[ComfortEagle]

Big Brown came from poll position 20 to win the Kentucky Derby. Big Brown is now unbeaten in his 4 career starts.

Eight Belles came in second, but collapsed shortly after the finish. The veterinarians determined that she had broken both ankles and immediately euthanized her right there on the track.

Denis of Cork finished in 3rd.

Tale of Ekati took 4th.

[BlackcatAlum]

The favorite to win, wins... surprise, surprise.

[15thRegionCrazy]

Big Brown is awesome! I can't believe Eight Belles broke down... that broke my heart... but she was a heck of a horse!

[sting]

Stong run by Big Brown. I couldn't believe that about 8 Bells.

[-STAT-]

Thats heartbreaking about Eight Belles being euthanized right there on the track. But congrats to Big Brown on the win.

[bluegrassballa]

I was surprised to know that Eight Bells came in 2nd. But it kills me to know what happened to her. But great job to Big Brown! Maybe he will win the Triple Crown.

[TidesHoss32]

Congrats to Big Brown, but I cannot help but to be overwhelmed by sadness concerning Eight Belles. Such a beautiful horse, but a sad and tragic ending to an otherwise exciting derby..

[StrikeoutKing]

Big Brown showed why he was the favorite when he came around the final turn and down the final stretch.

I've never really been an "animal lover," but I couldn't help but feel heartbroken when I saw/heard what happened to Eight Belles. She was a beautiful filly, and did all she could just to come in 2nd. It got me even more emotional when I saw the interview with her trainer, Larry Jones (if I'm not mistaken). He was getting choked up too. Hate to see anything like this happen!

[Braves_Fan_26]

This is truly a sad situation. I hate horse racing for this reason exactly. They push these horses to the limit and it breaks them down and its no wonder they break down so easily. I am an animal lover and this ****es me off. To me, horse racing is as bad as what the boys from pikeville did last year when they shot all those horses. I think it should be banned or something. What kills me even more is that the trainer said she wanted to do this, how the **** does a person know what a horse wants to do, and if she was so much a part of the family why race her like that, or any horse for that matter. Also, if they are so much a part of family life, why is it so easy for them to have to put one down. Again, it wouldnt have to happen if they wouldnt race them in the first place.

[RavenBoy]

I dont understand why they killed the horse. Dogs can live with no legs, why not horses?

[Braves_Fan_26]

We actually agree on something RavenBoy. I dont understand it either.

[15thRegionCrazy]

A horse couldn't hold it's weight on only it's back legs... a horse weighs a lot more than a dog and their legs aren't much bigger. Her bones also came through the skin and their was no way to fix both of her front legs and she still live a comfortable life.

[Braves_Fan_26]

Well thats exactly why people shouldnt race these horses like this. Stupid stuff like this happens and the horse gets the bad deal when they get hurt. The people that own them could care less because if the horse wins or places or whatever, they still make their money and can just buy another horse to race. The whole thing just makes me sick.

[PHS95]

This is truly a sad situation. I hate horse racing for this reason exactly. They push these horses to the limit and it breaks them down and its no wonder they break down so easily. I am an animal lover and this ****es me off. To me, horse racing is as bad as what the boys from pikeville did last year when they shot all those horses. I think it should be banned or something. What kills me even more is that the trainer said she wanted to do this, how the **** does a person know what a horse wants to do, and if she was so much a part of the family why race her like that, or any horse for that matter. Also, if they are so much a part of family life, why is it so easy for them to have to put one down. Again, it wouldnt have to happen if they wouldnt race them in the first place.

I understand your point, and, not to be petty, but those boys were from Elkhorn, not Pikeville!

Actually, the trainer and owner did not know that they were putting the horse down, but said, when he saw her with bones sticking through her legs, he agreed with the decision!

[15thRegionCrazy]

Well thats exactly why people shouldnt race these horses like this. Stupid stuff like this happens and the horse gets the bad deal when they get hurt. The people that own them could care less because if the horse wins or places or whatever, they still make their money and can just buy another horse to race. The whole thing just makes me sick.

