#103 - horse racing

horse racing has been around for hundreds of years. it's a popular venue for gambling and so-called sport. i've never really paid much attention to horse racing and don't intend to, but i heard the story of this year's kentucky derby and it really bugs me. the horse big brown won by a lot and in second came eight belles. eight belles was a filly (young female horse) and there have only been 39 before her to race at the kentucky derby. the triple crown (kentucky derby, preakness stakes and belmont stakes) is a series of three races featuring three year old horses. it is the biggest possible achievement for a race horse and it's been 30 years since a horse has won it all. although the purse for winning one of the events is very large ($2 mil for the derby), these days there is also a lot of money in selling off good thoroughbreds for breeding. street sense, who won the derby in 2007 has a stud fee of $75,000!racing horses are bred for specifically for speed, which apparently leads to a lack of strength in their bones. so what happened to eight belles? she was doing her cool down after coming in second, then she broke both front ankles. to a horse this is the end. they euthanized her then and there. i find this very disturbing. these poor animals are bred for racing not longevity and they are there to make their owners money. unfortunately these horses cannot support its weight on only three legs, let alone two so when they break it, it's over.

i doubt things will change because this is just how the sport is, but it bugs me. horses are such beautiful animals and seem very intelligent. maybe if i were a gambler or really liked horse racing i would feel different. maybe i would feel like it's a bittersweet thing and that's just how it is. then again, i probably won't ever become a horse racing fan.