PETA wants Jockey suspended.

[Kingdom]

Speaking of crying..

PETA wants Eight Belles jockey suspended

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.

“What we really want to know, did he feel anything along the way?” PETA spokeswoman Kathy Guillermo said. “If he didn’t then we can probably blame the fact that they’re allowed to whip the horses mercilessly.”

Eight Belles trainer Larry Jones said the filly was clearly happy when she crossed the finish line.

“I don’t know how in the heck they can even come close to saying that,” Jones told The Associated Press on Sunday. “She has her ears up, clearly galloping out.”

Guillermo said if Saez is found at fault, the group wants the second-place prize of $400,000 won by Eight Belles to be revoked.

Saez, a 20-year-old Panama native, was riding in his first Kentucky Derby. He frequently rides for Jones.

A call to the jockeys’ room at Delaware Park, where Saez raced on Sunday, went unanswered.

Eight Belles, the first filly since 1999 to run in the Derby, appeared fine until collapsing while galloping out after the finish.

The letter to the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority also sought a ban on whipping, limits on races and the age of racehorses, and a move to softer, artificial surfaces for all courses.

[ljshorty89]

Thats ridiculous if you ask me. I mean, it's clear that she wasn't (at least didn't appear) to be hurt before the finish. I can't imagine them finding any reason to believe that the jockey did anything wrong. I can see their problem with whipping, but that won't change. And I agree with them on the surfaces, if it would prevent injuries. I think at this point, however, you cannot possibly blame the jockey for the tragedy that occurred.

[browntown653]

This is a joke, **** PETA

[NYgiantsfan5689]

This one's on the jockey. I'm giving credit to mntwinsfan who called this way back about 10 minutes after it happened when I was talking to him online. He pointed out to me that the horse clearly wanted to pull up around the final turn, and the jockey continued to push her. I looked at it again and it's very clear. Somehow this horse took 2nd while injured, who knows what she could have done if she was healthy in her next few races. Definitely suspend the jockey, guy's gotta know when to call it quits.

[HollywoodLeo]

I hate PETA

Except when they do their naked women protests.

[Halladay_is_God]

PETA can go to hell

[Kingdom]

I hate PETA

Except when they do their naked women protests.

Score

[Kingdom]

Thats ridiculous if you ask me. I mean, it's clear that she wasn't (at least didn't appear) to be hurt before the finish. I can't imagine them finding any reason to believe that the jockey did anything wrong. I can see their problem with whipping, but that won't change. And I agree with them on the surfaces, if it would prevent injuries. I think at this point, however, you cannot possibly blame the jockey for the tragedy that occurred.

So poor Ron Artest gets your scorn.

[ljshorty89]

Well, I was going to give it to PETA, until I looked at the replay and saw the face of Ron Artest hiding on the track, waiting at the far turn. There, I saw him (moving quickly enough to go unseen) trip Eight Belles. THAT is why she got hurt. So how could anyone NOT blame Ron Artest?

[realmofotalk]

Blame Ron Artest? Was there a throughbred by the name of Tru Warier running in the Derby that I was unaware of?

[HollywoodLeo]

Where's the Blame Canada option?

[Kingdom]

You missed it when a horse ran into the stands after a fan threw a scotch-martini at it. The fan was Ron Artest.

[realmofotalk]

twinsfan was correct. I just looked at the replay again, and she wanted to pull up. The jockey should've done what Chris Antley (r.i.p.) did when he had a feeling that Charismatic was injured during the '99 Belmont Stakes.

[HollywoodLeo]

I didn't watch the race but judging from posts of those that have it sounds like PETA may actually have a legit complaint for once here.

I still hate them.

[ljshorty89]

From what the trainer and jockey said, she had developed a habit of moving her head up and to the right in practice, when she wanted to speed up. I don't know how reliable they can be, since they'd be covering their own @$$es, but thats what they said.