I love horse racing. I hate horse racing. I don't think I've ever won money on a dead race horse before and I'm not going to cash the ticket. Mostly because I knew that I probably shouldn't bet on a filly running against the boys, though I don't know if that had anything to do with Eight Belle's tragic end on the dirt during the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
A US Today article (which is well worth reading) about the questions that linger about the safety of horse racing, mentions that eight bells, in nautical terms, means the end of a watch. I am saddened that Eight Belles ended her watch like this and my heart goes out to her owner, trainers, grooms, and everyone who loved her.
One of the most heartbreaking things is to watch is a horse break down like that. I'm always reminded of Ruffian (whose picture is on my office wall), Go For Wand, Barbaro, George Washington, and the others whose names I'm sorry I don't remember or that I never heard.
As Jerry Izenberg said, "...she tried. It's what race horses do." That's true and that's part of what I love about race horsing - if you've ever seen mares and babies turned out in a field or a paddock full of yearlings, they do it as soon as they can.
They run, they try, and those with heart and talent make it to the race track. We hope that their people (and the industry and race tracks) do right by them and don't race them until they are ready, and do their best to run safe races and prevent injuries.
As much as I hate to look at it, I'm glad that Eight Belle's photo, in the last minutes of her life, made it to the cover of the New York Times. It's painful to watch, but it reminds us of the fragility of thoroughbreds despite their size and what can happen for sometimes no apparant reason at all, especially when the race was over and she had already finished a strong second. I hope it serves as a reminder that we need to do what we can so race horsing is as safe as possible Acknowledging the fact that three years perhaps aren't physically ready to race is worthing considering, as is the point made by someone who posted on the New York Times Rail blog: "I train and race horses in Europe where no medication is allowed and the fatal breakdown rate is half what it is here."
That said, congratulations to Big Brown - he's an awesome horse and it was a well earned victory in the run of the roses, and rest in peace, Eight Belles.
