Recent Comments
jollyjen09 06:14:45 PM May 19 2008
I am disappointed at this author's ignorance of the sport. When I was handicapping this race, I watched Eight Belles' races. Whenever challenged, she raced harder. Maybe the ground could be better, but that is not why she broke down. And the attack on her jockey made a few posts down is just unfair. This was a big day for him, he could have died himself... you know, horses feel fear, sorrow, and shock. It was probably better that he walked away.
Thanks to everyone who defends this sport-- being raised in the business and managing a racing facility this summer, I can honestly tell you that the horses love what they're doing. Those that don't don't make it to the Triple Crown.
allstarace 11:07:15 PM May 14 2008
Blackstone has always been a near worthless columnist. Read the grammatical errors in this comical piece of amateur journalism---namely the final paragraph.
Get a job you're suited for Blackstone; perhaps cleaning the bathrooms at your local racetrack.......
skygirrl 03:49:16 PM May 09 2008
About the tragic ending to a great filly, Eight Belles: I just want to thank the Jockey on Big Brown for his class, compassion, respect and grit. Kent Desourmax showed when he was interviewed right after winning the Derby, he said Big Brown showed us his heart today and Eight Belles showed us her life. In my opinion he was really the only one of all the folks involved in both horses camps that really was honest and intelligent. The jockey (I won't even say the name) showed nothing. He didn't even stay with Eight Belles on the track. She was injured and in pain, surrounded by strangers holding her head and nech to the ground. He was the only familiar human in her presence and he should have stayed with her until the needle left her neck.. I have worked in racing and been a fan for 30 years so I do have insight into it. Larry Jones. her trainer also covered up for the jockey by defending him on the left handed whipping that was easy for any one to see by saying that the ho
aarchana21 07:57:18 AM May 09 2008
Does anyone know what a hexride technology is? Read about some amazing hexride shoes on http://www.reebokhexride.com/?um=01
xgoxboomxx 09:28:17 PM May 08 2008
thats what i was trying to get across... you basically just reiterated what i said
gliderchik 07:59:41 PM May 08 2008
The Derby went 134 years without a death, that's got to account for something!!!
The ignorance in regards to this sport is insane. To compare a human breaking a leg to a horse? We can lay in bed and heal. We don't have laminitis attacking us from putting to much weight on the other leg.
Whips? Bats, and they aren't your ordinary stick. They are a tool for a variety of things. Horses have extremely thick hides. Not only that if the horse doesn't like it, he will stop. Synthetics are too new for the numbers to count. There are also other injuries that are happening while running on it. There is nothing unsafe about a properly layed dirt track.
Heart and courage has been bred into the Thoroughbred for centuries. They are bred to run, want to run and love to run. Ain't no 100lb man gonna make a 1200lb horse run if it doesn't want to.
Ask the greats like Seattle Slew, Affirmed, Secretariat, John Henry, Cigar, Native Dancer, Dr. Fager, Damascus, Seabiscuit, Exterminator, Kelso............
gliderchik 07:14:32 PM May 08 2008
You can't compare other human sports like this column does above. Horses can not lay down in bed for six weeks while the broken leg heals. Humans do not have a terrible diesease called laminitis ready to pounce the minute you stand too long favoring a leg. The Derby has gone 134 years without a death, that's got to count for something! Synthetics tracks are still too new for the counting. The number ratios are whacked. There are reports of other soft tissue injuries that are coming in that are caused from the synthetics. There is nothing unsafe about a properly layed dirt track. The stone cold hard fact is that when you have a horse running close to 45 mph your going to have accidents.
Jockeys legs are high up, therefore they cannot kick a horse to urge it on when it's time to go. Horses hides are extremely thick and the bats (not whip) are for a variety of reasons. Trust me if a horse doesn't like it he'll stop running.
The heart and courage of a Thoroughbred has been bred into them
xgoxboomxx 02:00:47 PM May 08 2008
every sport has some kind of danger in.. wether it involves horses or not. im 15 and understand this more then most people. horses die from injuries that they cause themselves more then from racing/jumping. i was the Rolex championships in lexington the week before and saw two horses get seriosuly injured during the cross country phase. unfortunately both horses had to be humanely eunthanized because there was just nothing they can do. its hard to fix a broken leg on a horse let alone two.horses are big heavy animals and its not like they understand that they have to keep off their feet if they are hurt like a human would. synthetic tracks may help a little but that doesnt mean it would solve the problem completely. all sport horses if it be for racing jumping dressage barrel racing anything like are taken care of better then the riders/trainers/owners themselves. no person in this industry would have made 8 belles keep going if they realized she was hurt. and she was not being fed st
budoinst 02:20:18 PM May 07 2008
The synthectic track seems logical and appears to be easier on the horses. It would seem to be a wonderful alternative to what we have now.
anitajoo 11:29:16 AM May 07 2008
There is always,,,,and i mean always,,,,know it alls,,,,,and they always,,,,and i mean always,,begin yelling about the barn door being closed,,,,,very soon after the horse has left the barn,,,,,,get behind an idea before it is popular,,,,dont start crying about horse racing only after a tragic event such as saturday.
Latest Sports Headlines
Top Sports Video
Check out exclusive highlights and original programming from ESPN, CBS Sports , and many more at AOL Video.
Did You See That?
Hottest Sports Couples
See photos of the hottest stars
with their wives and girlfriends.