Comments on: I don’t like the Kentucky Derby … but of course, I’ll watch http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/02/i-dont-like-the-kentucky-derby-but-of-course-ill-watch/ The Web blog of the Pet Connection, a pet-care feature syndicated internationally by Universal Press. Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:58:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Sarah K. Andrew http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/02/i-dont-like-the-kentucky-derby-but-of-course-ill-watch/#comment-260032 Sarah K. Andrew Mon, 05 May 2008 15:57:50 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2453#comment-260032 Thanks Gina :^) Thanks Gina :^)

]]> By: Lilly and Lucy's mom http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/02/i-dont-like-the-kentucky-derby-but-of-course-ill-watch/#comment-259462 Lilly and Lucy's mom Sun, 04 May 2008 22:33:31 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2453#comment-259462 After Barbaro I stopped watching horse racing. I followed his story every day and let myself hope that he would recover enough to be a happy stud. After Barbaro I stopped watching horse racing. I followed his story every day and let myself hope that he would recover enough to be a happy stud.

]]> By: Bart Johnson http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/02/i-dont-like-the-kentucky-derby-but-of-course-ill-watch/#comment-259302 Bart Johnson Sun, 04 May 2008 14:47:26 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2453#comment-259302 I'm a native Louisvillian and after I grew up and realized that these horses are facing death every time they race like this I absolutely cringe until it is over, just hoping against hope that they will all be OK. So yesterday, after breathing a premature sigh of relief, we learned that all was NOT OK. For our amusement and greed another life had been taken. When will this end? I have never attended the Derby, so I cannot say that I can boycott it with my dollars. But others can and hopefully will. Stay at home from now on. Let the greed machine earn its dollars some other way. I’m a native Louisvillian and after I grew up and realized that these horses are facing death every time they race like this I absolutely cringe until it is over, just hoping against hope that they will all be OK. So yesterday, after breathing a premature sigh of relief, we learned that all was NOT OK. For our amusement and greed another life had been taken. When will this end? I have never attended the Derby, so I cannot say that I can boycott it with my dollars. But others can and hopefully will. Stay at home from now on. Let the greed machine earn its dollars some other way.

]]> By: June http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/02/i-dont-like-the-kentucky-derby-but-of-course-ill-watch/#comment-259138 June Sun, 04 May 2008 06:20:56 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2453#comment-259138 As if I weren't sick enough...to see Big Brown's posse celebrating brought me to near vomiting. No apparent saddness for Eight Belles. Money, money, money! Just money making property IMO. As if I weren’t sick enough…to see Big Brown’s posse celebrating brought me to near vomiting. No apparent saddness for Eight Belles. Money, money, money! Just money making property IMO.

]]> By: Mary http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/02/i-dont-like-the-kentucky-derby-but-of-course-ill-watch/#comment-259089 Mary Sun, 04 May 2008 02:52:25 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2453#comment-259089 The entire TB industry is motivated only by greed and money, not by love of animals. Many of the horse farms would not exist if they were not tax shelters for other income. Eight Belles is only one example of the tragic price animals pay as a result. The only way to return honor to this industry is to take the profit out of it. The entire TB industry is motivated only by greed and money, not by love of animals. Many of the horse farms would not exist if they were not tax shelters for other income. Eight Belles is only one example of the tragic price animals pay as a result. The only way to return honor to this industry is to take the profit out of it.

]]> By: Jill http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/02/i-dont-like-the-kentucky-derby-but-of-course-ill-watch/#comment-259083 Jill Sun, 04 May 2008 02:35:54 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2453#comment-259083 Shame on you Larry Jones (trainer) and Rick Porter (owner) of Eight Belles! You are sick MURDERERS!!! I also blame the 150,000 spectators for her death, too. For if we are to stop this inhumane business, people need to stop attending these greed gatherings! Shame on you Larry Jones (trainer) and Rick Porter (owner) of Eight Belles! You are sick MURDERERS!!! I also blame the 150,000 spectators for her death, too. For if we are to stop this inhumane business, people need to stop attending these greed gatherings!

