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Kentucky Derby filly euthanized after jockey can't get her to stop
Is it too much to think there was a message for Hillary in the Kentucky Derby outcome today? That message being that now that the race is over, which it is, she really should probably get out.
You probably recall she was telling voters they should bet on the one filly in the race, Eight Belles, despite the odds. Well, Eight Belles finished a respectible second, but was euthanized seven minutes after the race was over because she broke both ankles after her jockey was unable to get her to stop after the race. As the jockey told the courier journal, “I tried to get her to stop,” he said. “I tried to get her to stop, but she wouldn’t stop.”
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080503/SPORTS08/80503027/1002/SPORTSSeriously.
The winner of the race, a horse named Big Brown.
Comments (75)
This makes me really, really sad. Horses are not race cars. :(
May 3, 2008 8:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Kinda sick to politicize an animal
that had to be euthanized.
Sad there are people this callow.
May 4, 2008 8:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
The ironic thing is - Hillary BET ON THIS HORSE herself - at least according to the story on CNN.
Hmmmmmmmmmm.........
May 3, 2008 8:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow. Ok. That's pretty awful but on a meta-level...
May 3, 2008 8:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, it is too much to think there was a message for Hillary in this. But if the Clintonites choose to see a message there, there's no need to dissuade them...
May 3, 2008 8:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is pretty disrespectful on all levels and I would hope you would consider taking the post down.
May 3, 2008 8:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm unaware of how a post can be removed. If no one reccomends me this should disappear soon. It's not intended to be disrespectful. I just find the whole incident bizarre. And sad at the same time.
May 3, 2008 8:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
What is disrespectful about it?
May 3, 2008 8:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Talk to Mark Halperin.
It's a banner headline on his site.
May 3, 2008 9:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, she likened herself to the horse in the first place. And besides, you can't "take the posts down". Just don't read stuff that offends you. Works for me.
May 6, 2008 12:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
You're right minjo and codegen86. It is just a sad story.
But you have to admit the whole "Big Brown" winner and Hillary previously tying herself to a horse that subsequently came in second and had to be put down because the jockey couldn't get it to stop after the race is pretty f***ing weird.
May 3, 2008 8:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, it is pretty damn weird. I just don't think it means anything at all. It's just this natural human tendency to see patterns where there are none.
May 3, 2008 8:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
it is irony, not patterns
May 3, 2008 10:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's also a human tendency to see patterns where there are in fact, patterns!
May 4, 2008 6:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
My god, I want this primary race to end. This is all just so profoundly stupid. RIP Eight Belles.
May 3, 2008 8:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, it would be nice if TPM interactivity included the ability to DELETE ones own posts (or even EDIT them!).
But until they reach the 21st century, we just have to live with it, I suppose.
May 3, 2008 8:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Howzabout PREVIEW, at least?
May 3, 2008 10:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
As a Native Kentuckian and a Horse Lover this post in terribly bad taste. The horse was "put down" at the track in an effort to do her best for Humans. Your pretty sick making fun of the situation.
PS - Big brown is for UPS idiot
May 3, 2008 9:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
As someone who's Jewish, I'd like to answer saying that we actually ran our own anti-semitic cartoon contest (in response to the Iranian one) w/ such zingers as "two in front, three in back, and six million in the ash tray" and laughed our asses off, so you can take a little dark humor.
May 3, 2008 9:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
All the hemming and hawing about this post being in bad taste is just symptomatic of the candy-assification of America. The race lasted about two minutes; the coverage of the race and the day's festivities was on for several hours. During that time, how many innocent civilians died in Iraq at the hands of the U.S. military, Blackwater's trigger happy contractors, or insurgents and terrorists who don't give a damn who they kill? How much air time will be dedicated to coverage of this race? How much will be dedicated to the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan?
