PETA Wants Eight Belles’ Jockey Suspended

Down Racing The filly suffered two broken ankles after finishing second in Saturday's Kentucky Derby and had to be euthanized on the track.

by CBS News/The Associated Press

Published: Mon, May 05, 2008 - 6:14 am CST Last Updated: Mon, May 05, 2008 - 9:31 am CST

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - An animal rights group says the jockey who
rode Eight Belles in her final race should be suspended.
The filly suffered two broken ankles after finishing second in
Saturday's Kentucky Derby and had to be euthanized on the track.
She went down a-quarter mile past the wire.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals faxed a letter to
Kentucky's racing authority claiming Eight Belles was "doubtlessly
injured before the finish" and asking that Gabriel Saez be
suspended while the death is investigated.
Trainer Larry Jones disputes PETA's claim, saying Eight Belles
was clearly happy when she crossed the finish. He says her ears
were up and she was "clearly galloping out."
After an autopsy, the dark gray filly will be cremated. Jones
says Churchill Downs has offered a spot if the owner wants to keep
her ashes at the famed track.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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rosepetal Says:

Mon, Jul 14, 2008 at 11:42 am

ladys secret was mature enough, a race horse of this standing would have been conditioned. i have not watched a race since go for wand went down in the breeders cup. i do think it was a terrible tragedy. peta has its place but horse racing is a far cry from dog fighting. have you ever been to florida and seen some of the mansions they call horse stables. i could live in ocala. no this was just a terrible accident.

KxVx Says:

Thu, May 15, 2008 at 11:02 am

CMB, you’ve never been around horses have you?

Fillies don’t mature as fast as colts, and a horse that breaks both front legs wasn’t physically mature enough race. There’s a difference between misstepping and cracking a bone, and breaking both front legs. I do not agree with PETA and their methods, but I must say that the owner, jockey, and anyone else involved in putting that horse in the race should be suspended or heavily fined.

cmb1 Says:

Mon, May 05, 2008 at 3:00 pm

This is really sad, but PETA get a life. If the ankles were broken before the end of the race the horse would have gone down then….