Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event Deaths

[PaceAdvantage]

Two horses died a week before the Kentucky Derby on the cross-country course of the Rolex Three-Day Event.

But you didn't hear about it in the news unless you searched for the story....the New York Times didn't write an article comparing Three-Day Eventing to animal fighting. PETA didn't try and garner publicity off the backs of these dead horses like they have with Eight Belles (and Barbaro before her).

All of these horse deaths were ACCIDENTS, not regular every day occurances, and certainly not INTENTIONAL killings, and for the media and groups like PETA to single out racing, is disingenous.

We all know that most of the horses in racing are well cared for....it's the nature of the beast. If you don't care for your horse, it probably isn't going to perform well on the racetrack.

Has modern day breeding practices weakened the breed? Probably, but there is no scientific study proving that it has....

Are certain medications and training practices more likely to lead to injury? Probably, but again, the continued use of such medications and training practices would be self-defeating. An injured horse doesn't make any money for the owner paying the bills.

In closing, I find it abhorent that PETA is being allowed to go after jockey Gabriel Saez, unchecked. The poor guy did NOTHING wrong! He didn't even hit her all that many times down the stretch. Would he even have been suspended in England with their whip limit rules?

[JustRalph]

I have to tell you, after some of the stuff I have read today, I wonder if we will have TV coverage of the Derby or any major race next year. The Broadcasters are going to be scared to death to air the races.

This goes back to my feelings about a players organization. The tracks, Trainers and such cannot come out on the offense. The corporate nature of their organizations (i.e Tracks and such) prohibit it. A national players organization could.

Some of the stuff I have read today is astounding to me. These so called Sportswriters who have called to "abolish" racing are incredible dolts who have no perspective beyond their 3 days a year of covering the Triple Crown. They know nothing of which they speak? They want to shut the industry down because they saw two horses injured in 3 years.

One of the writers actually wondered out loud in his column if Horse Racing has ever been a popular sport and then declared it had never been. This asshole obviously never saw the movie Seabiscuit.

Another blames rich owners who are "lining their pockets from Breeding"

I cannot believe that the NTRA and the like are sitting on their hands. This needs to be put in perspective, quickly. There are so many idiots standing on soapboxes that it reminds me of the Imus situation. The piling on is incredible.

Who speaks for the racing world? Churchill Downs issues a lame press release to counter the letter from PETA being covered by every news organization in the world. I would think the industry in Kentucky could mount some kind of PR campaign and get it rolling soon. If they don't do it in three days or less, we are all going to suffer. This is typical of the industry. Thousands of blow hards and so called "Journalists" who are all cowering in their offices today.
They need to get off their asses and get in front of their cameras, get on radio, and start writing articles that put this in the proper context.

[PaceAdvantage]

It's the "I bet you can't top this" game at play in the media. We've seen it in the political realm for a long time, and now you're seeing it applied to racing these past few days....

"Racing should be abolished"
"Racing is only one step above ANIMAL FIGHTING"

I'm sure in order to top these doozy statements, the next writer/commentator will proclaim:

"Adolph Hitler alive and well, operating as secret head of NTRA"


I feel your pain....

[MNslappy]

I'm sure in order to top these doozy statements, the next writer/commentator will proclaim:

"Adolph Hitler alive and well, operating as secret head of NTRA"

sort of like Godwin's Law (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin's_law)...

[jbshoulda]

If you watched The Factor last night, O'Reilly had a segment on the derby. Jill Byrne was a guest and she did a great job standing up for the industry and the people involved in horse racing. Here's a small summary from The Factor.


The filly Eight Belles broke down immediately after finishing second in the Kentucky Derby and had to be killed. The Factor was joined by horse racing analyst Jill Byrne, who disputed any notion that racing is cruel to the thoroughbreds. "These horses are born to run," Byrne declared. "When you seen them out in the field, they run in packs, chasing each other. It's what they do and what they love, and the people in the business absolutely love them. There is nothing that says it is modern genetics that would cause an increase in injuries and race track surfaces are being improved." The Factor pointed out that racing is a multi-billion dollar industry. "It is a tough sport - these horses are bunched together, the jockeys are whipping them. And it's shocking to see a beautiful animal go down."