Did I watch the Derby? Yes. Was it a great race? Yes. Was I thrilled to see Eight Belles run so well? Absolutely. Was I even happier to see Big Brown win? Yup. Was I saddened that Eight Belles had to be put down? No. It's a horse. They have big bodies and very skinny legs. Rich people force them to run fast for our entertainment. If your TV was tuned to NBC, you're culpable.
Before the post-race coverage began and her condition was announced, I had a chuckle to myself about Big Brown coming from way outside to run away from the field, and how the only female in the pack ran so well. And after her condition was announced, it occured to me that someone somewhere would draw this political parallel. And then it occured to me that someone would overreact as though it was the most distasteful thing that ever happened. The reaction to this will predictably be just as ridiculous as the reaction to "the tragedy" that befell "the heroic" Barbaro. It appears it has already begun...
May 3, 2008 9:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Your a sick piece of trash and have no idea of what your talking about. Same ole same ole from your sorry ass. Stupid freak.
May 3, 2008 9:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
You have an incredibly poor grasp of the difference between the possessive "your" and the contraction "you're," which represents "you are". But I'm the stupid freak. And you're a Native Kentuckian, so your opinion about horse racing is more valid than mine.
May 3, 2008 9:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
You can always tell when Clintonites are getting desperate.
May 4, 2008 6:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Way to elevate the conversation, guy. Sheesh. We have guys dying by the dozens in Iraq, a war your candidate voted for and supported, and you're cursing guys out over a horse. Yes, I'm an animal lover, too, and I've lost pets in the past. But get a fucking grip.
May 6, 2008 12:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
If your so worried about those iraqi civilians why don't you get off your ass and do something about it rather than wringing your stupid hands and pointing fingers. So freakin typcial. what a total asshole you are.
May 3, 2008 9:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm reminded of the line in "Apocalypse Now" about how we train soldiers to drop fire on people but we won't let them write "Fuck" on the side of their plane because it's "obscene"... Perspective.
May 3, 2008 9:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah your the genius.
May 3, 2008 10:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
And, not at all surprised that you can quote lines from movies. Lil advice...try doing something to help the world rather than pissing on it everyday.
May 3, 2008 10:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
You have no idea what I do (or don't do) on a daily basis. I would no sooner take advice from Dubya than from you. You seem to have about the same grasp of the English language. I'd bet my breakfast tomorrow that you say "nucular."
May 3, 2008 10:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just brilliant once again. How do you do it. Time in and out. Just genius. Can I sugggest a separate post? Wimpy
May 3, 2008 10:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Let me get this --
You are going to be righteous about grammar?
You are going to be righteous about dead people
You are going to be righteous about defending this asinine post?
The horse, oh, well, too bad?
You are underwhelming.
May 3, 2008 11:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
.
.
May 3, 2008 11:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
To quote Lloyd Bentsen:
"You're the one who made the comparison, Senator."
May 4, 2008 8:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
Very sad for that horse and owner, anyone attached to her.
I hoped this post was some sick joke but looking at google news I see it's true. Don't think it's wrong to post it either, it is just too strange. It's Hillary that made the link between the two, not you or the media.
The media all noted it before the race so of course they are noting it now.
If the horse had just come in last this would be funny, instead it's sad irony
May 3, 2008 9:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bullshit, making fun of this situation shows a complete lack of class or an appreciation for these animals. Not too mention the pain she was in just after her ankles fractured.
May 3, 2008 9:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
He's not making fun of it, jackass. He's making the same connection between the horse and the primary that Hillary herself made earlier. You're taking it personally and getting all offended because you seem to want to, as a method of denigrating the argument of the post.
There's absolutely zero humor to the post, and if you didn't like it - don't respond to it. You sanctimonious Clintonites act like you don't pull similar crap every single day. Heaven forbid a guy expounds on a comparison Clinton made herself, or else you guys might have a cow. Unbelievable, really.
May 6, 2008 12:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
All of you, just stop now. Before this goes somewhere you don't want it to go. The connection is Stephanapolous/ABC'ish. Please see this. It is a tragedy, but just stop. Show the restraint that the MSM hasn't been able to show. If the tag-line COULD read 'Who Cares'...you shouldn't try and make the connection.
