PETA Wants Action After Eight Belles' Death

[OhioChick]

Source: Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc./AP

PETA Calls For Jockey To Be Suspended

POSTED: 10:48 am EDT May 5, 2008
UPDATED: 11:59 am EDT May 5, 2008

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The euthanization of Eight Belles at Saturday's Kentucky Derby has stirred debate over the sport of horse racing.

Should fillies be allowed to race against colts?

Should horses still race on dirt tracks?

Should horses race at all?

A prominent animal rights group got involved Sunday, too, criticizing Eight Belles' jockey for whipping the horse and saying the second-place prize should be revoked.

Gabriel Saez was riding Eight Belles when she broke both front ankles while galloping out a quarter of a mile past the wire. She was euthanized on the track.

PETA wrote in a letter to Kentucky's racing authority claiming the filly was doubtlessly injured before the finish and asked that Saez be suspended while Eight Belles' death is investigated.

Read more: http://www.newsnet5.com/sports/16161857/detail.html

[Doctor_J]

1. I am not a big PETA fan with their paint throwing and such,

but this kind of travesty should be stopped. This stuff literally sickens me.

[OhioChick]

2. Same With Greyhound Racing. n/t

[The Stranger]

3. Then you agree with PETA's position and advocacy here.

Not sure why there has to be such a disclaimer.

[zonkers]

6. Maybe because PETA often screws themselves and their worthy

cause by their destructive behavior and their sometimes bizarre press releases. In this case however, I am glad PETA is making a stink about horse racing.

[merh]

4. check out this post

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3240364&mesg_id=3241783

I find the observation very interesting and I do see where the poor horse reacted as described in the post.

Ban those think ankles and let the horses develop before sticking them out there. The only positive from this negative is the horse died after doing what she loved to do, she gave it her all.

[NashVegas]

5. If Not a Dirt Track, Then What?

I'm with those who feel the issue is with age (and breeding).

I've gone back this morning and re-read stories about Ruffian - what a horrible tragedy. Would it have killed anyone in the racing world to wait just one more year?

[natrat]

7. tapeta footings

Designed by trainer Michael Dickinson, Tapeta™ Footings represents the culmination of a life-long pursuit to create the perfect surface for equine athletes. Tapeta™ (Latin for "carpet") is specially designed first and foremost to protect the horse's well-being, providing a cushion that protects the legs and feet of horses in training from the injuries common on industry-standard dirt surfaces. The patented wax-coated mixture of sand, rubber and fiber is impervious to weather and never turns to mud, and is the only system on the market today that has been tested over time to hold up under varied and severe weather conditions.

First unveiled in 1998, the surface drew immediate acclaim when Tapeta™-trained Cetewayo won the Grade-1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga, and Da Hoss won the Breeders' Cup Mile at Churchill Downs.

This revolutionary surface has been used at Tapeta Farm in North East, Maryland for the past eight years, and has been manufactured since 2005 for use on Thoroughbred racetracks and training tracks around the world. Requiring very little maintenance, Tapeta™ is the perfect surface for any training/schooling venue either indoors or out, and lends itself to any equine discipline. Our exhaustive research and testing has provided one of the safest, most reliable surfaces for horse and rider on today's market.

[defendandprotect]

11. . . . and remove the whip . . . !!!!

[Vincardog]

8. PETA can suck my pr***

[AngryAmish]

15. prius?

[flvegan]

9. Good for PETA.

If anyone can/will bring attention to this, they will.

[defendandprotect]

10. Cheers to PETA --- this is imply more exploitation of animals . ..

it is exciting watching horses race ---

but when you recognize what's behind the sport, you rethink it ---

That, of course, includes dog racing ---

[MindPilot]

13. Rodeo needs to go too. n/t

[defendandprotect]

42. Yeah . . . I noticed they were doing that on TV now . . . !!!

Everything on TV that I go past seems to be pandering to the baser instincts ---

[DinahMoeHum]

12. Suggested new slogan for PETA. . .(warning - sarcasm)

:sarcasm:

"Eat P***y, Not Meat"

:sarcasm:

[noonwitch]

14. LOL! I hate PETA, too.

Sometimes they are right, but they are never going to change my mind about eating meat. Including veal, or as I call it to my PETA-influenced friends, "Baby cow parmesean".

And, if I ever win the lottery, I'm buying a sable coat. The first one of those idiots who tries to spill red paint on it will see me in court.

[defendandprotect]

46. So you fully understand the way that baby calves are en-crated for their lives . . .

but you're completely unmoved by it --- ???

