The sport of thoroughbred racing is quite different than most mainstream sports. Like most professional sports, there is the triumph side with victories that earn acolytes of being the best the sport has to offer. Last weekend, Big Brown proved he was the best in a twenty horse field of three year old horses with his overwhelming victory in the Kentucky Derby. He should have been the main topic of our sport the last week with his ability to overcome the twenty post, out run his speedy opponents and erase any questions of foot problems with his magnificent win. But, the main topic on everyone’s mind was the tragic part of thoroughbred racing, the breakdown of a horse. This is the tragic side of thoroughbred racing and it exists where it doesn’t in other mainstream sporting events.
Anytime a thoroughbred animal falls victim to an injury, it is very tragic to our sport. But, when it is seen on a national screen; like the Kentucky Derby, it takes on a world of it’s own and puts everything else involved with the sport on the back seat. The gallant second place finish of Eight Belles in this year’s Kentucky Derby only lasted but a few short minutes. What happen next has once again put the sport in the spotlight and not in a favorable view.
Her breakdown and being euthanized on the track has been the main topic coming out of last weekend’s Kentucky Derby. What has been forgotten was the brilliant victory of Big Brown overcoming all the odds to win. The questions arose on Saturday evening whether three-year-old fillies should race against their male counterparts. Soon after that, questions came out if she was injured during the race and if there was anyway her catastrophe injury could have been prevented. With the injury in clear view of the public on national television, once again the sport of thoroughbred racing was the main topic, but in a negative way. The last week, all the so called special interest group have come out with their “take” on just what happened to Eight Belles and how it could have been prevented. But, like most times when such an event like this happens in thoroughbred racing, the mainstream public just doesn’t get it.
I’ve followed this sport for well over twenty years; I know plenty of people involved with it and respect their opinion. The incident with Eight Belles was just an unfortunate accident and that’s all it was. It didn’t matter whether she was racing versus male competition, she proved with her second place finish that she belong with this group. Her jockey; Gabriel Saez had nothing to do with her getting hurt nor did her trainer; Larry Jones. The racing surface at Churchill Downs (which is dirt) had nothing to do with the injury like some are saying and use of the whip did not have anything to do with her demise. It was a tragic accident, one that could have happened at any racetrack, whether it was prestigious like the Kentucky Derby or the 9th race at Aqueduct. But because it happen this day in full view of the nation, we have the “backlash” that the sport is cruel to the thoroughbred animal. It’s not fair and not right, the people involve with thoroughbred racing have the up most respect for the animal and for those who think different are uninformed. The outsiders, who don’t know a thing about thoroughbred racing and formed the opinion that it’s a cruel sport, don’t know what they are talking about. To make an unfortunate accident and paint a broad brush on the sport from this incident is unfair. Not one person I know involved with thoroughbred racing would want this to happen to any horse. But, this sport unlike others has a tragic side and accidents do happen. To jump to conclusions and blame those who are connected with the sport is wrong. Thoroughbred racing will survive this incident and those who love it will make sure.
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