Kentucky Derby

[Muncle]

Anybody notice the symbolism in today's Derby? The popular favorite, a horse with very limited experience and no real track record, held off a huge field of horses no one had ever heard of to take an overwhelming lead in the stretch. The a filly on whom everyone had pretty much given up hope had a late charge. It really wasn't that close at the end, but it looked respectable because the filly wouldn't quit. Unfortunately, while the champ was being crowned by the super delegates judges, the filly's owner had her put down. All in all, a sad event. I hope Bubba wasn't watching it.

[snomore]

You have GOT to be kidding!!!!!

[beady]

Muncle you are hilarious and a bit..... evil6

On a sadder note I actually cried when they euthanized poor Eight Belles. I wonder, at the increase in fatal injuries cropping up in the race world. Are they over training these horses and therefore putting them at risk. Or maybe there is something happening in the breeding programs. Just hate to see a magnificent horse be so focused and healthy and in a matter of minutes fatally injured. Very sad :'(

[Rokinronda]

I was also very saddened! :'(

[Taltarzac]

Think there will be a Triple Crown winner this year in Big Brown??

[Boomer]

Think there will be a Triple Crown winner this year in Big Brown??


Triple Crown?

Well?

"You gotta have heart. Miles and miles and miles of heart." C'mon. Sing along with me. And then watch this beautiful run for the Triple Crown.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS4f6wiQJh4

Boomer

[chelsea24]

Muncle, was this demented little tale really worth sharing? lovehorse

[mcelheny]

I cried too. Big Brown has an Ocala connection but I can't remember what it is. ??? ???

[Shirleevee]

From Ocala.com

"Big Brown began his career in Ocala, when local pinhooker Eddie Woods plucked him out of a yearling sale in Keeneland, Ky. He took the horse back to his Ocala farm to break and train before selling him to Mark Roberts, who bought him for current owner Paul Pompa.

"It was phenomenal," Woods said after the race, adding he never dreamed the horse he bought for $60,000 during the last day of the sale would make it to the Derby.

"I have a good imagination, but it's not that good," he said from Louisville. "He has so much class. This is a turf horse doing remarkable things on the dirt."

Shirleevee

[Taltarzac]

Big Brown link to Wikipedia-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Brown

[renielarson]

Muncle, oh Muncle...have you thought that perhaps at 1:24am your brain may need a rest and bed might be a good place to be?http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh96/renielarson/bigbed.gif

You certainly do make me laugh at times although I have to admit your analogy made me stop, think, and compare.

[mcelheny]

Shirleevee and Taltarzac,
Thank you so much for the info.

[MnGirl]

beady: they don't over train these horses, they are treated like royalty. They get heat wraps on their legs, they get rub downs, and are really catered to. However, it's not that uncommon for one of them to break a leg. Many race with small hairline fractures, and problems breathing. A trainer once said,"It isn't if something is wrong with the horse, it's how bad it is". Most all trainers have a great love for these animals, the few that are bad, probably never get a Derby horse.

[beady]

MnGirl.

Now I am more perplexed. You are saying that a horse which already has and injury ie; hairline fracture or breathing problems is still considered healthy enough to run a race. I do not see how that is being treated royally. To me that is abusive treatment.I suspect money is the deciding factor when the decision is made to race an already injured animal. Beyond my capacity to understand.

[MnGirl]

That's right. There isn't many race horses around that don't have something wrong.
It's very much like our athletes today, they train and take the best care of their bodies that they can, but many play injured. Just like horses they can go years before the injury gets the best of them.
If there was no horse racing, there would be no Thoroughbreds, that's what they do.

[ouma1938]

I grew up around racehorses in South Africa and have always loved racing. But after this Kentucky Derby and the heartbreak of seeing that beautiful Horse Eight Belles being put down I will never watch racing again. It was too too sad.

[MnGirl]

It was very sad. Any time an animal is put down it's sad.
Please don't give up on racing, it doesn't happen that often.

[chelsea24]

But, the athletes chose to play that way and they're not put down. I never knew before that they raced injured horses. I the whole thing is disgusting. :verymad: