Kentucky Derby Horse Races to Death May 5, 2008

Did you guys hear about the death of Eight Belles, one of the horses raced in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday? After breaking both of her front ankles just after crossing the finish line, Eight Belles was euthanized on the track in front of thousands of onlookers. It's hard to believe that not everybody agrees that horse racing is a cruel and outdated form of "entertainment."

Betting on exploitation sure doesn't sound like entertainment to me. It sounds a lot like dog fighting, actually. And for those people who think all race horses end up in green pastures when they retire, think again. Many of them end up in a slaughterhouse.

PETA is calling on the racing industry to suspend the jockey and trainer; bar the owner from racing at the track; stop racing horses on hard tracks and switch to softer, synthetic surfaces to spare horses' bones and joints; permanently ban the use of whips; and, at the very least, stop using young horses who are so susceptible to these types of horrific injuries.

Want to help make racing horses' lives a little better? Join PETA in demanding that the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority institute sweeping reforms that would stop needless, preventable suffering and cruelty in the racing industry.

♥ Marta

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