The people who own the horses care very much about them. The horses are bred to race... getting to watch them race makes you love them even more. You get to see them try their hardest and they do enjoy their job. Nobody can predict anything like this happening... but it's horrible when it does happen. If you considered injuries a reason not to race then there shouldn't be any sports... there are people hurt in nascar, baseball, hockey, etc...

[Braves_Fan_26]

Thats true but at least the PEOPLE that are injured get to live afterward!

[15thRegionCrazy]

Thats true but at least the PEOPLE that are injured get to live afterward!

Not all... there are deaths in the other sports too. Dale Earnhardt was killed doing what he loved to do. Also, not all of the horses are put down... if the horse's injury can be fixed then they try their best to save them.

[ComfortEagle]

Thats true but at least the PEOPLE that are injured get to live afterward!

I don't think you understand that a leg injury to horse is basically like taking their life away.

Eight Belles broke both ankles and would not have been able to stand up at all, ever. One break was coming through the skin it was so bad. You can't just keep a horse sitting on it's butt for the rest of it's life, it wants to get up, but can't and will feel nothing but pain the rest of it's life. That's why they had to put her down.

For you to say that the owners and trainers don't care about the horses is crazy. Race horses are some of the best treated animals around. The quality of attention, training, and diet that they get is beyond what most animals will see in their entire lives.


Things like this happen...in all sports. A horse can blow a leg out just like an Olympic sprinter. Yes, the outcomes may be different, but that's because horses are different than people. Humans can recover much better and much differently than horses. As one man said, horses are million dollar bodies on 2 cent legs. Will people ever stop horse racing? Doubtful, the sport will evolve like all other sports over time and maybe one day we will figure out how to stop things like this from happening, but to say that the owners and trainers of horses who have to be put down, don't care about their animals is ridiculous.

[Braves_Fan_26]

You are all making my point for me. Its true that there are injuries like this in every sport and the difference is we are human and still live after the injury, and yes some do die but not from broken ankles or legs like these horses have to, according to horse experts that is. Yes Dale Sr. did die in that crash but he was also traveling at a much faster speed than the horse and the horse didnt hit a wall did it. There is a big difference in people getting hurt and horses getting hurt while racing, and its like I said before, we still get to live afterward. There havent been too many cases of a horse not getting put down after an injury like Eight Belles suffered or any other horse that broke just one leg or ankle or whatever. Simply put, I hate horse racing for the main reason that I believe it is cruelty to the horse and no one can tell me that the horse enjoys doing what it does, unless that person is a "Horse Whisperer" like Robert Redford was in the movie and can actually talk to horses and know what they are thinking. Give me a break, no pun intended.

[Amun-Ra]

You are all making my point for me. Its true that there are injuries like this in every sport and the difference is we are human and still live after the injury, and yes some do die but not from broken ankles or legs like these horses have to, according to horse experts that is. Yes Dale Sr. did die in that crash but he was also traveling at a much faster speed than the horse and the horse didnt hit a wall did it. There is a big difference in people getting hurt and horses getting hurt while racing, and its like I said before, we still get to live afterward. There havent been too many cases of a horse not getting put down after an injury like Eight Belles suffered or any other horse that broke just one leg or ankle or whatever. Simply put, I hate horse racing for the main reason that I believe it is cruelty to the horse and no one can tell me that the horse enjoys doing what it does, unless that person is a "Horse Whisperer" like Robert Redford was in the movie and can actually talk to horses and know what they are thinking. Give me a break, no pun intended.

Are you really serious when you say that a horse doesn't like to run? Have you ever seen horses in a wide open field? Crazy as this sounds, they actually run, together...:eek: I know it is hard to believe.
Horses get put down all the time and it is not just race horses. If a horse sustains and injury like this, it is almost always put down.

[15thRegionCrazy]

Horses do love running. When my horses are in their stalls watching the others jog they watch ever motion the other horse does. You can see it in their eyes that they want out there as well. Most are chomping at the bit when you get them out and get them ready to go. You can watch and tell they love racing... they always put all of their heart into it.

