PETA wants Eight Belles jockey suspended after filly's death

Breitbart ^ | May 4, 2008 | AP

[RDTF]

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is seeking the suspension of Eight Belles' jockey after the filly had to be euthanized following her second-place finish in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday.

Gabriel Saez was riding Eight Belles when she broke both front ankles while galloping out a quarter of a mile past the wire. She was euthanized on the track.

PETA faxed a letter Sunday to Kentucky's racing authority claiming the filly was "doubtlessly injured before the finish" and asked that Saez be suspended while Eight Belles' death is investigated.

"What we really want to know, did he feel anything along the way?" PETA spokeswoman Kathy Guillermo said. "If he didn't then we can probably blame the fact that they're allowed to whip the horses mercilessly."

Eight Belles trainer Larry Jones said the filly was clearly happy when she crossed the finish line.

"I don't know how in the heck they can even come close to saying that," Jones told The Associated Press on Sunday. "She has her ears up, clearly galloping out."

Guillermo said if Saez is found at fault, the group wants the second- place prize of $400,000 won by Eight Belles to be revoked.

Saez, a 20-year-old Panama native, was riding in his first Kentucky Derby. He frequently rides for Jones.

-snip-

[txhurl]

Bump - agree.

[Ciexyz]

I among many TV watchers was upset by the trauma of the suffering and euthanasia of this fine horse.

[shetlan]

"...though generally unsound, she was an extremely fast filly who regularly defeated males..."

Belles seemed ready to run. Where was she "unsound?" There was no way to pull her back. She wanted to finish. She wanted to win.

Putting her down right away was kind.

[oldenuff2no]

I'm ranch raised and after the military came home to the ranch. Have you ever noticed how PETA will attack empty buildings and burn them to the ground but they never mess with the ranches. We are well armed, have lots of dogs around and do not depend on the cops for our protection. Add that to the fact that we have access to a lot of land and own backhoes and you get a little incite into the courage of these morons.
They are cowards, each and every one of them. A bunch of these idiots, 8 or 10, challenged my dad one time on National Forrest land when we were gathering cattle. What happened directly after that was quite comical. They actually thought we were out there hunting and they jumped out of the brush and tried to scare his horse. My dad was a few miles from the nearest road and was bringing a bunch of cows out. When they jumped out the cows took off and he wasn't happy. He sicked his dogs on idiots and shook out a loop. A rope in his hands was as much weapon as tool. The ropes we use are stiff and hard nylon and they hurt like the devil it they just hit you but they burn like heck when the slide over bare skin. Then comes the part when you come to the end of the rope with a huge bone jarring jerk. A good ranch horse will already be backing into the rope by that time putting 1200 lbs of mussel into going the other way. Remember the dogs? Well we use head dogs which means that they make their living getting ahead of wild cattle and stopping them. People weren't any problem at all for these dogs. They tried to run but all the got was bit and chewed on. I was done with what I had been doing and I was riding in to help him out when I heard a big wreck and about got run over by a bunch of cows running down the trail. I thought he was hurt so I spurred up and came up that trail as fast as my horse could run. I came over a little hill just in time to see him rope the first one and jerk him over backwards. I came up behind the rest of them with 4 more dogs and a loop already built. My dogs got into the battle and the skin was flying. One of the guys was running his mouth and threatening dad so I healed him and drug him around in big circles for a minute or two. He shut up pretty quickly. The dogs had them out numbered and surrounded and had them bunched up pretty good. My dad had gathered his rope by then and jumped his horse right in the middle of them and spun him a couple of 360's. Boy did those folks scatter!!! Those cowards learned a few things about cowboys, cow horses and stock dogs that day. We had several visits from the sheriffs dept but we just kept telling that we didn't know anything about it. Nothing ever happened to either one of us but we never saw any hunting protesters after that. This happened more than 30 years ago but the memory still gives me a chuckle. It's one of the best memories of my dad that I have.

[cva66snipe]

I think you're on target. The horse if I understand right was in the cool down run when this happened. The cool down is required because even a country boy will tell ya you don't run a horse hard then just stop. The after finish run is to get their heart slowed back down at a steady pace rather than sudden stop. The horse may have had weak ankles or even a heart attack as first thought and fell.

You push any animal, human, or machine to their extremes and the odds say a certain percentage will fail. That's just life. Obviously a Second Place finish horse is worth far more alive than dead so I'd rule out insurance right off the bat. The death was a monetary loss of future earnings.

