NBC: Nevermind the Dead horse... Big Brown Won!!!

I'm not part of PETA or anything but as soon as they mention that Eigh Belles was put down it was like they didn't want to damper the situation and didn't do any coverage on Eight Belles.  They cut away from the Eight Belles and then went back to the celebration only to mention Eight Belles brielfy. 

Maybe NBC had a obligation to the Kentucky Derby and wanted to keep the upbeat celebration going. 

It's funny how they build all the horses up and talk/celebrate their bios and the owners/trainers/riders.... then as soon as something horrible happens they shy away and cover the winner.  NBC made it seem like they were treating Eight Belles like it was a wrecked NASCAR car.   At least ESPN covered the tragic event instead of trying to make it a footnote like NBC did. 

I'm not saying that horse racing needs to stop, it's just an unfortunate risk but NBC didn't look like a class act by looking away from the situation immediately after the race.  They just covered the celebration after they found out what happened with Eight Belles......... but everyone is going to remember this race for this rare and unfortunate event, not the winner. 

Again.... I'm not saying they need to stop horse racing or anything, but give the horses their due instead of looking the other way NBC. 

PETA is going to have a field day with the Kentucky Derby.

I agree.  We have the second place horse, a filly, euthanised on the track.  Yes, the winner deserves his credit and you want to make such a big event somewhat positive.  But showing the rich guys, trophy wives, and spoiled brats in their jubilation despite a horse being euthanized isn't the way to keep things positive.  Hopefully PETA uses that for fuel instead of targeting the sport as a whole.  I know Big Brown is a great horse and all, but if a team scores a touchdown in football and a player from the other team is laying on the field to the point where they have to get a stretcher, the owner of the team that scored knows when to tone down the celebration.

I think it's probably about time to reconsider this whole horseracing thing. It, like so many other lucrative sports, has gotten way out of hand. Considering the epidemic of performance enhancing drugs being utilized by human athletes, it is a frightening indicator of the likely use in animals. Following the events surrounding Barbaro, it was difficult to imagine anything worse happening. But instead of this year's Derby offering reassurance and the comfort in knowing horse racing has reached a state of normalcy, it has opened Pandoras Box. Today's events may be revolutionary. Avid athletes, sports fans, the politically active, animal lovers, and simply the humane will not be able to tolerate these incidents any longer. Adding to the story line that this was a filly being stacked up against a field of thoroughbreds, not just being overworked but absolutely broken down, is going to hid hard with all sorts of demographics. Two great tragedies on the world's stage within the last couple years- I truly believe these events will say a lot of our national character. If we choose to accept these things as accidents and tolerate this sort of embarrassment, then we have truly lost our humility, and worse, our humanity.

It will be very interesting to see what transpires from this event. Personally I would like to see a suspension of the sport for a "Thorough" investigation in the way our government is so quick to suspend a medication over reported incidental poor outcomes. I for one have lost total interest in this sport and hope to see it dissolve or reshape, whichever makes it safer for the real underdogs in this story, the horses.

are you guys serious? as much as no one likes to see things suck as this happen...its part of the sport.  Another reason why fillies shouldnt e running against the boys--they atre just simply not the same afterwards.  The grinding and the distance takes its toll on these fillies and this is just another case.  Take rags to riches into thought last year she was just not the same horse after winning the belmont.  In no way shape or form will horse racing ever be suspended, especially in the state of KY where the industry is their big money maker.  One way you could try to change this is putting in poly or cushion tracks.  These tracks have proven to have less injuries to the horses and take less of a toll on them after each race

Reputation:76

Level:Pro

Since:Feb 1, 2008

May 3, 2008 8:25 pm Score: 76

I never write on Sportsline, but damn it, after I heard the news about another horse being put down for the selfish reasons of gaming and sport, I had to say something. WTF!? Isn't there enough crap in the world to gamble on? The world treats it like it's just another "bad break." Screw that. I feel terrible, one, for the incident today. Yea, some chatter about how it's too bad, blah fckin blah. I feel WORSe for mankind. Would you people put ur kid down in the name of a race? I doubt it. But we're human right, that's makes us GOD. UGH!~I'm so gasdfhaerjsaftju that I won't even finish this commentary. Look around you......selfishness and greed is everywhere. Three words......Selfish, greedy, COWARDS!

This event was definitely on the rise with the general public and with situation with Eight Belles is going to take them a step back.  With all the popularity being generated these last years this is the worst thing that could happen that would give the general public a sour taste for the sport. 

This sport is now coming into question and it will be debated over and over this upcoming month.  It will take years for this to settle and for the sport to be "okay" with the general public. 

This just happened today, and I'm telling you this is what's around the corner. 

Question..... at what point in the race did the ankles buckle?  When it was pulling away from the third place horse it looked like its head was pulling to the right in discomfort.  Or was it after the race when it was walking around the first turn? 

The images that will last with everyone is a horse collasping on the track while all the "rich" people and owners of the winning horse are celebrating.... shortly after the trailors were pulled around the horse to put it down...... and those same people are still celebrating.   

..... side note.  That stupid daughter of the trainer would not get the hell out of the way while they were trying to interview him in the infield.  What a dumbass, no one cares about you, get the hell out of the way and quit blocking the shot of your father being interviewed.

Other QUESTIONS.... I'm sure these statistics will be presented in some time...

How many horses in a year in big racing events have to be put down?  What is that in relationship to how many horses that are raced in a year?

How many from the Kentucky Derby?

I'm very curious to what these statistics look like and how people will react to them.  I'm sure there will be upcoming coverage from all angles on this issue coming our way soon.

Something tells me that NBC knows that any bad publicity re: horse racing makes their long term contract less valuable.

This is just a warm up for the whitewashing NBC is going to do during the Olympics, failing to report on any protests, any rights abuses, anything that might jeopardize their coverage. They have already pledged that this is about "sports" and not "politics" which is code for "we only criticize those who don't fight back."