[Braves_Fan_26]

Im not saying they dont like to run in fields and all that, good god people, im not that dumb. The thing is they dont run their guts out like they do in the Derby and all the other horse races out there. My point is only this, why must a horse be put down when they break a leg, why cant they be treated as dog or cat or whatever, have it braced or bandaged or both and see if it cant recover. Thats all I am saying.

[Amun-Ra]

Because man a horses leg doesn't heal like that. Their health goes down dramaticaly when they break a leg. Putting them down is the humane thing to do. It saves them the pain and suffering that the broken legs causes.

[Braves_Fan_26]

Again, thats why they shouldnt be ran like that. I read a story in yesterdays Lexington Herald that a guy wrote and he pretty much agrees with me. He was saying that horse racing is a cruel sport and its untelling how many more of these injuries lead to the death of the horses. He also said that it was time that something was done about it. He also said something along the lines of all that mattered to the owners was making the money or something like that. I cant remember it all so I wont quote it, you can read it for yourself. At least there is someone else out there with some sense and believes that its a cruel sport.

[ComfortEagle]

Again, thats why they shouldnt be ran like that. I read a story in yesterdays Lexington Herald that a guy wrote and he pretty much agrees with me. He was saying that horse racing is a cruel sport and its untelling how many more of these injuries lead to the death of the horses. He also said that it was time that something was done about it. He also said something along the lines of all that mattered to the owners was making the money or something like that. I cant remember it all so I wont quote it, you can read it for yourself. At least there is someone else out there with some sense and believes that its a cruel sport.

You're speaking in circles and it's annoying just about everyone in this thread. You will say one thing and then change your opinion...only to change it back two posts later.

The guy you read in the paper was probably one of the PETA psychos who deserve no credibility at all.

Did you know that more horses die in the fields they live in than on the race tracks? Yes, more horses get injured and have to be put down on the very fields they live on. Why are you freaking out about horse RACING, well because it was a major televised event, but you don't understand that something like this doesn't happen as often as you think. But "natural" injuries to the legs happen more than these "racing" accidents...so now what? You gonna say that we should stop raising horses and let them run free? Maybe they don't like to live on farms and occasionally get their leg broken.

Ridiculous, horses are domesticated animals and have been for some time. If YOU would ask any horse owner I can guarantee you that they would say that the horses love doing what they do. And those horses are better cared for than most animals in this country. Do you own any animals? Those horses are treated better than any of our dogs that we have, from their diet right down to the exercise.


The reason we can't treat horses like we do dogs or cats is because FREAKIN' look at them dude!

A horse is huge, if the horse breaks both front legs, what the **** do you expect it to stand on? Nothing, it won't be able to stand up, but it will try to stand up and be in pain. Okay...so we keep it laying down for the rest of it's life...wow, that's a fair thing to do, keep the horse with two broken legs from standing up ever again...I'm sure it would love that.


Oh, and please read what I've said above, if you restate anymore ignorant questions then you will be blocked from this thread.

[ComfortEagle]

At least there is someone else out there with some sense and believes that its a cruel sport.

Anyone who believes it is cruel has to be ignorant about the sport.

[Amun-Ra]

Both posts above me are full of win!!!

:letsparty :Thumbs: :1: :closed:

[RavenBoy]

I wish they would have took that horse around back instead of on the track.

[bluegrassballa]

The people who own the horses care very much about them. The horses are bred to race... getting to watch them race makes you love them even more. You get to see them try their hardest and they do enjoy their job. Nobody can predict anything like this happening... but it's horrible when it does happen. If you considered injuries a reason not to race then you their shouldn't be any sports... there are people hurt in nascar, baseball, hockey, etc...

Very good post.

[ComfortEagle]

I wish they would have took that horse around back instead of on the track.

I think it was the difficulty of doing just that (taking the horse elsewhere) that made them do it on the track, with the crowd shielded by the second vet truck.

I would imagine that trying to a lift a horse in pain is not an easy task.