[sasquatch]

16. PETA wants Eight Belles jockey suspended

Source: Associated press

NORFOLK, Va. (AP)—People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is seeking the suspension of Eight Belles’ jockey after the filly had to be euthanized following her second-place finish in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday.

Gabriel Saez was riding Eight Belles when she broke both front ankles while galloping out a quarter of a mile past the wire. She was euthanized on the track.

PETA faxed a letter Sunday to Kentucky’s racing authority claiming the filly was “doubtlessly injured before the finish” and asked that Saez be suspended while Eight Belles’ death is investigated.



Read more: http://sports.yahoo.com/rah/news?slug=ap-peta-eightbelles&prov=ap&type=lgns

---

:popcorn:

[BlooInBloo]

17. Fuck PETA. (And I think horseracing is stupid, but not for animal-hugger reasons)

[slowry]

21. Animal-hugger... is that better or worse than being a tree-hugger? n/t

[BlooInBloo]

24. Worse. At least tree huggers aren't under the delusion that mere animals are people.

[slowry]

36. Mere animals, eh. God, I hope the fucking Borg find us. n/t

[Paladin]

40. It Never Fails On A Thread Like This

Some alleged human being such as yourself turns up and manages to make "mere animals" look noble by comparison....

[defendandprotect]

43. Beautiful . . . !!!

Thank you -- !!!

:)

[Duppers]

57. couldn't have said it better!

only thing is I would have added 'asshole' somewhere in there. ;)

In fact, I think I will...and just get myself deleted. :)

[Reterr]

59. Brilliant

Thanks! :thumbsup:

[plasticsundance]

50. I belong to a more radical group.

I place animals above people. I'm going to use your postings on the animal protection topics here at DU as evidence and exhibit A. I have an inkling feeling, after others are made aware of your leanings, my cause will find footing and widespread support. I would imagine also you might be used as evidence for the belief in the devo of humankind.

Tell me, ole wise one of a superior species, does it alarm you at all that animals tend to show more compassion to each other than you do to them?

You might also make others aware of the threat, including the 'war on animals' with the 'war on drugs' and 'war on terror.'

[Duppers]

58. short and sweet, you're an...

ASSHOLE!

:grr:

[shain from kane]

22. I guess you wouldn't mind your boss, riding you hard and beating you with a whip.

[BlooInBloo]

23. I happen to believe that mere animals aren't people. That's all. What one does with people...

... had damn well better be different than what was does with mere animals.

[Kelvin Mace]

27. "mere animals"?

How people treat "mere animals" is often very indicative of how they treat people, or would treat them if no one is watching and they can get away with it. Cruelty, is cruelty. While I am in no danger of mistaking my cats or dogs for a person, I also do not refer to them as "mere animals".

[bean fidhleir]

30. Tell us why you're not a "mere animal". What makes you different?

Are you parroting your religious dogma?

[BlooInBloo]

32. "Are you parroting your religious dogma?" HAHAHAHAHAAA!!!!

That's possibly the funniest thing anyone has ever said to me!

:rofl:

[bean fidhleir]

33. Fine. If it's not religion telling you that you're special, what is it?

[flvegan]

53. His mom.

[bean fidhleir]

54. mwahahaha! Oh how I wish I could recommend your post - that's priceless!

heeheeheeheehee

:rofl:

[nam78_two]

39. It certainly sounds like something out of Dominionist theology

Mere animals lacking the divine spark etc. etc. I don't understand how anyone with a basic understanding of modern biology would think that animals (specially higher mammals) are such an outrageous model system to compare humans to.

Here is something to really throw you into a tizzy:

Human and Chimp Ancestors Might Have Interbred
http://www.livescience.com/animals/060517_hybrid_ancestors.html
The earliest known ancestors of modern humans might have reproduced with early chimpanzees to create a hybrid species, a new genetic analysis suggests.

Based on the study of human and chimp genomes, the scientists believe the split between the human and chimpanzee lines occurred much more recently than previously thought—no more than 6.3 million years ago and perhaps as recently as 5.4 million years ago.

Human and chimpanzee ancestors began branching apart on the primate evolutionary tree some 9 million years ago, but there are significant gaps in the fossil record. The new analysis suggests that a full split, which scientists call speciation, wasn't achieved for nearly 4 million years and might have occurred twice.

