May 5
So on my way back from Houston Sunday (jealous?), reading the NY Times (of course), the first headline that caught my eye was “Triumph, and Then Tears, at the Derby.” No, I didn’t watch the Kentucky Derby Saturday. I was at a (two hour? three hour? no alcohol in sight) dance recital where all these little girls danced to Hannah Montana, despite the fact that she’s such a total slut.
Eight Belles, the only filly (girl) in the race, ran her heart out, came in second behind Big Brown, broke both of her front ankles, collapsed, and was “euthanized” (the polite way to say “killed”). Some people have compared the Derby to the presidential race and, this is wrong in so many ways (a dead filly? A Big Brown winner?) that I won’t even attempt to read into it (too late).
In fact, my own editor cranked out a quick post called “Neigh, She Can’t” and my colleague suggested the headline, “Hey, Eileen, who do y’all like for the Preakness?” Y’all? Come on.
Of course, they were referring to Mark Halperin’s “Department of Irony” bit (BIT! HA!) concerning Hillary’s pick of Eight Belles to win the race. Get it? Hillary compared herself to the horse, being the only woman in the race, and then she had to be put down! I bet Mark was “champing at the bit” (OMG! LOL!) to post that gem! I hope we’re not beating a dead horse here! Hilarious!
Here’s the thing. I felt sick to my stomach when I read about that horse. I really did. And I felt even worse after reading the accompanying NYT editorial:
Why do we keep giving thoroughbred horse racing a pass? Is it the tradition? The millions upon millions invested in the betting? Why isn’t there more pressure to put the sport of kings under the umbrella of animal cruelty?
The sport is at least as inhumane as greyhound racing and only a couple of steps removed from animal fighting. Within the racing industry, Eight Belles was a tragic but glorious casualty. The industry is in denial: racing grinds up horses, and we dress up the sport with large hats, mint juleps and string bands.
Why do we refuse to put the brutal game of racing in the realm of mistreatment of animals? At what point do we at least raise the question about the efficacy of thousand-pound horses racing at full throttle on spindly legs?
Eight Belles was another victim of a brutal sport that is carried, literally, on the backs of horses. Horsemen like to talk about their thoroughbreds and how they were born to run and live to run. The reality is that they are made to run, forced to run for profits they never see.
Honestly, it’s not that I care so much about the semi-tasteless jokes about Hillary. I mean, I can see why pundits are yukking it up over a horse being slaughtered after breaking her legs, while rich people sip their bourbon and the women shield their eyes with their stupid hats.
Poor Eight Belles. I’m not sure why I’m getting all emo-crazy over this horse. Or maybe I’m not sure why it’s never bothered me before.
In other equestrian news, CNN reported Sunday that Elizabeth Taylor of “National Velvet” endorsed Hillary. That’s sure to boost Hillary’s campaign since Taylor is such a respected politico. All eyes on Michael Jackson.
The trackback URL is here.
http://www.dallasnews.com/trailblazers
I’m with you, girl. I could have gone my whole life without hearing that story about Eight Belles, and it makes me cry whenever I think about it. I didn’t know how bad racing was on horses - that movie Seabiscuit didn’t really tell the whole story apparently - but I bet we can all guess why the nation looks the other way and has for so long.
/Mint juleps and stupid hats = lots of money.
In every scandal there’s a watershed moment that changes everything. Maybe this is it.
I heard that Eight Belles was euthanized by a sniper.
Horses love to run! That’s why their jockeys whip them to make them do it!
http://www.lettersfromtexas.com
Has anybody checked on the whereabouts of Tonya Harding’s ex when all this went down?
Faster horses, younger women, older whiskey, and more money.
(Tom T. Hall) (I like most of his songs and both of his melodies)
Doesn’t Hillary have cankles?
Was that really an appropriate analogy?
“…only a couple of steps removed from animal fighting…”
Seriously? Come on, they’re not even in the same league.
I’m not saying horse racing isn’t a tough sport for the horses, but I don’t think wha*t Michael Vick was doing compares. Yes, horses are shot up with steroids, beaten with whips and, on occasion, have to be put down because their bodies couldn’t withstand the years of abuse, but… oh, wait… Yeah, horse racing is * kind of fucked up.
PS-
About the only nice thing you can say about people who race thoroughbreds is that they supported legislation last year to stop horse slaughter for human consumption when the rest of the breeding/racing industry didn’t.
/Well, that and the mint juleps.
Well, the race is on and here comes Pride up the backstretch
Heartaches are going to the in- side
My Tears are holding back
They’re tryin’ not to fall
My Heart’s out of the running
True Love’s scratched for another’s sake
The race is on and it looks like Heartaches
And the winner loses all.
Re: 9. NOITALL
People always act as though its shocking that Keith Richards is still alive. Never mind that - what’s really incredible is that George Jones is still alive. That guy was living on borrowed time fifty years ago, literally.
Sorry, this thread is now about George Jones.
I got the horse right here
The name is Paul Revere
And here’s a guy that says that the weather’s clear
Can do, can do, this guy says the horse can do
If he says the horse can do, can do, can do.
/sleep deprived
Re: 10. Anonymous
Back when he lived in Woodville, the House (Hightower and Stiles) would hold a giant George Jones Day celebration.
It was always my favorite day of the session.
Re: 5. treehugger
very good!!
songwrier….right. singular.
Well, apparently some people want to ban horse slaughter here in the Etats Unis. So if we can’t eat them, hell, let’s at least be able to race them.
Horse racing iis vey excting.. i lovr brimg ouy by the rail.
you can justify the lieing cruelty of these asshole politicians and the daily death of people from their inaction, but this s supposed to be some terrible thing.
