Death in sports
It's really easy, at first blush, to be flippant over the results from yesterday's Kentucky Derby. There's a sport for ya! We'll kill the first loser! HAHAHA! Somewhere, I know, there are television execs and horse racing officials thinking that Eight Belles euthanasia after the race just might produce an uptick in ratings and income for the sport.
After thinking about it for a bit, that tragic ending only illustrates the horror of horse racing. These horses are million-dollar pieces of investment funds. They're tools, living race cars. A totaled stock car leaves junk all over the track to be swept up, removed to the junkyard. A few parts might be salvaged, but most will be melted down for scrap. A "broke down" horse that "went lame" in horse-speak leaves a dead body on the track. Never mind that it was "only a horse." Something that was breathing just a few moments ago is now heading to the morgue. It's hard for written words to properly convey my disgust.
I understand that death does haunt most sports, to some degree or another. Part of what makes such activities compelling is the risk, either minute or significant, of serious injury or even death. Every sport that anybody can participate in has a waiver that must be signed, absolving the organizers of blame if someone should be killed by participating. There have been "reforms" over the years in various sports to lower the risk to participants and fans alike. Hockey put up netting behind goals after a 13-year old fan was mortally injured by a slap-shot puck. Baseball first base coaches have taken to wearing batting helmets after one of their number was killed by a foul ball.
My own sport of rowing as seen death as well. The horrid tragedy of Soctt Laio, dying as his crew crossed the finish line at the May 2005 Dad Vail regatta in Philadelphia is still a fresh wound in the world of rowing. Recreational "masters" rowers have been killed in collisions with powerboats and coaches are not immune as well, drowning in front of their crews. We examine what went wrong in every instance, looking for a way forward to make an incredible activity safer. Boats shouldn't be named for people killed on the water.
Horse racing seems different in my view. There won't be an investigation into what happened to Eight Belles. Racing fans will shrug and say "she needed to be put down so she wouldn't suffer." However, I am not comfortable with such a caviler attitude, nor do I think the average sports fan is, either. We've seen what happens, too often. Death dances around most sports, but the governing bodies have adjusted to push back that risk. Horse racing hasn't responded that way, and perhaps this explains the slowly eroding support that sport enjoys. I will not mourn its (hopeful) eventual passing.
After thinking about it for a bit, that tragic ending only illustrates the horror of horse racing. These horses are million-dollar pieces of investment funds. They're tools, living race cars. A totaled stock car leaves junk all over the track to be swept up, removed to the junkyard. A few parts might be salvaged, but most will be melted down for scrap. A "broke down" horse that "went lame" in horse-speak leaves a dead body on the track. Never mind that it was "only a horse." Something that was breathing just a few moments ago is now heading to the morgue. It's hard for written words to properly convey my disgust.
I understand that death does haunt most sports, to some degree or another. Part of what makes such activities compelling is the risk, either minute or significant, of serious injury or even death. Every sport that anybody can participate in has a waiver that must be signed, absolving the organizers of blame if someone should be killed by participating. There have been "reforms" over the years in various sports to lower the risk to participants and fans alike. Hockey put up netting behind goals after a 13-year old fan was mortally injured by a slap-shot puck. Baseball first base coaches have taken to wearing batting helmets after one of their number was killed by a foul ball.
My own sport of rowing as seen death as well. The horrid tragedy of Soctt Laio, dying as his crew crossed the finish line at the May 2005 Dad Vail regatta in Philadelphia is still a fresh wound in the world of rowing. Recreational "masters" rowers have been killed in collisions with powerboats and coaches are not immune as well, drowning in front of their crews. We examine what went wrong in every instance, looking for a way forward to make an incredible activity safer. Boats shouldn't be named for people killed on the water.
