After watching yet another gorgeous young horse break down and have to be euthanized at the Kentucky Derby, no less I find myself disgusted with the lack of genuine concern among racing folk for these noble animals. Yes, the trainer's voice quivered and his eyes glistened with tears as he was interviewed after the tragedy, but her death was preventable and he should take a good hard look at himself and his business before sending another horse out onto the track.
Eight Belles was a three-year-old grey filly, the first to run the Derby in nine years. She was out of Away, sired by Unbridled's Song. She was a strong girl, but she had to support that muscular body with legs of glass. Greed and questionable thoroughbred breeding practices in this country have resulted in a rash of unsound animals, trained and raced hard before their joints are fully fused, then retired before they're mature to a life of pain and crippling arthritis, if not auctioned off to the slaughter house. Eight Belles, herself, had run nine races before the Derby. Add steroids and rampant use of painkillers to the mess, and you have a corrupt, cold-hearted industry that is bent on making money without regard for the well being of the horse.
A theory is already being punted around: that running on hard dirt tracks is what causes injuries and breakdowns. As a result, a number of tracks are looking into the rather large expense of replacing dirt with synthetic materials. But this is a straw man argument, distracting from the real problem of modern breeding practices.
I recall reading about one track veterinarian who speculated that the filly's injuries began when she switched leads (the leg that leads when the horse gallops) on the final stretch. The stress put on her right front leg as she switched from leading left to leading right probably caused tendons to give way and, as she awkwardly tried to carry most of her weight on her left, the stress on *that* leg caused it to give as well. I'm not a physics major, and so I can only imagine the tremendous amount of pressure slamming down on what are essentially middle fingers. She suffered fractures of the metacarpal (the long bone just above the ankle) and sesamoid (ankle) bones in both front legs.
Horse racing will go on, of course. We have the exciting possibility of a Triple Crown winner in Big Brown to think about, after all. It will take a HUGE public outcry and, no doubt, much legislation before the Good Ol' Boys of horse racing change their evil ways. But the industry is losing money every year, with no relief in sight.
Horses love to run -- it's instinctive for a prey animal -- and people love to watch them run. The grace and beauty of these magnificent athletes is unparalleled in the sporting world. It may well be the only way we will turn this Titanic around is to undertake the enormous task and effort to make the racing industry over into an enjoyable sport that is beneficial to both man AND beast.
