If you watched the Kentucky Derby this weekend, or have turned on a TV or radio since, you probably already know this story. Eight Belles, the lone filly in the race, crossed the finish line second before suffering what appeared to be some freak accident that broke both her ankles. She was euthanized immediately.
This is a bit of a big deal. The Derby is horse racing's Super Bowl, arguably the only race that's actually relevant to a majority of the American population. Usually, the discussion afterwards deals solely with the winning horse and some feel-good story associated with it, whether it's the winning jockey pausing to thank his family for sticking by him as he moved them around the country chasing this business (as happened this year, before the Eight Belles news broke) or a group of blue-collar owners who are the antithesis of the Millionaire's Row culture of Churchill Downs (see Funny Cide, 2003).
Having the second-place horse put down in the middle of the track kinda ruins those parties.
Eight Belles has been the story this year and various people have been crawling out of the woodwork to condemn horse racing and call for changes within the sport. That's fine. Here's PETA's take, though.
Just after crossing the finish line in the Kentucky Derby on May 3, 2008, a young filly named Eight Belles collapsed when both of her front ankles snapped. She was euthanized in the dirt where she lay, the latest victim of the dirty business of thoroughbred racing.
Eight Belles' death is yet another reminder that these horses are raced when they are so young that their bones have not properly formed, and they are often raced on surfaces that are too hard for their bones—like the hard track at Churchill Downs. Eight Belles' jockey whipped her mercilessly as she came down the final stretch. This is no great surprise, since trainers, owners, and jockeys are all driven by the desire to make money, leaving the horses to suffer terribly.
PETA is calling on the racing industry to suspend the jockey and trainer, to bar the owner from racing at the track, and, at the very least, to stop using young horses who are so susceptible to these types of horrific injuries. We're also demanding that the industry stop racing horses on hard tracks and switch to softer, synthetic surfaces, which would spare horses' bones and joints, in addition to calling for a permanent ban on the use of whips. Help PETA call for an end to cruelty masquerading as sport by using the form below to take action today.
Although Eight Belles' death, like Barbaro's before hers, made headlines, countless lesser-known horses suffer similar fates—their broken legs and battered bodies are simply hidden from public view. Most racehorses end up broken down or cast off or are sent to Europe for slaughter.
Alright. There's a lot there, so sorry if it just made your head explode a bit. There's a lot I like in there, but it's wrapped up in the typical PETA craziness that makes me want to pull out my hair sometimes because, as a vegetarian, many people assume PETA gives me my marching orders. Not quite.
Here's what PETA should have written.
May 3, 2008 saw the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby, one of the longest-running sporting events in this country. After the race, the story was not about Big Brown, the winning horse, but Eight Belles, a filly who broke both legs after the race and was euthanized on the track.
The passing of Eight Belles brings to light one of the sad truths about horse racing: the races don't always end well for the horses. The events of this year's race occur less than two years after Derby winner Barbaro died from complications of injuries suffered during the course of racing.
We are not attacking the practice of horse racing. We understand that it is a beloved part of the history of much of this country, not just the south. We are not asking that the races be shut down, that jockies or owners be fined or suspended, or that we take away the infield parties, large hats and mint juleps. We do ask, though, that as this tradition moves forward, it do so in a way that puts a higher priority on the health of the animals who literally carry the sport.
We would like to see more research done into the ways the sport can be improved. Until that research has been completed, though, there are some measures that can be implemented now. First, all race tracks should be converted to the synthetic racing material that has seen increased usage in recent years. This new surface is easier on the horses than either dirt or turf, and does not have any effect on the quality of racing. Secondly, the use of whips during racing is cruel, and also perpetuates an image that is counteractive to the positive aspects of the sport. Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, we ask that horses not be raced until they are four years old. By this point, the horses would be considerably stronger than many of the horses currently being raced, and this should help prevent the type of injuries suffered by Eight Belles.
The passing of Eight Belles is not an isolated incident. Studies have shown that 2.3 fatalities occur during every 1,000 starts on dirt tracks. While that may initially seem like a small number, keep in mind that the Kentucky Derby itself saw 20 horses start the race, and more than ten races were held at Churchill Downs that day. Fatalities, sadly, appear to be a part of horse racing.
"These things are our family," Eight Belles trainer Larry Jones said after the race. "We put everything into them that we have. They've given us everything they have. They put their life on the damn line, and she was glad to do it."
If that's truly the case, the least we can do is ensure that we're doing our best to keep the horses willing to put their lives on the line alive.
Or something like that.
