RIP Maple Leaf Mel

[Autumn Blackmill]

Such a beautiful filly, just strides away from being 6 for 6. I can't believe it. Condolences to her connections, I know there was a lot of hope riding with this filly.

[Emkay Stables]

This one was particularly tough. RIP Mel. And can't imagine what a heartbreaking loss it was for her new trainer/namesake.

[Lily Wilkins]

Watching that absolutely gutted me. My thoughts are with Melanie Giddings and all of Maple Leaf Mel's other connections.

[Cleo Patra]

I think the horse gods must have been looking elsewhere yesterday. There was a heart attack at the meeting I rode at, and a heart attack and a broken shoulder at the major meeting in Sydney. I feel for all the owners. It’s never easy carrying the empty bridle back to the barn.

[Anthony Zappulla]

Never seen nothing like that, being right at the line where everyone can see. Sad

[Kelly Haggerty]

Horrible. And they lost at least one more yesterday in a turf stakes, and vanned off another. We had a winner a DMR yesterday, and I was so relieved that she came home fine I didn't even care about the win until I knew she cooled off sound.

[Lucas Davenport]

I owned my first standardbred over 50 years ago. I have had TB partnerships at the 10% level for the last twenty years. I found this last race for Maple Leaf Mel so heart-rending that after much careful consideration I am no longer involved in "the Game." I resigned all my interests today. I do not think I can even watch TB racing anymore.

[Anthony Zappulla]

Bill Parcels owned this horse

[Autumn Blackmill]

Trainer Brendan Walsh was kind enough to give her the winners' flower blanket, and many made donations for flowers

[Anthony Zappulla]

Nice find with that article

I love what Parcells says to trainer too

[The Steward]

I owned my first standardbred over 50 years ago. I have had TB partnerships at the 10% level for the last twenty years. I found this last race for Maple Leaf Mel so heart-rending that after much careful consideration I am no longer involved in "the Game." I resigned all my interests today. I do not think I can even watch TB racing anymore.

I am seeing this a lot this week, including in my own job. Everyone is just so DONE after that one. I have friends who were right on the finish line... I cannot imagine the sound, etc.

[Rochelle Bos]

I owned my first standardbred over 50 years ago. I have had TB partnerships at the 10% level for the last twenty years. I found this last race for Maple Leaf Mel so heart-rending that after much careful consideration I am no longer involved in "the Game." I resigned all my interests today. I do not think I can even watch TB racing anymore.

I am seeing this a lot this week, including in my own job. Everyone is just so DONE after that one. I have friends who were right on the finish line... I cannot imagine the sound, etc.

I didn’t even think about the sound

[Kelly Haggerty]

I owned my first standardbred over 50 years ago. I have had TB partnerships at the 10% level for the last twenty years. I found this last race for Maple Leaf Mel so heart-rending that after much careful consideration I am no longer involved in "the Game." I resigned all my interests today. I do not think I can even watch TB racing anymore.

I am seeing this a lot this week, including in my own job. Everyone is just so DONE after that one. I have friends who were right on the finish line... I cannot imagine the sound, etc.

I didn’t even think about the sound

Oh no. Only heard it once and NEVER want to again. It is getting harder and the horses seem lighter and less sound than when I first started. I've been obsessed with TB since I was a toddler and cannot imagine life without it, but things need to improve on this front. Right now I have 5 and just don't know how to feel going forward.

[Rochelle Bos]

I am seeing this a lot this week, including in my own job. Everyone is just so DONE after that one. I have friends who were right on the finish line... I cannot imagine the sound, etc.

I didn’t even think about the sound

Oh no. Only heard it once and NEVER want to again. It is getting harder and the horses seem lighter and less sound than when I first started. I've been obsessed with TB since I was a toddler and cannot imagine life without it, but things need to improve on this front. Right now I have 5 and just don't know how to feel going forward.

Things really do need to get better. My friend posted a conformation shot of the curlin - beholder colt and 🫣 $4 mil for a club foot (that an apparently currently has a quarter crack) and straighter than straight back legs. I’m sure they will run him too.

[Kelly Haggerty]

We used to get horses off of the Chicago or Ky circuit that were 5-8 years old, retrain them to be jumpers, and jump them over 4ft fences for another 10 years. That certainly isn't today's horse. I'd love to see some of the heavier EU horses mixed in, but the babies won't be early or quick and I don't know if the industry could get it together to write the races and put incentives in place.