The study was published online today by the journal Nature.
*********************************************************************************************

Gasp! Our ancestors with the divine human spark interbred with "mere animals"!@!@!
This sort of thinking is silly-humans are animals. Here is an essay from Richard Dawkins that might interest people who are not completely fundies about the human-animal thing:
http://www.animal-rights-library.com/texts-m/dawkins01.htm

[Reterr]

60. You always sound so intelligent-how do you do it? eom

[khaos]

44. we are all animals, especially you..

[plasticsundance]

51. now, now, no reason to insult the animal.

[northzax]

25. nor would I want my boss

locking me in the house all day while he's at work and only letting me out on a leash (actually, come to think of it, I know people who might...)

[sasquatch]

31. "riding you hard and beating you with a whip"

Isn't that what Elliot Spitzer paid $80,000 for?
:D

[jmowreader]

49. You mean he doesn't?

[shain from kane]

52. Neigh.

[Lautremont]

28. Why do you think horse racing is stupid?

[BlooInBloo]

34. I think almost all just-racing is stupid - and the more so when something else is doing most of...

the work.

I'm a big fan of complex team dynamics, strategies, and the like. (Former college football and basketball player)

[El Supremo]

18. Fuck PETA too.

They use tragedies like this to promote their non-ownership of animals and vegetarian agenda.

[Critters2]

37. How dare they point out alternatives to the abuse of animals?!! nt

[Merlot]

19. If it's true that that horse broke his ankles BEFORE the race ended

and was still ridden hard by the jockey, it is serious animal cruelty. I'm glad they're investigating.

Personally, I don't care to see young, undeveloped horses racing. Bones aren't strong enough.

[Baby Snooks]

26. Are you nuts?

There is no way anyone could have continued riding a horse once it broke its ankles. For the obvious reason.

Next PETA will demand we all be prosecuted for stepping on a cockroach.

They are just using this to garner publicity for themselves and adding to the grief of the horse's owners. Who probably have more compassion for animals than PETA does.

[shain from kane]

35. Grief over a "mere animal"? See discussion above.

[bean fidhleir]

55. No, not nuts

Dick Francis, novelist and former champion jockey who rode for the Queen Mother, mentioned in one of his novels that a horse (off-stage in the novel) broke its leg but finished the race before the fracture actually separated.

[madrchsod]

20. peta never really gets the point of what they do

is sometimes is really, really stupid...trying to stop people from drinking milk? letting caged minks go because they think the minks will go "back to nature"...

blaming the jockey for riding the horse? try blaming the horse racing community for demanding of a horse more than that it can give...

[Baby Snooks]

29. The fur campaign...

PETA did itself irreparable harm when it endorse "spray painting" the coats while the owners were wearing them and while international organizations have followed their lead in banning many of the "culling" methods in the wild and the various methods used by breeders the reality is they did so through education rather than street theatre which is about all PETA is at this point. Street theatre.

[defendandprotect]

45. Actually, I think the campaign was very successful . . . though I probably

wouldn't have supported the idea. But I hope it did cause people to understand that "fur" is a blood sport. I think a lot more people came to realize that after the campaign which wasn't
repeated.

Exploitation of animals receives very little attention in our country ---
and I hope that is going to change as we begin to have to pay attention to our environment
and the planet, animal life and animal-exploitation will have to be looked at more seriously.
In harming animals, we are harming ourselves.

[bean fidhleir]

56. "blaming the jockey for riding the horse?"

That is sort of dumb, isn't it. But according to Dick Francis, who should know if anyone does, good jockeys are often in a kind of telepathic communication with an intelligent horse, and would be fully aware of any illness or injury, even one not discernable to anyone else. So the jockey might have known.

But your larger point, about blaming the industry, is well taken.

[scarface2004]

38. this jockey has ridden several horses into the ground

check out his record in argentina...he s taken down 5 horses with his reckless riding..the man is a menace!!

[Triana]

48. That jockey ought to be removed from horse racing. In fact I think..

..the whole damn sport ought to be outlawed.

[Savannah_H]

41. Just for Sport

All the steroids given the young horse to build muscle, thus improving it's speed dramatically, is done just for the pleasure of watching a horse race. Can't human beings find something better to do? It sickens me knowing it's all done for greed.

[Justitia]

47. I'm shocked & horrified at some of the responses on this thread. Seems cruelty is just fine to many

here, or of little consequence.

Good for PETA, all they asked for was suspension during investigation for chrissakes.
And if anyone knew of the jockey's record for running down horses (mentioned above), why would you want any different?

This event physically sickened me and some of the responses here shocked me all over again.