I've enjoyed watching the Kentucky Derby ever since I was a little kid. The first Derby I remember watching was in 1973 when Secretariat won by about fifty lengths.I really had hoped to take a tour of Churchill Downs early in the spring when I was in Louisville. Unfortunately i didn't have time. I particularly wanted to see the new statue of Barbaro the horse that was euthanized after an unsuccessful attempt at fixing a broken leg suffered at the Preakness.
Yesterday the boyz and I settled in to watch this year's Derby and I was saddened by yet another devastating injury. Eight Belles, the only filly in the race, broke both of her front ankles at the finish line and was immediately euthanized on the track. I think my sympathy for the horses has only increased after adopting two boys who suffered leg injuries themselves. What a sad day.
4 comments:
Oh gosh, it was so terrible. We usually await the race with much anticipation. It was so exciting to watch Big Brown have such a decisive win and the filly Eight Belles come in second. Then, my heart just broke when I saw what happened to her. She was so beautiful. We cried.
I am really, really saddened by this - poor, poor Eight Belles!
It was actually the Belmont Stakes and it was 28 lengths. Turcotte got questioned for using the whip, but he said he saw a shadow and thought it was another horse.
Very sad about Eight Belles. Then I see an article today that PETA is calling for a suspension of the jockey pending and investigation, and I wonder when PETA will be put down for preying on people's sympathies.
I was very sad when I heard what happened to Eight Belles. I wish we could find a way for people to enjoy horse racing without it putting such a strain on the horses.
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