Horse racing seems different in my view. There won't be an investigation into what happened to Eight Belles. Racing fans will shrug and say "she needed to be put down so she wouldn't suffer." However, I am not comfortable with such a caviler attitude, nor do I think the average sports fan is, either. We've seen what happens, too often. Death dances around most sports, but the governing bodies have adjusted to push back that risk. Horse racing hasn't responded that way, and perhaps this explains the slowly eroding support that sport enjoys. I will not mourn its (hopeful) eventual passing.
posted by Coach Jay at 5/04/2008 12:00:00 PM
10 Comments:
Its time to eliminate this ridiculous sport. Its almost as bad a dog fighting. Get your kicks out of watching two opponents compete in which they have a choice being there.
Great comment, Mark. I posted this entry on DailyKos as well, and I just might "steal" your comment for the fray I sparked.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/4/13556/51636/618/508909
Hey Jay,
It has certainly been a while. I've become slightly removed from the rowing world so there haven't been a whole ton of posts which I have been able to reply to. However, I saw this one and thought it solicited a response. Although I did put money on the race (I was extremely confident in the 20-1 Smooth Air), this was not out of love for the sport, but out of the immediate need for a $190 turn-around on a $10 bet – college has certainly proved to be expensive. Despite this bet, I agree with you that this sport is extremely outdated and unnecessary. Anyone can watch a race on TV with some beer and the hopes of a win on their 20-1. However, when a tragedy like the one that occurred this weekend rears its ugly head, the five million other channels offered on TV now start looking quite friendly. One cannot escape the brutal reality of a sport like this. No, it is not with malicious intent that the horses are brought to the track. It is in the best interest of the owners to keep their horses content and healthy. Regardless, accidents do happen and with extreme frequency. The elimination of this sport, however, is not likely to be seen. It considered by many to be as American as baseball. Movies like Seabiscuit don't help shed light on the reality of the sport. It is not likely that any change will be seen for a long time.
On another note, you might be interested to know that I cut off all my hair and took up boxing at school, while still using the erg as a source of endurance and pain tolerance training.
Nice to see an abundance of activity on the blog again!
Drew Roberts
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No issue with respectful disagreement. In fact, that is the best part about moderately controversial issues such as horse racing. However, disrespectful disagreement is not only unnecessary, but does nothing to intelligently contribute to the discussion. I understand you disagree with the stances of those above, but I don't understand why? It is easy to call someone "ignorant" from behind a computer and nonchalantly step away from the conversation, but where is the purpose in that? At least explain your position before, as you so intellectually put it, "blatherin' out yo ass..."
Jay-
I couldn't agree with you more. A few of my friends decided, last minute, to go down to the race. Our friend, who lives in Louisville, said, "It's a mosaic of cultures and attitudes." I had no idea that he was just glorifying the socioeconomic divide that defines the Kentucky Derby. We went to the infield, where apparently it's acceptable to reach a level of oblivion beyond most comprehension. I achieved that level...
Ignoring my nonexistent sobriety, I too share(d) your sentiments. After the race, we had the opportunity to go back to the stables and it was like nothing I'd ever seen before. Both Jockey and owners were dumb struck with emotion. We had to put my dog to sleep in December and it seems as though the feelings were a carbon copy. Owners who had never laid eyes on this horse were consoling Jockeys who competed furiously against this animal.
I decided it would be a good decision to ask why it would have been such an issue to reset the horse's ankles and use it for a purpose other than competition. Apparently, the cost to put the horse back into some form of function would be right around $10,000.
Now Jay, you have an Ivy League education, can you explain to me why an animal which has brought in millions of revenue for the owner and, as I would imagine, has acrued well over seven figures of expenses over it's lifetime, needs to be euthanized for a $10,000 "repair"? Maybe I've become a warmer person over the years(many would argue otherwise) or maybe this is just an absurd practice! I talked to my friend the other day and he can't believe the apathy felt by most of of the locals. They see it as a chance to get a few extra thousand in a weekend. Good thing I stick to skiing where, if you break a bone, the sponsors say get fixed and be ready for next year, instead of chasing after you with a four inch needle and a black leather mask.
If you're ever in Pittsburgh and want to discuss to inhumanity which plagues horse racing...or just catch up, I'd be more than happy. I'll be around until August so just shoot me an e-mail or something. Tell Emily and Will I said hi and I hope everything in Ohio is going well!