[BombsAway Bob]

Jill Byrne?I guess O'Reilly's booker couldn't fine someone easy to browbeat!

[LottaKash]

Why not abolish "Football" as well.......:jump:

Just ask the retired players, how they feel each morning, when they are just getting out of bed...?.....:lol:

I would like to see a Sportswriter's article, about how much money is spent on Acute and Chronic Football Injuries, each year...:eek:

[OTM Al]

Mike Terrico (sorry Mike, not sure I spelled your name right) had the PETA woman on his show (ESPN Radio) yesterday after he had Randy Moss on. For once the guy actually acted like a reporter rather than the vanilla go along with the crowd type that he usually is. He let her say her speel and then asked her 3 times if Saez did anything a jock in the 7th race didn't do. The response was that horseracing was a sport ruled by greed and cruelty. So he asked the question again and then needed to ask it a 3rd time. He never got an answer as the woman had no idea and had done no research. He handled her nicely for a minute or so more and then ended it, clearly disgusted/flustered with the person he had just interviewed. Maybe all his research was the questions he asked Randy, but at least he knew BS when he heard it. I will give him credit (at least until his general blandness catches back up with me...I never thought I would say that I miss the Steven A Smith show)

I am all for continued research into safer surfaces, ending of raceday drugs and limiting (not banning as I think occasionally it is needed to keep a horse straight) use of the whip. But I felt that way before. How your news services covered this event really show what they care about as far as sensationalism vs news.

[joanied]

Two horses died a week before the Kentucky Derby on the cross-country course of the Rolex Three-Day Event.

But you didn't hear about it in the news unless you searched for the story....the New York Times didn't write an article comparing Three-Day Eventing to animal fighting. PETA didn't try and garner publicity off the backs of these dead horses like they have with Eight Belles (and Barbaro before her).

All of these horse deaths were ACCIDENTS, not regular every day occurances, and certainly not INTENTIONAL killings, and for the media and groups like PETA to single out racing, is disingenous.

We all know that most of the horses in racing are well cared for....it's the nature of the beast. If you don't care for your horse, it probably isn't going to perform well on the racetrack.

Has modern day breeding practices weakened the breed? Probably, but there is no scientific study proving that it has....

Are certain medications and training practices more likely to lead to injury? Probably, but again, the continued use of such medications and training practices would be self-defeating. An injured horse doesn't make any money for the owner paying the bills.

In closing, I find it abhorent that PETA is being allowed to go after jockey Gabriel Saez, unchecked. The poor guy did NOTHING wrong! He didn't even hit her all that many times down the stretch. Would he even have been suspended in England with their whip limit rules?

:ThmbUp: :ThmbUp: :ThmbUp:

[migreen]

Two horses died a week before the Kentucky Derby on the cross-country course of the Rolex Three-Day Event.

But you didn't hear about it in the news unless you searched for the story....the New York Times didn't write an article comparing Three-Day Eventing to animal fighting. PETA didn't try and garner publicity off the backs of these dead horses like they have with Eight Belles (and Barbaro before her).

Actually, PA, there was quite a bit about the Rolex deaths in the news . . . the papers that covered the event at all covered the fatalities quite prominently. Because eventing doesn't get the national coverage of the Derby, there wasn't the same spotlight. Otherwise, the situations are parallel. Those involved in the sport are going through a contentious and sometimes nasty re-assessment (the recent Rolex fatalities are only the latest of a recent series), and PETA has criticized the sport, as well as other equine sports.

Lets face it, guys . . . racing is by far the most well-known equine sport (many people think its the only one), and will always take most of the heat. Also, its the only equine sport associated with legal gambling (duh!), thus intensifying the target to the self-righteous.

[Semipro]

Does anybody actually give a rat's ass about what Peta wants does an.yone care. They destroy property and commit criminal acts and then expects someone ,anyone to listen to their bullshit. I bet they would like me if they saw me shoot a rabbit gut it without a knife(secret method) and then fry it up with some potatos and gravy and homemade bisquits.Next they will want us to stop driving cars because it kills so many insects.

[DJofSD]

Article about the Rolex 2008 cross country phase here (http://equisearch.com/equiwire%5Fnews/nancy%5Fjaffer/rolex%5Fcrosscountry%5F042608/#continue) including discription of the death and injuries.