Horse Racing

Today was the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby. If you're a horse lover you might find racing quite the sport to watch, but with any sport there is a down side. Today proved that. Today, Eight Belles gave her life for the sport. The only filly in the race, she went down after crossing the finish line with two broken front ankles and was immediately euthanized. The interesing and sad fact in all of this is that Eight Belles along with the 19 other horses in the Kentucky Derby are descendants of Native Dancer, a runner in the 1953 race who lost by a head. Barbaro was also a descendant of Native Dance as was the last triple crown winner, Affairmed. Unfortunately, Native Dancer's bloodline has a flaw, in part due to its heavily muscled legs and herky-jerky running style. All this over breeding has caused Native Dancer's descendants to have feet trouble.

You might wonder as I have if this was a contributing factor in Eight Belles injuries. Or, if maybe these horses weren't so over breed and run so hard, might she still be alive? What happens to horses after they're no longer needed for racing? Well, some are simply retired to live out their lives in peace. Some are hired out as sires and can breed upwards of 250 descendants. Many are sold at auction, and as a result of that some are then resold to slaughterhouses for meat processing and shipment over seas.
The Horse Rescue, Relief and Retirement Fund has taken in many kinds of horses since its start in 1998, including retired race horses. QT is one such horse. He was picked up from a Birmingham race track and brought to the rescue. They've also taken in abused, neglected and unwanted horses and given them a place that is peaceful, safe, and with an improved quality of life.

QT and Doodlebug may not have had the life they now have if not for the efforts of Cheryl Flanagan. Her tireless work in animal rescue has allowed so many to be saved.

I'm saddened by today's Derby news of Eight Belles and hopeful that something good might come of it. Maybe someone watching the race today might do something to save an animal, like donate money to a shelter, or volunteer their time at a rescue or maybe even take in a stray they've found. So, the next time you watch a horse race and get caught up in the excitement of it all, ask yourself what will happen in one year, two years, three years, to that horse. Please support your local rescues and the work they're trying to do. It matters.