The Death of Eight Belles and What it Means for Horse Racing

Like many Americans, I was saddened by the ending of the 134th Kentucky Derby. Seeing Eight Belles laying on the track, I feared the worst. And when the ambulances surrounded the horse, I knew that they were shielding the view of the horse so they could put it down. My wife, daughter and I all shed a tear, with memories of Barbaro, who had suffered a terrible injury a couple of years earlier, still fresh. It was a sad and cruel ending to a good race.

But I have to admit that I have been taken aback by the huge swirl of controversy surrounding the death of the horse. It wasn't unusual to see the sad publicity hounds of PETA making an appearance in the discussion, but it was disturbing to see the news media grilling Eight Belles trainer Larry Jones and other horsemen about the sport. Jones, who is still trying to deal with the loss of his beloved horse, is now facing questions about mistreating the horse, including whipping the horse too much and giving it steroids.

As tragic as the loss of Eight Belles was, it should not be the rallying point to end horse racing. To be sure, tragedy is not unusual to the sport. In 1990's premier event, the Breeder's Cup, three horses were put down, including Go For Wand, a champion who suffered a horrific breakdown in the home stretch. (Video here)
And according to an ESPN article about Eight Belles, there are 1.6 horse fatalities per every 1000 starts, a statistic that is clearly too high.

The horse racing game isn't perfect, the truth is that most trainers, jockeys, and owners are in it for the love of the sport. While there is money to be made, when something like this happens, these men and women don't cry because they lost a winning lottery ticket, they are devastated because these horses are like their babies. They've raised and groomed them from birth. They know them intimately. They know their behaviors, what they like to eat, and what makes them happy. Losing a horse to them is like losing a child. Having spent some time on the backside of Churchill Downs, watching horses being groomed, fed, and cared for, I can attest to how much the hundreds of individuals that surround each barn care for the horses and truly love the game.

Eight Belles trainer, Larry Jones, has called for a full autopsy on the horse to determine the cause of death and to clear him of allegations that he was doping the horse to run better. This is an important first step for the industry to recover from the events of Derby Day. The results of that autopsy should be used to determine what steps can help prevent this type of accident in the future. Additionally, there should be some real research into ways that horses can be bred to win AND become less fragile, as well as racing surfaces and techniques that can help reduce the likelihood of injury and death to these majestic animals. The entire industry should create a set of nationwide standards that trainers, owners, and jockeys should be held to. Those that are in violation of these standards should be dealt with swiftly and with the appropriate penalty, including being banned from the sport.

Here's hoping that Big Brown can take the impressive win in the Kentucky Derby and parlay it into our first Triple Crown winner in 30 years.