Yeah Big Brown!  He is a winner!

I just saw this on the news.  What a shame.  I don't really know if I like this sport or not.  My dad sure does.

Debi...

Seems like the big thoroughbred races are resulting in tradgedies to these beautiful animals. It certainly took a lot of joy out of the finish, didn't it?

Sandy - Big Brown was majestic, wasn't he?

John - I know.  The horses seem to love to run, but it sure can end tragically sometimes...

Richard - Yes, it did take the joy out of the finish.  Thanks for commenting.

Debi - I like watching the Derby.  It's exciting.  I'm sorry to see Eight Belles euthanized.  What a shame and she finished second too.

Rosalinda - Every year, I like to watch to see if we can have a Triple Crown winner!  :)  It's just sad when something like this happens...

Debi, It was a shame about Eight Belles this seems to be happening more often. 

Don R.

How someone could come to this blog and say Go Big Brown is sad to me.  We all knew he won.  His owner did not even acknowledge the fact that the second horse lay on the track dead.  If it had been me, I would have been a little more subdued and given my thoughts to the family of the horse.  It was Brown who saw Eight Belles, spooked at seeing her on the ground and threw his rider!  At least the horse had feelings (not that others did not), I was just irritated that Brown's Big Boy Trainer/Owner was so rabid with joy.  I sound bitter, I am not, I am sad.  Have been since I saw this and don't think I can go through another race after this, Barbaro and countless others.  Here is my main question?  Why run 3 year olds?  Their legs are so fragile, they are very young.  Why not wait til they are 4 year olds?  I know there is an answer to this.

My prayers and thoughts are with Trainer Larry Jones and his crew who had to go through such a horrible ordeal for a sweet filly that just wanted to cross that line.  And she did.  May she rest in peace.  I am also sorry Mr. Jones's granddaughter and family had to witness an event that will never go away.

Don - I know.  I thought the same thing. 

My heart broke for that Filly this morning when I saw it in the paper. Poor baby.

If only they would let the babies grow up before riding them!  Yes, they love to run, but they aren't ready to run that fast, that far, with that weight on them - their joints aren't grown up yet.   I never back any of my horses until they are at least three (though I have been known to let a two-year-old learn to drive just to give that busy Morgan brain something to think about if I've run out of new things to teach on the ground).   I figure that I'm looking at a long-term investment (Morgans are regularly known to remain sound and ridable well into their 30's) if I don't get into a big hurry and risk ruining it in the beginning.  Why can't racehorses have the same firm foundation?

Kelli - Mine, too...  So sad. 

Tricia - I think you have a good point.  I'm not sure why they do it the way they do it...

Yes, I felt that the race was very sad with the ending being so tragic.  it took all the steam away for me to see that.  I could not cheer, I cried.   Too bad racing is so commercialized, people lose site of the humanity, shame on them

Patrice -  It was so sad.  It did take the joy out of Big Brown's victory...  

My thoughts keep going back to the last moments of the race.  I, too, cannot see how the Big Brown team was able to be so cheerful and happy with tragedy occuring right in front of them.  Being a long time horse person, I do not agree with racing 3 year olds.  Their bones are still developing and are fragile to the heavy pounding and the weight.  Plus, the inbreeding does not help.  The only concern is to breed for speed.  Those fragile legs are holding up a lot of weight.  It's no surprise that so many race horses break down.  Something needs to be done to prevent this. 

BTW, I found out on one of the commentaries that Eight Belles was related to Barbaro.

Brigita - I didn't realize that she was related to Barbaro...interesting... 

Debi,

I didn't either until one of the newscasts last night.  They were discussing the tragedy and somehow it came up that she was related to Barbaro.