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Past Time BearsI am totally devastated . . . just finished watching the Kentucky Derby. Big Brown won quite handily as was expected, but such a disaster occurred. Eight Belles - the only filly in the race - came in second, but collapsed right after she crossed the finish line. She broke both front ankles and was euthanized right there on the track.
It was sooooo sad seeing her lying there. Even though I've never owned a horse (always wanted one), I consider them to be one of the most, if not the most, beautiful of all animals. Such majesty. What a terrible day for her owners/trainer/jockey. 
I'm still crying!
I don't know if I'll ever watch a race, again. I hesitated watching because I heard that the track might be wet and so many of these horses are trained on synthetic surfaces. Wet or natural tracks are hard on these horses legs. Eight Belles gave all she had, she couldn't do any less, and it killed her. I guess we'll hear more, but something is wrong here. Running a horse to death is WROng.
Karen
Posts: 3,540My heart really goes out to her jockey, trainer and owners.
The odd thing is, the thoroughbreds seem to be 'breaking down' a bit more than even when I was a kid in the 70s. And the really odd bit? I've read the reports of when the Derby was first created, the Triple Crown distances were further than they are now, and back then the horses had to be ridden to many of the tracks, or transported by rail to do these races. I'm wondering why on earth the modern racehorses aren't as sturdy as their forebears??
One things for certain....that little filly is now running free and winning at the Rainbow Bridge.
q.D.paToOtieSOh my gosh...Sue Ann that just made me cry. I'm so glad I forgot about the Derby and didn't watch today. What a horrible thing to have happen to such a beautiful animal...
Waggle BearsI didn't see the race, but this breaks my heart. Wasn't it just last year that we all prayed for Barbaro's recovery. I agree with Deb; it seems to happen more often or we hear it more often. And I agree with Sue Ann, I've never had a horse, but you can't help but admire the majesty of the beast.
Dolls N DreamsYes it is terrible, I don't watch races, to me it is just another form of animal abuse.
Posts: 1,836My hub grew up down the street from Philly race track and went all the time as a kid. Barbaro was a terrible thing locally and I just can't agree with pushing these amazing animals like this. They want to please and it winds up killing them, it's no better than dog racing or worse in my mind. I just can't watch it. I'm sure we can find another sport to wear ridiculous hats to! 
:hug:
~Chrissi
Past Time BearsOh, I know that horse racing tends toward the side of abuse and I usually don't watch. Hubs had the Derby on as I was passing through the room. I was just awed by those magnificent animals - so beautiful as they paraded to the gates - so I sat down and watched. Wish I hadn't. Horse and dog racing were created for the entertainment of humans and I hate that they are used in that way . . . rodeos are at fault, too. The animals don't have any say in the matter if they are chosen for such "service". I'm not one for watching human sports that have the potential for awful injuries or death, either; but then the humans can choose whether they participate or not. Jumping off my soap box now. Hope Eight Belles enjoyed her romp over the Rainbow Bridge -no more whips applied to her hide to get her to move faster. 
Waggle BearsI have to agree with you, Tami, Sue Ann and Chrissi. A night or two ago one of the national news stations had a brief story on the Derby and thoroughbreds and it seems as though the horses are owned by large corporations and used for making them more money. Winning horses can retire to stud at 3 years old. The fee is $150,000 per mating and can have 100 or more matings per year.
PottersHouse BearsNow you're hitting on a sore spot of mine. The racing industry is just that - an industry. Their main concern is MONEY. Most of us probably don't know the half of what goes on. What I do know makes me sick. These horses are bred to run and make money. This breed has been bred to be a very sleek animal. Therefore, they have fragile legs. They are breeding these horses to do the work of a husky animal on a thin frame and it can be, and too many times is, a disaster. And let's don't even get started on the throw away foals.
Doodlebears 
Jane.
Chaska, MinnesotaSue Ann: I too watched the Kentucky Derby and sat in shock when they said Eight Bells went down. And than to see the horrible scene of her on the ground... I was sick. I was flipping through the chanels and came upon them loading the horses in the starting gate. I decided on a whim to watch the race. I wish I didn't. I was rooting for Eight Bells because they said phillies don't usually win. I'm a sucker for the underdog. All of this It brought back visions of the ill-fated Barbaro...
So I wondered how many people still turned in their winning ticket to cash in on her win? I would have ripped it up and gone home. I could not accept blood money after that beautiful animal was put down....
I missed this on the TV, and am so glad I did........haven't heard it on the news yet either (don't watch TV much). So heartbreaking, and my opinion, totally inexusable abuse of these beautiful animals. Racing is cruel.......and this event is proof of that. Part of the reason the horses are so fragile, is that they are run so hard at too early an age. Their legs haven't finished growing and the joints are still loose.....these leaves them completely vulnerable to leg injuries. Many have their legs ruined by the time they are retired.......at 3 years old they are technically still adolescents and just coming into adulthood. If one looks at other equine sports, horses are not used like this with a rider on their back until they are fully grown.......it's not safe for them. Even stockier breeds like quarter horses aren't normally asked for so much, so early in life (not sure about quarter horse racing though...it may be much the same)........as someone has already said, it's all about money. These race horses are all insured for huge amounts of money as well, so the owners often are well compensated if they are injured or have to be put down. It just breaks my heart ....................
Posts: 222it makes me cry and feel sick just think im in washington just 50 or so miles from where it happened in seattle i live in the south sound in shelton well hartstene island emerald downs is up by seattle and it makes me feel so sad to even hear about the poor horses to have to even endure such races and then it clicked what some of you mentioned earlier about horses being more frail i remembered from a rfdtv show on horses that some people dont realizs is that they are inbreeding horses and can cause actual bone density damage like cousin horses on farm a had a bunch of foals and colts and are sold to farms bc and d then 2o years pass the descendant's of those horse ate with each other and over time the genes are being in other words being mashed and leads to genetic damage and a lot of people are not really relizing it and need to find the full history of a horses line before mating them with other horses just got to be more kinder and treat them much better.
LuxembearsI follow the sentiments here 100%. The whole industry makes me sick. And steroids? I never knew that they were legal to use in horse racing. It is being said that they have bred and bred and bred far too much and now genetic defects showing up. Something needs to change.
Deb, I too hope that this precious horse is prancing happily at the Rainbow Gate.