Take Care,
Aaron Kahn
Drew and Aaron:
Great to hear from you guys again. Drew, the erg as pain tolerance? I would think getting hit in the face would be a better way to deal with pain.....
I don't think there was any way to save the horse. Trainers on TV tonight were talking about how there "wasn't a leg to set." I guess this was far worse than what happened to Barbaro two years ago. The ratio I am appalled to see is this: 3/5. Out of the last five "major" horse racing events, three horses have died, either that day or a few days later. Imagine if that was happening in the Super Bowl, or even boxing. Mass, hysterical outcry.
The one thing I really won't abide are the terms thrown around by racing: The "athlete" "broke down." As Mark said on the first comment here, athletes have choices about what they are doing. Horses are animals, and thus property, and thus don't have a choice. And they don't "break down." They are injured beyond veterinary science and given a lethal, painless injection. They don't "break down." They f'n die. There's a corpse on the track.
*tuyadobj*
Jay, sorry to be posting so late, but as a race fan whose been going to horse racing tracks with his grandfather since a very young age, I feel I have to step in. I've been a big fan of horse racing for years. Even after my grandfather passed away, my friends and I continue to go to the track whenever we're all home together.
To me going to a night of races at the track is a experience which can't be matched. There's nothing better than sitting in the crisp evening air, smoking a cigar, drinking a bud light, and watching horses go by.
I understand where you are all coming from about the frightening brutality of euthanizing horses on the track, but I mean, its part of the sport. I've witnessed this practice in person a number of times over the years, and I don't know, I guess maybe that fact, combined with my sense of nostagia for the sport, has desensitized me a bit. I honestly don't have a problem with it.
If you're looking to dole out blame, then pin it on the jockeys who are physically whipping the horses with no regard for their physical well-being, or blame the owners and trainers who obviously encourage the jockeys.
But punishing the fans by putting an end to the sport they love is never the answer.
Hey Bald Steve:
Great to hear from you as well.
I'm not sure that I'm "all-in" calling for the end of horse racing. I had a really long talk with an old friend of mine who owned a horse all her life about this yesterday. She and I agree that the whipping of the horses isn't that big of a deal; really, how much damage can some little twerp smaller than a coxswain cause an 1100lb animal?
My thoughts kind of go like this: there just hasn't been any response from racing toward making the sport safer for the animals. The Derby started a 20 horse field, leading to a stampede to the rail. These horses mortally injure themselves when their hooves collide, or hit another animal's leg. Are these huge fields good for the animals?
I've brought up the idea of synthetic tracks.
I guess it might be an issue of too many long years of breeding these things for speed, to the detriment of any sort of ruggedness needed to get through the race. Perhaps it would be better for them to run in smaller fields, or even "heats/finals?"
Here's what I'm willing to bet on: somewhere in Vegas, you can put money down on Big Brown surviving the two other legs of the Triple Crown. Or you can bet against him.
And here's another thought: does anyone believe that any increase in ratings for the next race will be due to interest in Big Brown, or the possibility of another horse going down?
And a final thought: given the scrutiny racing is facing now, can any of you imagine the s*** that will hit the fan if Big Brown dies in his Triple Crown quest? Epic. Tragic, (and possible, which makes it worse) but epic.
If the whips don't do anything, why use them? They seem like a moderately pointless item in racing, other than perhaps letting the jockey feel more involved in the race. Little man syndrome anyone? Either way, that seems like a part of the sport that could go without any real effect on the sport itself. Also, the use of numbing medicines and pain killers for horses before races have to be seriously monitored. It is easy to see how one could perform out of their natural ability on these medicines which also have a negligible effect on the heart and other parts of the body.
There are several aspects of the industry that really need to be looked at and altered. There is no way that this sport is going anywhere, especially with PETA screaming out completely incorrect, un-informed views on shows like Mike and Mike in the morning. The sport will not be removed from the planet, but it can be changed for the better.
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