]]> By: Deb http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/02/i-dont-like-the-kentucky-derby-but-of-course-ill-watch/#comment-259065 Deb Sun, 04 May 2008 01:31:50 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2453#comment-259065 FuglyHorse is awesome. And she has a Blog in place to deal with dog poop, but I haven't had the nerve to post anything. I don't know when growth plates set on TBs. I suspect they aren't set by age 3. I suspect a mile race for a 3 year old is not a sound practice. i suspect when the trainer says to the jockey " Make her give her all, do what you need to do" and when she's slowing in pain because her legs are hurting, but her gameness is keeping her going, and you as the rider aren't listening to her cues, that something is very, very wrong with the Industry that fosters and embraces this behavior, leading to the unnecessary death of a fine TB. I hope her jockey, trainer and owners go to bed tonight, and for many, many, many nights knowing they wantonly killed this filly. FuglyHorse is awesome. And she has a Blog in place to deal with dog poop, but I haven’t had the nerve to post anything.
I don’t know when growth plates set on TBs. I suspect they aren’t set by age 3. I suspect a mile race for a 3 year old is not a sound practice. i suspect when the trainer says to the jockey ” Make her give her all, do what you need to do” and when she’s slowing in pain because her legs are hurting, but her gameness is keeping her going, and you as the rider aren’t listening to her cues, that something is very, very wrong with the Industry that fosters and embraces this behavior, leading to the unnecessary death of a fine TB. I hope her jockey, trainer and owners go to bed tonight, and for many, many, many nights knowing they wantonly killed this filly.

]]> By: slt http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/02/i-dont-like-the-kentucky-derby-but-of-course-ill-watch/#comment-259038 slt Sun, 04 May 2008 00:27:16 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2453#comment-259038 The problem seems to me (an outsider) that it's not just risking injury and an end to the racing careers of the horses - it's risking the animals' lives. To what end? The problem seems to me (an outsider) that it’s not just risking injury and an end to the racing careers of the horses - it’s risking the animals’ lives. To what end?

]]> By: Eucritta http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/02/i-dont-like-the-kentucky-derby-but-of-course-ill-watch/#comment-259037 Eucritta Sun, 04 May 2008 00:24:48 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2453#comment-259037 After today, I don't think I can bear to watch another horse race. I didn't for a long time after the 1990 Breeder's Cup, and it seems like, since I began again, every race it's been a 50-50 chance a horse will be badly injured. And every time, I remember Go for Wand, trying to run on bone. So many ghosts on the tracks. Now another, and such a beautiful filly. I can't take this any more, it's too damned painful. After today, I don’t think I can bear to watch another horse race. I didn’t for a long time after the 1990 Breeder’s Cup, and it seems like, since I began again, every race it’s been a 50-50 chance a horse will be badly injured. And every time, I remember Go for Wand, trying to run on bone.

So many ghosts on the tracks. Now another, and such a beautiful filly. I can’t take this any more, it’s too damned painful.

]]> By: Gina Spadafori http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/02/i-dont-like-the-kentucky-derby-but-of-course-ill-watch/#comment-259029 Gina Spadafori Sun, 04 May 2008 00:01:55 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2453#comment-259029 Maybe now Churchill Downs and other tracks will decide saving lives is worth more than tradition. <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5473413" rel="nofollow">Synthetic racing surfaces</a> seem to help reduce fatal injuries. (Although it certainly does not end them, and I was told by a trainer at Del Mar last year that synthetic tracks seem to shift the kind of injuries, with soft-tissue injuries gaining.) Are synthetic surfaces a step in the right direction? Is it time for dirt tracks to go? Should we ban the racing and hard training of 2-year-olds to give these youngsters time to mature? Move the Triple Crown races and all their lead-ins to 4-year-olds? <a href=http://fuglyhorseoftheday.blogspot.com/2008/05/another-one-bites-dust.html rel="nofollow">Here's what the Fugly Horse blog has to say</a> on today's tragedy. I hadn't ever seen this blog before it was mentioned here in the comments. Great stuff. Maybe now Churchill Downs and other tracks will decide saving lives is worth more than tradition.

Synthetic racing surfaces seem to help reduce fatal injuries. (Although it certainly does not end them, and I was told by a trainer at Del Mar last year that synthetic tracks seem to shift the kind of injuries, with soft-tissue injuries gaining.)

Are synthetic surfaces a step in the right direction? Is it time for dirt tracks to go? Should we ban the racing and hard training of 2-year-olds to give these youngsters time to mature? Move the Triple Crown races and all their lead-ins to 4-year-olds?

Here’s what the Fugly Horse blog has to say on today’s tragedy. I hadn’t ever seen this blog before it was mentioned here in the comments. Great stuff.

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