The above from the site: Vegetarians are Evil.
Posted on 05/05/2008 5:15:29 AM PDT by fredhead
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is calling for sweeping reforms and an end to cruelty to race horses after the filly Eight Belles was euthanized at the Kentucky Derby on Saturday.
The horse was euthanized on the track after breaking both front ankles and finishing second in the race, according to the Associated Press.
The news service had reported yesterday that PETA was calling for the suspension of the horse’s jockey, Gabriel Saez.
The animal rights group faxed a letter Sunday to Kentucky’s racing authority claiming the horse was “doubtlessly injured before the finish” and asked that Saez be suspended while the death is investigated, the AP reported.
(Excerpt) Read more at hamptonroads.com ...
Just a damned shame it couldn't have been Ingrid Newkirk.
As much as I detest PETA, I hope they do investigate what happened. That was the saddest KD ever! It will be a long time before I watch another Kentucky Derby! Just can’t bear it!
Another blow-hard empty barrel organization heard from. Pffft...
Okay... I know when I've been righteously slam-dunked. My hat, sir. ;)
An investigation is in order.
I agree 110% with PETA that horses should not have to endure being used for racing sport. Jockeys should ride PETA members around the track while whipping them...
Why do you want an investigation? Do you know ANYTHING about horses?
Because???????
On pain of being flamed - I’ve been thinking about the comparison of Thoroughbred Racing and other animal blood sports. The plain and simple fact is that these ‘Breakdowns’ happen very, very frequently and it is indicative of pushing these animals to their physiological limits in pursuit of winning.
Don’t know what the solution is but the horse leg is just not equipped to handle the stress that such competition places on it. And it will only get to be a bigger problem as the breeding continues for the perfect racer who is bred for speed that contains this downside.
The only thing I can agree with PETA on about TB racing is the dirt track issue. Tracks that have installed synthetic turf in place of dirt have had far fewer horses put down due to broken legs than dirt tracks. For just one example, the track at Florence KY had an average of 24 horses per season put down due to broken legs or ankles while racing on dirt, and only 3 per season after Polyturf was installed. Synthetic turf is expensive, but so are thoroughbred horses.
Racing is not a bloodsport so your comparison is hogwash on it’s face. However I think you’re right on the money here, “pushing these animals to their physiological limits in pursuit of winning”. The question is why.
Hogwash?
There is a reason that only 3 filly's have won at the KD.
I'll see if I can find a link.
Look up the meaning of “bloodsport”.
The trainer insists that the horse finished second, collapsed after the finish line, and at that point broke both ankles.
The author is clearly promoting the PETA view that it happened the other way around - ankles then finish.
So much for "news" reporters.
Why do owners, trainers, jockeys and horses try to win races?? Ummh, that is a tough one, isn't it?
Any thoughts on why the horse broke down ~1/4 mile past the finish line?
I do not agree with PETA, either, and I’m sure the breakdown had nothing to do with the jockey. I think things DO need to change in thoroughbred racing. These horse are not bred for soundness, they are bred for speed and they are raced before their bones are mature. It’s a damn tragedy to see such a beautiful creature dead on the track. I was appalled that ‘the show went on’ while one of the entrants was still lying on the track.
“Many people had more compassion for a race horse than they did for my sister.” - Bobby Schindler 2006 after Barbaro was euthanized.
This may be the straw...It was a sad site — even for those of us that like horse racing. Reforms are needed.
I don’t know about horse racing, I just highly dislike the PETA hippocrites. They are a disgrace to my home city of Norfolk where they have their headquarters.
How about this reply to the original article?
“How about declaring PETA the terrorist organization that they are. They contribute to the group of thugs sworn to stop everything: they’re on the FBI and other terrorist lists. Why shouldn’t PETA be there?”
I know enough about horses to have picked 8 Belles to come in second in the Kentucky Derby, but I pick at least one horse to WPS every year. It’s mostly dumb luck I suppose.
Not sure an ‘investigation’ is needed, just an answer as to why it happened. I have never seen an animal go down like that. Have you read anything as to what actually happened?
I am being honest that I just could not bear to watch the clips or listen to the reports. So sad.......
One short video of an Oily Duck floundering on a beach somewhere can change the world. Sad, but true.
Because the “rat is a pig is a boy” people say jump and apparently people who know nothing about horses say “how high”.
PETA depends on that and this article repeats a PETA accusation against the jockey. Here’s a clue, there is nothing the jockey could have done to cause this. PETA is making accusations because the jockey did nothing wrong. They are asking for an investigation because they want to criminalize ordinary behavior viv s vis animals.
http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/racing-news/2008/May/04/Trainer-Jones-unsure-how-Eight-Belles-got-hurt.aspx
Jones said. “We’ve got a lot of great pictures they say of her, and she’s got her ears up and was not in any kind of distress galloping out around the turn. I don’t know what happened and when. Just all of the sudden, it just went.”
Lots of horses are trained and raced and don’t break down. Training and racing in and of itself can’t be the cause of these breakdowns. In the past horses were raced early dozens of times.
In other animals, broken bones can be dealt with, but not in horses to this extent.
I doubt that it was human interference, and I doubt if it could have been, nor will ever be avoided. The horse anatomy is delicate in many areas.
“I was appalled that ‘the show went on’ while one of the entrants was still lying on the track.”
Me too. I just turned off the TV and went for a walk. It was all too sad.
Why not?
Thanks for the link.
No, I haven’t heard anything different and I don’t want to see film of this horse going down. I’ve seen two horses die and that’s enough for me (1 illness, 1 accident, not thoroughbreds). I assume the trainer and jockey are correct, that the breakdown happened after the race finished. As you know, there is always film of these races so they have every incentive to tell the truth.
I think horse racing should review the situation they are in. I do think they can make changes to make these incidents more rare though to do that will take years.
“The horse anatomy is delicate in many areas.”
That’s the bottom line I suppose, but you would think that the jockey would have sensed a shift in the horse’s weight or something. There were alot of very young jockeys in the KD this year, but not sure about 8 Belles’ jockey.
You’re welcome. Not much info.
No reason why that post should be flamed. I’m not sure I agree entirely; however, you provide a point of view that’s worth considering.
Imagine many tears were shed when this news came in.
That is gonna be some pretty expensive glue...
“Maybe they should just ignore our’ fascination with females beating males and ban fillies.”
Excellent point. 8 Belles was a BIG Filly too(as Filly’s go). Makes you wonder if that had anything to do with it as well.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2010929/posts?page=27#27
Post numbers 25 & 28 had a bit more. I thought it interesting, if true. "Every horse in this year’s Kentucky Derby is a descendant of Native Dancer who raced in the early 50’s."
One of the color analysts mentioned (before the race) that Eight Belles was tall but not substantial. I think he compared her to Genuine Risk who was apparently a rugged filly.
That is totally illogical. It is like saying that if a person falls down and breaks a leg it can't be because the person tripped and fell, because people fall down all the time without breaking their legs. In strict logic it would be like saying if ALL A are NOT B then NO A can be B.
“Every horse in this year’s Kentucky Derby is a descendant of Native Dancer who raced in the early 50’s.”
The WSJ had a long story on that too. Thanks for the link.
It’s a well known fact that all jockeys hope to break the lags of their rides. That’s how they earn the big bucks. Do these PETA people have any common sense at all, or is it just typical radical leftist blather 24/7?
Well, the solution is obvious.
We've got to put restrictor plates on those horses' carburetors.
I see your point. Pushing a horse to it’s limit is not the issue but pushing it over it’s limit. The question should have been, not why but how they are pushing them over the limit. The why is why does training/racing breach that limit for some but not others.
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