
tronvillain Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 5,658	Breeders are probably pushing the limits of the horse genome - we have been breeding horses for a long time.

03-25-2002, 05:12 PM	#3
emphryio Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: WV Posts: 4,369	I was thinking of more fantastic theories but what you say makes sense.

03-25-2002, 11:42 PM	#4
echidna Veteran Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 2,832	Also, professionalism in sport is only relatively new. Training techniques, high-tech equipment and sports psychology methods have been far more active enhancers in human athletics than in horse racing. There�s more money in the athletics these days. With the inevitability of cloning and GM, I can�t help wondering if professional sports are increasingly going to lose credibility (not that this need affect their appeal whatsoever). Imagine a bb team with 4 Michael Jordans �

03-26-2002, 12:11 AM	#5
MadMordigan Beloved Deceased Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Vancouver BC Canada Posts: 2,704	Am I mistaken or haven't the speed records in horse racing not been improved upon since the time of Secretariat? You are mistaken. His 1 1/4 mile record still stands at <a href="http://www.churchilldowns.com/bet_the_races/todays_race_card/track_records.html" target="_blank">Chruchill Downs</a> but mosts tracks revise at least 1 record a year. Something to keep in mind, at least in the thoroughbred racing industry, is that Artificial Insemination is not allowed. This limits the number of progeny to 1 per year per mare and approx 60-100 per year per stud.

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.