Gee, let’s ban 5k runs, fat asses die of heart attacks.
give me a break.
Re: 14. potted meat
If you’re going to wait until politicians stop lying before starting on any of the other ills of the world you may want to pull up a chair, it could be a long wait.
Besides I’m pretty sure most of the fat-asses volunteer for the 5ks, the spectacle of obese people being whipped into running is not something for which we have stooped low enough yet.
Actually horse racing is less violent than in the 50’s and 60’s (my frame of reference). There were some pretty horrible “means” of making horses run faster. The small dirt tracks out in West Texas were bad on a number of levels, similar to the dog fighting establishments and cock fighting rings we abhor now.
I’ll go along with some improved regulation of the sport, but please don’t go banning another of my loves. There are thousands more horses living in deplorable conditions as “pets” than there are abused race horses.
“Why do we keep giving thoroughbred horse racing a pass? Is it the tradition? The millions upon millions invested in the betting?”
You know what they say, “‘Nothing ventured, nothing . . . ventured.”
Not to be the insensitive asshole here, but we’re talking about fucking HORSES. As if these horses live enchanted lives without racing. They literally are born to race…as if they would not be bred or born were it not for racing.
Big surprise, humans subject other animals to pain and death for their own enjoyment (had a hamburger lately?). Why does everyone get so weepy eyed when a horse gets put down?
http://www.inthepinktexas.com
Re: 19. Dukakis_in_a_Tank
If anyone is talking about fucking horses on this blog, they’re on the wrong site.
http://www.dallasnews.com/trailblazers
Re: 19. Dukakis_in_a_Tank
When a horse gets put down due to an injury after a long healthy life of comfort and care and attention and, yes, running and being ridden, that’s one thing.
When a filly - that is, a HORSE UNDER THE AGE OF FOUR YEARS OLD - gets put down because she’s been injured due to a short life of abuse with her only purpose being that she can make money for others - you think that horse knows WTF the roses mean? ….
Well, yeah. I think that kind of sucks.
Re: 21. Credentials
Thoroughbreds, like Eight Belles, are the result of breeders trying to create another Secretariat. If there were no horse racing, Eight Belles would not have even been born.
Moreover, the vast majority of racehorses go on to live long lives in the pasture, eating the best food and getting la*d constantly. Not a bad deal, as I assume you would agree.
Meanwhile, work horses may spend their entire lives working hard in truly miserable conditions on a ranch somewhere. I’m sure the vast majority of ranchers take wonderful care of their horses, just as I’m sure that some abuse the hell out of them.
It’s a sad deal when one of these horses dies, but I don’t think it’s a slamdunk argument for eliminating an entire industry. After all, none of us here is a veterinarian. For all we know, she could have broken down anywhere at any time.
http://www.dallasnews.com/trailblazers
Re: 22. whiskeydent
Where did I say they should eliminate the industry? I didn’t say that. That means I’ve been remiss. Eliminate the industry.
Sorry. But none of that gets the image out of my head of a young horse that gets run the HELL OUT OF (and i’m sorry, they do, in fact, get RUN THE HELL OUT OF) and then has to be put down right there on the track.
And no, i’m not a vet, but if she was compromised or poorly built - where both her ankles would have broken “anywhere at any time” - I don’t think she would have been Derby materal to begin with.
As for the Derby being her reason for being born, that doesn’t fly with me, either. You’re saying it’s better for an animal to be born to a life of abuse and die in pain than never to be born at all??
Ummm, no. Not on board with that. Not even a little bit. Not even when it comes to animals.
I would, however, love to see the states showing me that the “vast majority” of racehorses go on to live healthy, comfortable, sex-drenched lives. I hope you’re right, but that’s not really what I’ve heard.
It wouldn’t change my mind, of course. It woudl just make some of the nightmares go away. Maybe.
http://www.dallasnews.com/trailblazers
Re: 15. potted meat
What are you, drunk?
http://www.inthepinktexas.com
Re: 23. Credentials
It’s a rich people’s sport. Which is why it will never die.
/who wants another mint julep?
/VET!
http://www.dallasnews.com/trailblazers
Re: 25. Pink Lady
Christ. Who needs a drink.
http://www.showlush.com
Damn. PL and Credentials are finally in agreement on something, and I’ve gotta go do the unpopular thing and side with Whiskeydent.
http://www.dallasnews.com/trailblazers
Re: 27. lush
God bless ya, darlin, but it doesn’t really matter to me who sides with whom.
None of it gets the picture out of my head or the stops the tears from coming as soon as I think about that horrible, awful race.
Really. It just doesn’t.
Re: 25. Pink Lady
not true.
lot’s of cowboys have $2000 claiming nags that race all over the place…..
and if you’ve ever been to Vinton Loooosiana, you won’t see a lot of rolexes
I am not for animals being abused, but dogs get whacked by cars every day, and i am not for stopping pet ownership.
Re: 20. Pink Lady
Touche
Re: 21. Credentials
Of course it’s only point in life was to make money for others. For what other reason did the animal exist?
Re: 16. Jimbo
upon rereading, the spectacle of fat asses running with jocks, no..
“.Fear Factor”…yes. same thing.
I know that my interjection of the ‘polltician’ into this is without hope, but the point (poorly made by me and my blind typing skills)
is… what is being done to these horses is NOTHING to what is being done to real people by lieing shit heads pretending to be ’saviors’ and ‘best qualified’……
There’s yer villians………
These horses LOVE to race……..the owners WANT them to be healthly, though, as in ANY endeavor, there are bad owners, with bad ethics.
/i promise not to type w/o glasses
/i promise not to type w/o glasses
/i promise not to type w/o glasses
etc