I'm not going to make light of Eight Belles being euthanized in the moments right after The Kentucky Derby. It's nothing to cheer when a loved creature, whether human or animal, dies.
What I am going to make light of is the public outcry for changes in horse racing. For people, this was an eye-opening event to the dark possibilities of the sport. But it's not the first times it's happened, and it won't be the last. Where was the commotion when the horse in the fifth card at Podunk Downs in Mississippi had to be put down? Oh, yeah -- these people wailing about the cruelty of the sport were no where near a horse track before Saturday. Heck, they weren't even at the Churchill Downs, they were watching NBC.
It's become the cause of the moment. And that's sad, because people without any knowledge of horse racing are going to stick their meddling noses (read: PETA) in there and forever stain the sport. No one had a problem with it before Saturday. Why start now.
It's a tough sport. These horses are treated like kings (and in Eight Belles' case, queens), but they are put through the ringer on the track. It's not surprising injuries, even mortal ones, happen. Combine a large, fast-moving animal with its spindly legs and something is bound to break.
This happens just a few years after Barbaro pulls up lame in a Triple Crown race. Thankfully, Barbaro didn't need to be euthanized on the track, so his progress from injury and eventual demise sounded more like a hero's story. This story has no way of being worked to that angle.
Yes, Eight Belles being put down on the track, before the trainer could even make his way down, was hard to watch and even harder to digest. It shouldn't call for a complete rehaul of the sport, though.
What I am going to make light of is the public outcry for changes in horse racing. For people, this was an eye-opening event to the dark possibilities of the sport. But it's not the first times it's happened, and it won't be the last. Where was the commotion when the horse in the fifth card at Podunk Downs in Mississippi had to be put down? Oh, yeah -- these people wailing about the cruelty of the sport were no where near a horse track before Saturday. Heck, they weren't even at the Churchill Downs, they were watching NBC.
It's become the cause of the moment. And that's sad, because people without any knowledge of horse racing are going to stick their meddling noses (read: PETA) in there and forever stain the sport. No one had a problem with it before Saturday. Why start now.
It's a tough sport. These horses are treated like kings (and in Eight Belles' case, queens), but they are put through the ringer on the track. It's not surprising injuries, even mortal ones, happen. Combine a large, fast-moving animal with its spindly legs and something is bound to break.
This happens just a few years after Barbaro pulls up lame in a Triple Crown race. Thankfully, Barbaro didn't need to be euthanized on the track, so his progress from injury and eventual demise sounded more like a hero's story. This story has no way of being worked to that angle.
Yes, Eight Belles being put down on the track, before the trainer could even make his way down, was hard to watch and even harder to digest. It shouldn't call for a complete rehaul of the sport, though.
8 comments:
You are (apparently), much too young to remember "Ruffian", in 1975.
Boy, do I remember that. She was a filly, (too), but an Amazon of a horse, pretty much the mouthpiece of the women's movement. They had her up against a male horse in sort of a battle of the sexes showcase race, when an equally horrible event happened.
You are the 'expert', homeboy, look her up. It was terribly sad, and all there in graphic deail for us all to see...
I not only hate, but DESPISE horseracing for that. I put it right up there with cockfighting as cruel and senseless abuse of animals. I can still feel her pain...
You're right, homeboy ... apparently the Ruffian incident happened the year before I was born. So, no, I've never heard of it. There's goes my claim to be an expert!!
(Actually, I'm not even a fan of the sport. I watch two minutes of horse racing per year, The Kentucky Derby.)
Anyway, I don't understand the comparison between horse racing and cockfighting. In cockfighting, the goal is to fatal injure the opponent. I've never heard an opposing jockey or trainer talk about killing another horse, or take joy when it happens.
You might as well compare football to cockfighting. Oops, in football, they do try to injure opposing players. OK, maybe hockey ... nope. How about boxing ... nah.
Wow. Might as well ban football, hockey and boxing while we're on our crusade to save the horses.
Ruffian (April 17, 1972 - July 7, 1975) was an American champion thoroughbred racehorse, considered to be one of the greatest female racehorses of all time. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruffian_%28horse%29
It was surreal, because that day was otherwise a pleasant midsummer day.
