Bolson on…

Within hours of Saturday’s freak fatal breakdown of Eight Belles, the lone filly entered in this year’s 134th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville and aired world-wide on NBC, the attention-loving, hypocritical airheads at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), wasted no time in attempting to grab a few headlines and tug on a few heart strings by faxing a list of hysterical “demands” to the offices of the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority (KHRA). Endlessly seeking media exposure, PETA sends out numerous press releases every week.

The despicable and self-appointed do-gooders and supposed animal-lovers, who are hell-bent on denying the world meat and dairy, and who also, in essence, oppose aquariums, circuses, hunting, fishing, fur, leather, medical research using animals–and even the use of seeing-eye dogs–attempted to inflame the Eight Belles situation and prey upon the emotional reactions of those who witnessed or were upset or traumatized by the unfortunate injuries sustained by the second-place-finishing Thoroughbred. In its letter, PETA accused the horse’s jockey, Gabriel Saez, of intentional cruelty, claiming the filly was “doubtlessly injured before the finish.” PETA also asked that Saez be suspended while Eight Belles’ death is investigated.

Saezwas riding Eight Belles when she broke both front ankles while galloping out a quarter of a mile past the wire. She was immediately and humanely euthanized on the racetrack.

PETA’s letter to the KHRA also sought a ban on whipping, limits on races and the age of racehorses, and a move to softer, artificial surfaces for all courses.

But while PETA and their packs of vocal and vacuous poster-waving, fax-forwarding, partisans would have you believe that horse racing is the most horrific happening since Hitler, the truth is the PETA organization is itself a house of horrors that trumps any tragedy ever associated with racing horses.

According to a Newsweek report appearing on Newsweek.com on April 28, the PETA organization has practiced euthanasia for years. In fact, according to Newsweek, since 1998, PETA has killed more than 17,000 animals, nearly 85 percent of all those it has rescued. PETA may want to change their name to PUTA: People for the Unethical Treatment of Animals.

Attorney Nathan Winograd, quoted in the Newsweekstory, summed up PETA’s hypocrisy best, saying, ”(PETA has) become (the) leading killers of cats and dogs, and the animal-loving public unwittingly foots the bill through taxes and donations.”

No wonder PETA is constantly attacking and harassing others. The best defense is a good offense–especially when the animal carcases are piling up at your own backdoor. So pardon me if I don’t dash off my membership dues to the PETA people anytime soon. Besides I don’t own nearly enough sandals, caftans, or pitchouli to be an official plackard-carrying PETA member, and more importantly, I prefer to think for myself.

I am not saying that horse racing is without fault when it comes to the sad and shocking and sickening situation that happened moments after the running of the “most exciting two minutes in sports.” In reality, for the horse racing industry, horses breaking down is a matter that should not be easily dismissed or deflected. It is absolutely a very complex issue and deserves immediate and exhaustive investigation. But another reality is that a mainstream audience isn’t interested in hearing that or waiting for the facts to unfold. The public-at-large demands answers now or demands that horse racing be no more. A silly and knee-jerk reaction that is not unexpected, but nevertheless dangerous to the many good, honest, and caring people and horse lovers who make their living in the industry.

But when a majestic, innocent, obliging animal like Eight Belles is euthanized in front of an audience of millions, set against the backdrop of a perceived subculture of aristocracy and gentry, the reaction is going to be one of swiftness and assured outrage–regardless of why it actually happened. For the price of fame, prestige, and widespread exposure, horse owners and the horse industry as a whole now wear a very large bullseye on their collective back.  

It may be days or weeks or even months before we know the full story of what really happened to Eight Belles–and we may never know with 100% certainty–but for now, we do know this: The only filly entered in this year’s Kentucky Derby on Saturday made a magnificent showing against 19 male competitors before an adoring audience of millions and then unexpectedly, inexplicably, unbelievably, fell down after crossing the finish line in second place and suffered condylarfractures of both front ankles and ultimately and sadly she could not be saved.

I have attended numerous horse races for over two decades and until Saturday had only seen a horse break down on the track one time in all of those years. And as of this posting, I am unaware of a single person coming forward to say that they have ever seen a similar occurrence on the racetrack as what happened to Eight Belles. Horses do not finish races, gallop out another half-mile while cooling down, and then, while slowing down, suddenly and mysteriously break both front legs. It just doesn’t happen like that, except that it did on Saturday. I was there. And I pray that it never ever happens again. The horses don’t deserve that. The horse racing industry doesn’t deserve that. No matter what the people at PETA say to the contrary.

So before PETA casts the first stone at the Thoroughbred racing industry, they should look inward and be outraged over their own hypocritical practice of killing thousands of animals each and every year. After all, just because PETA doesn’t euthanize their animals before a national viewing audience and instead prefers to do it quietly out of sight in a backroom lab somewhere in Virginia, it doesn’t make it any less real or troubling.

Photo copyright Associated Press (AP). All rights reserved.