Just a bad day for the horse, owner, jockey, handlers, and trainer. It could have happened just as easy riding a common horse in an open field at full gallop. Such things as groundhog holes etc have taken many a horse down. Thankfully the Jockey or no one else was hurt.

BTW didn't Street Sense Jockey {last years winner} have a horse fall on him the year before?

[shetlan]

"...It's one of the best memories of my dad that I have."

This is an important (and funny) story. Thanks very much to you--and Dad.

[I still care]

I think the reporter was refering to Regret, not Eight Belles.

[DoughtyOne]

Peta is as disgusting an organization as there is.

They’ve taken what should be a reasonable area of concern, and have made it so people automatically dismiss what would otherwise be normal areas for concern, just because their name is associated with the complaint.

These leftist fringe/terrorist groups are getting out of hand.

[Hoosiersailor]

I heard that the breed line that the horse came from had several horses with weak ankles. I don’t know if that is true but just what I’ve heard.

[screaming eagle2]

The PETA people are upset because their horse didn’t come in first.

[cajungirl]

What in hell is a “purebread baby”? That really perplexes me. Are there non purebread babies like mutts?

My daughter has purebread Labrador retrievers and gets a lot of grief for not taking a rescue dog with “issues”. Now why in hell would anyone take in a dog with “issues”. And what are the “issues” other than the mutt bites or something.

That said, there does need to be clarity, if possible, about what happened. I would hate to think an ill tempered jockey did something that endangered a horse.

[Dustoff45]

we have access to a lot of land and own backhoes

Probably the sheriff did just enough to document the compliant in the case file, but probably let the Deputies allow the out-of-towners to spin their wheels, yak their jaws, spend their money until they were literally wore out.

You have given us another reason not to have to hang a license plate off of the back side of a working horse. The kids certainly bore the scars of their encounter, they just could not cite enough for the sheriff to have to move to the line-up stage to identify.

A wise old sheriff knew he had to nip it in the bud. Don't encourage these kids. They have been shown their lesson, it was time to learn it.

after the military came home to the ranch

A few of the best chopper pilots I flew with in 'Nam were off of the ranch. One from Wyoming, another one a Bull rider. They used their choppers like quarter horses, moving in strong at the right time, and getting back out safe, mission accomplished.

[fortheDeclaration]

Peta slimeballs would like to see every racehorse euthanized, along with all pets and domesticated animals.

A sad statement, but close to the truth!

PETA is making rightful compassion for animals into a political issue, and hurting legimate Humane organizations by association.

[fortheDeclaration]

to attend the court proceedings of a man who axed his dog to death in his front yard, in front of passerby’s and children.

What kind of maniac does something like that!

[fortheDeclaration]

It sounds like these owners are too concerned about their own egos then the welfare of the horse.

The idea of the phony 'triple crown' is also what drives these guys, which cost the life of another great horse last year.

[RDTF]

what forum did you post at before July of 07? Did they kick you out? Have some respect here newbie.

[CAluvdubya]

I don’t like PETA either but I agree with suspending the jockey and investigating the poor horse’s death.

I agree with you. PETA stinks but something else stinks in this whole tragedy, too!

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

It sounds like these owners are too concerned about their own egos then the welfare of the horse.
The idea of the phony 'triple crown' is also what drives these guys, which cost the life of another great horse last year.

Thoroughbred horses exist only to race and to be used in the far more dangerous jumping competitions. They were brought into existence to perform these functions and would rapidly become extinct without them. I live in horse-breeding country and know what happens to thoroughbreds which don't perform -- not very pretty.

What is phony about the Triple Crown? I can assure you that these races exist, and winning them brings large amounts of money to a great many people. That is why it is ridiculous to think that a professional jockey would deliberately injure a horse which had just finished in the money in the Kentucky Derby. That horse was worth a lot more than the jockey and any jockey that caused an injury to such a horse would never be employed again.

[Hot Tabasco]

Do you think people would bet money on jockeys racing around on PETA people?

I would but only if the jockeys were allowed to use the whip.

But come on, in all honesty, how many people do you know would be willing to mount a peta person?

[ottbmare]

You asked what An American Mother’s qualifications were for submitting her opinion, and I told you. I told you what mine were, too. We do know what we’re talking about in this matter. Nothing disrespectful about that.