Tragedy at the Kentucky Derby 2008

[Lexiesmom]

For those of you that watched today's race you already know what happened.  I have cried all day over this horrible tragedy.  Eight Belles collapsed on the track after placing 2nd in today's race. She broke both ankles & was immediately euthanized. That sweet horse ran her heart out !  For what ? For our pleasure ?  I am KY born & raised .  I feel ashamed that something like this happened in my home state.  I will never ever ever ever as long as I live take part in any horse racing events.  How cruel is this ? How fragile life is...this horse for just a moment was on top of her game.  What a crying shame. This beautiful creature did not deserve such a fate.  QUIT BEING SO DAMN SELFISH PEOPLE & LEAVE THE ANIMALS ALONE !!!!!

 RIP EIGHT BELLES 05/03/08

VegasMel~

[dreadlockmama]

May. 4, 2008 at 3:28 AM That was terribly sad. I've lived in KY for the past 5 years and I have never watched the derby or any other races for that matter. I think it's a very cruel sport. I'm sure if I was raised here in horse country I might have a different outlook but as an outsider I just don't think the entertainment value justifies the bad outcomes you see in so many races.

[TigerLilly25]

May. 4, 2008 at 11:13 AM OMG!!! I didnt hear about this. How awful! That makes me sick!

[Sharpcat]

May. 4, 2008 at 5:49 PM

very sad. i'm a huge racing fanatic, and have owned quite a few horses (not racehorses) myself over the years. their spirit and determination to run keeps them going when they're legs can't.  i'm on the fence about the curelty issues of the sport. on one hand, the horse truly enjoy what they do. on the other hand, there is far too much inbreeding in the industry and it is making the horse weaker. we get faster horses, but with a lot of the sport backed by greed and the promise of big money in the breeding shed is weakening the thououghbred, horses are retired early, and sometimes unsound, and bred to others that have soundness issues and it snowballs from there.

what happened specifically to Eight Belles is somewhat rare. i have never seen, or heard of for that matter, a horse breaking BOTH fronts in the same stride. if it's going to happen, usually one breaks and then the other a few strides later beacuse it can't sustain the weight. horses have a design flaw, in that their big bodies are supported by tiny, fragile legs.  i am deeply saddened by what happened to Eight Belles. may she rest in peace......

[deadheadjen]

May. 5, 2008 at 10:54 AM I agree. I think it's barabaric to use animals for our entertainment, whether it be for racing, fighting, the circus, anything. It breaks my heart that a beautiful specimen like that was destroyed because a human pushed it beyond it's limits. Tragic.

[CourtneyAnne]

May. 5, 2008 at 12:28 PM Horseracing is should classify as cruelty to animals.  It is only because it is a sport backed by big money that gives it an aire of credibility.

[sophie_sue24]

May. 5, 2008 at 12:51 PM This is really sad,  and i hate that it happened.   I am not a racing fan,  and i love horses.    While I was watching ESPN this morning,  they were talking about how rare this specific injury was.   They also said that out of every 1000 races 1.6 horses have to be euthanized.   So the occurance of this type thing is not often.  I really think that it was less greedy to euthanize her,  they could have tried to nurse her back to health for breeding,  which is what they do with alot of horses that have been injured and are deemed not healthy for racing..   I am glad she is no longer in pain....

[bugsandpirates]

May. 5, 2008 at 1:25 PM

I didn't see it, but heard about it in the news.   I always have felt terrible for racehorses being forced to train to win some "dumb" race, that people bet lots of money on.  I do think its cruel and unusual behavior, just as I do greyhound racing. 

Horses scare me, but I love to look at them.  I love their big glass eyes.  I also hate to gamble.  I think using one's hard earned money to make more money, is courting for disaster!

I am sorry about Eight Belles.

[Feridust]

May. 5, 2008 at 5:08 PM

I have such mixed feelings about thoroughbred racing. One the one hand it's a money making sport that is often heartless, but on the other hand there are many people involved in the sport who truly love horses. The way I see it, the big problem is that these poor horses at raced at far too young of an age, are trained too hard and raced too often. Another problem is that thoroughbred race horses are being bred more and more for speed and not for soundness. In other words they often have more muscular builds but lighter frames, which can spell disaster.

It was heartbreaking to see what happened to Eight Belles, but sadly this is nothing new in the sport although it is very rare for a horse to injure both legs at the same time.