As an aside, and completely relevent to horseracing: Two years in a row we've had front-running horses dying because of this event/tryad. I'm no PETA freak, but this is pretty cruel to animals.
May 3, 2008 9:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not cruelty at all. If you would take the time to go and experience the care and love that goes into those horses each and everyday you'd see it differently. The sport also is trying to make strides to help these situations. Polymeric tracks to change the dynamic of impact on the horses legs are becoming mostly in play. If your a PETA activist the amount of abandoned or animals that are routinely mistreated in homes around the country would be your first target.
May 3, 2008 9:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
They'll never see your point. This is another Obamabot hate piece, so of course it inspired numerous recommendations. It'll be up forever.
May 4, 2008 4:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
A horrible post. Really tasteless. If I were down on your level this comment would be full of profanity.
May 3, 2008 9:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
I couldn't believe it! I thought it was a huge joke ala making references to Hillary! Oh, My God! After all of the jokes she made about people putting their money on the filly? This takes irony to a place that absolutely no one could possible top, no matter how adept they are a writing fiction. I am stunned. Won't stop, 2nd place, Big Brown wins? Folks.... this is a message from God.
May 3, 2008 9:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, and just think you call yourself a caringthinkingperson. LOL...people are great
May 3, 2008 10:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Caring and thinking does not stop me from seeng a grand irony
May 3, 2008 10:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh yeah? Get off on being ironic about Animals dying? Yes, I can see where that is both caring and thinking.
May 3, 2008 10:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
There is nothing to be gotten off on as far as the tragedy of the horse is concerned. That part of it is so very sad. But this is often done in horse racing. I do not watch, nore do I participate in horse racing, activism to stop horse racing is the appropriate place for you to vent that type of anger. But, if you think that the irony of Hillary Clinton making such a big deal to connect herself to this horse is missed on a political blog... well maybe you are on the wrong web-site.
May 3, 2008 10:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Would only suggest then you re-read your original. That sure sounded like "glee" to me. And if you need something like this type of tradegy to make some sort of point about politics.......What am I saying. Your an Obama supporter. Of course you need to do that. Carry on.
May 3, 2008 10:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think Louisville, judging from previous comments, is more outraged that we see a Hillary pattern in all of this. The caring for animals, while I have no doubt is true, is masking the true outrage.
May 4, 2008 6:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Louisville, I sure hope you're a vegetarian.
May 3, 2008 10:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm in tatters...
I had Chelsea there at the race...
We bet huge...
If she'd have won I had a horse photo-op planned along with the winnings going to charity.
Had an ad planned too:
For who the belle tolls!
But the horse lost to a frickin' horse named Big Brown. F$@$%^& S%@$!!
Now fuck the photo-op.
Ad now I got to send out my flying monkey trolls to say:
"It is bad taste to talk about this. Bring the post down."
Hie trolls! Hie! Scare the dirty little liberal into taking down the post! Hie!
May 3, 2008 10:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
If Eight Belles was fine but Colonel John ran second until the end when he got confused, turned around and started running the wrong way during the race...
While being trained, owned, & jockeyed by lobbyists...
And half the horses started blindly following him in the wrong direction...
There would be eight posts about it with 70 comments and 40 or more recommendations...
And some candy ass would be complaining about how inappropriate it is that people were drawing parallels to Senator McCain.
May 3, 2008 10:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Your calling people a candy ass? Ok , sure, wimpy. Go watch a movie.
May 3, 2008 10:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
I would highly recommend getting some kerosene, pouring it on a rag, and wrapping that rag around your ankle. You're going to attract ants if you keep it up...
May 3, 2008 10:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
LOL.....pathetic. I suggest you keep to correcting grammer or spelling. Anything else is a bit above you. lol
May 3, 2008 10:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
LOL indeed...
