Last week, in my post on the Charlotte Steeplechase – “Watching Horses Fall – Good, Clean Family Fun” – one of the horses mentioned was Big Bend, a “bobbled, went lame, vanned off” in the 4th. Turns out, the 7-year-old is dead and in fact never got off the course alive. This from the Stewards Report: “BIG BEND broke down at the third from last fence and was pulled up by the rider. Blood samples were taken before the horse was euthanized on course.” So, an even better title would have been: “Watching Horses Die Right Before Your Eyes – Good, Clean Family Fun.”
The stewards also had this to say: “Adverse weather conditions led to slick footing that precipitated numerous falls on landing.” Can these people, and the people who support this, be any more contemptible?
The answer to that question is yes. Just give them time to prove themselves even more morally bankrupt.
The Kentucky Derby is coming up soon. What if a horse breaks down in the “big race”? Will people finally wake up and stop attending a spectacle that sanctions animal abuse?
Nope – that’s “just horse racing”. I’ve talked to people who watch that debacle every year, and no matter what atrocities I describe, they either stubbornly cling to the “glory days” of Secretariat, or they flat out don’t want to hear about it.
Honestly, some people have their heads so far up theirs asses they can use their nostrils as a periscope.
That corny “Secretariat” bullshit 🙄. Whatever….. Can’t those idiots SEE?,it’s straight up torture. F’n loser dumbass’.
When the horrific breakdown of Eight Belles happened after she came in 2nd at the derby (and the camera was not able to move fast enough from the horror story seen)there was conversation about abuse and sad sad story.
However,it quickly was forgotten and on to the next races prepping for the next round of 2 yr old contenders.
When I bring up Eight Belles and others like her, I usually get an “ I know, but….” from people who obviously know what goes on but for reasons completely beyond what I can understand, continue to watch and support racing. And these are all people who claim to love horses, or even more disturbing, actually OWN horses. THAT really makes me disgusted.
Nancy, I have a loooong documented lists of posts,saying if watching Eight Belles didn’t make you SEE the LIGHT….you’re a F’d up human.
Reblogged this on Armory of the Revolution.
Bringing your children to the Kentucky Derby is child abuse because it forces them to sit there and watch the horror play out right before their eyes.
Today on CNN they devoted a good 10 minutes to the Derby.
They referred to as good fun, the best fashion show of hats, and the best 2 minutes in sports.
Why don’t these major TV outlets give a voice to HRW in order to be neutral and present both sides?
Why do they keep propagating the lies because, out of all the news outlets, CNN prides themselves on telling the facts – the truth, yet they are doing the contrary.
Are there any up and coming interviews on TV with Patrick leading up to the Derby?
Totally AGREE Gina!!!!! Undeveloped minds are like sponges, and easily put under influence.
That was so thoughtful of the event planners to cancel this steeplechase race and tailgating picnic due to “adverse weather conditions that led to slick footing for the horses” that would knowingly precipitate numerous falls upon landing, wasn’t it? Oh, wait! They didn’t cancel??? Oh, s***!!!!! They just let the horses fall???! Why am I pretending to be surprised?!
R.I.P. BIG BEND. You didn’t deserve the outcome of this morally depraved event. 💔😿😔 No horse deserved this selfish, willful exploitation!!!!!
Crap!!!!! Take our chances on outcome and lets not lose a buck.
Steeplechase is a BARBARIC form of abuse. Thousand pounds of flesh flying over damn hurdles and landing on 4 thin legs. Carrying a jockey beating you for 2 to 3 miles. And if you slip and fall hope your rivals don’t land on your rib cage,head,etc.
The flat tracks are brutal enough but adding hurdles and uneven ground that is most likely about as lumpy and bumpy as it gets is even worse!!! The people that put on these brutal events know that not all horses are going to finish. Obviously, they have a tradition of not caring. With any luck, at least some of the horses will refuse the jump at the last possible second and let the jockey go flying over the jump by himself or herself! I watched a horse do that on a YouTube video and the horse took a left turn and jumped over the inside rail off of the racecourse. That was awesome! I thought, “Way to go, horse!” The jockey had been whipping the c*** out of this horse between jumps. There was only one jockey that didn’t use the whip that I could see and that horse and jockey just kept focusing on getting over the jumps “safely” while all of the other jockeys were whipping their horses and falling off, etc. It was a real mess but out of all the cruelty, there was one horse and one jockey that stayed in front. Even though I agree with you, Nancy, that the steeplechase races are extra BARBARIC, it was a relief to see one jockey not whipping his horse!