The event came unexpectedly on mid afternoon TV, as an unscheduled special event. I tuned in because it seemed an extension of the Billie Jean King-Bobby Riggs, Tennis/ 'battle of the sexes' play off, (which I missed), but this time I thought I was gonna see something similar: a female horse beating a male horse; nothing in the world would ever be the same again, (Or so I thought).
To top it off, there were women groups in the stands in matching, "Ruffian", scanty tee shirts, etc., too, cheering their horse on.
Then, it all happened, almost as a an omen, a warning not to push that envelope so far, (is how I took it at the time). If ever I saw "writing on the wall", it was then.
The real pity is if Ruffian were able to live, she might have bore a line of even faster horses.
That is what they were thinking in the many hours when they tried to save her, -but by midnight she had just had it, (just too much pain), and they had to let her go. We all missed her, but I'll bet the owner felt even more like a sack of ....
I compare Horseracing to Cockfighting, because both pastimes have origins amongst gamblers and similar ne'erdo well elements in society.
At the time, I was a little surprised feminists would choose Horseracing to boost their cause, but in retrospect, I wouldn't put it below them, either.
Ruffian (April 17, 1972 - July 7, 1975) was an American champion thoroughbred racehorse, considered to be one of the greatest female racehorses of all time. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruffian_%28horse%29
It was surreal, because that day was otherwise a pleasant midsummer day.
The event came unexpectedly on mid afternoon TV, as an unscheduled special event. I tuned in because it seemed an extension of the Billie Jean King-Bobby Riggs, Tennis/ 'battle of the sexes' play off, (which I missed), but this time I thought I was gonna see something similar: a female horse beating a male horse; nothing in the world would ever be the same again, (Or so I thought).
To top it off, there were women groups in the stands in matching, "Ruffian", scanty tee shirts, etc., too, cheering their horse on.
Then, it all happened, almost as a an omen, a warning not to push that envelope so far, (is how I took it at the time). If ever I saw "writing on the wall", it was then.
The real pity is if Ruffian were able to live, she might have bore a line of even faster horses.
That is what they were thinking in the many hours when they tried to save her, -but by midnight she had just had it, (just too much pain), and they had to let her go. We all missed her, but I'll bet the owner felt even more like a sack of ....
I compare Horseracing to Cockfighting, because both pastimes have origins amongst gamblers and similar ne'erdo well elements in society.
At the time, I was a little surprised feminists would choose Horseracing to boost their cause, but in retrospect, I wouldn't put it below them, either.
Sounds to me like your problem lies more with "the women's movement" than it does with horse racing ... at least in this case.
Don't get me wrong, it's never a happy experience when a creature dies (especially before their time). I just find it hard to get my dander up when Eight Belles was a horse. Not to mention, a horse which was treated better than at least 90 percent of the world's population during her short life. Please, let me come back in my next life as a race horse. Could be a lot worse, even with a premature demise.
Here's the thing no one gets -- horse racing is a sport only relevant to people age 60 and older. It's a dying sport. And just like anything else, don't give it any attention and it will go away.
If PETA and those types really want to hurt horse racing, don't pay any attention to it, and convince others to do the same. All they're doing now is keeping The Derby relevant on a national level for longer than the day or two it usually stays.
I disagree wholeheartedly on this one Jeremy. Bottom line, its a money making industry. Just like everything else in the world. But at what point will it be to where we stop making money off of others' suffering? Is it fair? If it were a human, the world would be outraged. Why is it because they can't talk that they're without some set of standards to live by?
Sure-it's "just a horse". But do you think that horse enjoys getting whipped to go faster? Do you think the horse likes collapsing due to serious injury? If it were a baby, human... whatever, this would be unacceptable. What is the difference? What part of pain and suffering for an animal is any different from that a human feels?
It's slavery. Period. Read about speceism.
Look forward to seeing you in a few weeks sir!
Antny
I meant speciesism.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speciesism
Antny
Anthony, I knew it was only a matter of time before you hit on this.
And honestly, I can't respond. I've typed over and over again, but each time I can see your counterpoint laying waste to my points.
So, I got nothing.
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