May 3, 2008 10:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Like you never watch a movie, for fear it might take time away from doing some kind of good in the world. Yeah, you're a fucking saint.
Why are you always on here posting, then? If you're doing so much good, and we're watching so many movies?
May 6, 2008 12:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
This isn't about candy-assification or insensitivity or the treatment of animals or whatever. All valid topics in their own right, I imagine. But this is about the state of political discourse in this primary. We're all, on both sides, just reaching so desperately at this point in this race, it's reached a level of self-parody. I'm not trying to be self-righteous, just self-aware; I've gotten caught up in some irrelevant stuff during this race, too.
Hillary set this ridiculous narrative up as she took pandering and gender-carding (can you imagine the uproar if Obama had asked people to bet on Big Brown?) to new and nauseating heights. But co-opting it just validates it. We roll our eyes when the opposing candidate sets it up, but then we gleefully jump on board as soon as it can be exploited in a different direction. I would just resist the temptation and simply call this parallel what it was in the first place: a stupid campaign gimmick.
May 3, 2008 10:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're absolutely right, bdh. I get a little worked up when people get their wires crossed about what constitutes a "tragedy" these days. But you have made some very valid points here and I'm going to take them to heart and stand down. (How could I not since I've been quoting you in various places over the last few weeks...?)
May 3, 2008 11:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Same to you. There is a sense of proportion missing in our sentimental recognitions of tragedy sometimes. I definitely don't disagree with that point.
May 4, 2008 2:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
This post SUX.
A beautiful horse died today, in pain. She had to be euthanized. She lived and breathed up until today. How's her death about political discourse? Or a celebration of self-parody or irony or a grand political joke? To read into this some deep meaning about the Clinton campaign or some political irony, is nauseating because I very much doubt that Eight Bells gave a damn about politics or the current political campaigns.
May 3, 2008 11:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Actually that's not true, Eight Belles was a republican.
May 4, 2008 6:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
I couldn't agree more.
Chelsea was there.
She saw the whole thing.
We bet a lot of money on her.
It was going to charity...
Now that's gone.
So is the photo-op.
I am pissed...
But then again...
I am always pissed.
Fuck!
By the way...
anybody know how many Iraqis got euthanized into hamburger today?
May 4, 2008 12:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
blockquote>By the way...
anybody know how many Iraqis got euthanized into hamburger today?
Was I making fun of dead Iraqis? NO. The very reason that I support Obama is because he does not like dead Americans or dead Iraqis.
Generally I find you and your doppelganger First Fornicator very funny, witty and glamorous.
Today you are ugly. Because you still cannot see that a dead horse used to be a living thing and has nothing to do with the Clinton campaign. The dead Eight Belles inhabits its own world of sadness outside of political parody, irony and grand political joke. Is that so hard to comprehend?
Brave New World indeed.
May 4, 2008 12:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Just keep in mind who created the link between the (now-dead) horse and the Clinton campaign. It wasn't the person who posted this.
May 4, 2008 5:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
wow. those are some comments. sorry to those I offended. yet I don't see how one could ignore the irony.
May 4, 2008 1:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
Your post could have elicited a different response by establishing entirely different parameters in your introduction. The irony could have been handled with more sensitivity for a dead horse. In your rush to parody the Clinton campaign, you objectified a dead horse as a pataphor, whereby laughter and funning about a dead campaign became more important than the vehicle which delivered that laughter – a dead horse. I wish you had built this edifice upon something other than a dead horse.
May 4, 2008 1:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Considering the lack of sensitivity as Clinton showed towards our troops when she gave that warmonger a blank check - along with several other colleagues of hers - to wage a meaningless war that has cost THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS' LIVES, you'll pardon me if I don't get bent out of shape over a horse. A fucking horse.
You folks need to get your priorities straight. It's a shame that the horse had to be put down, but let's put our attention where it belongs.
May 6, 2008 12:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
Eight Belles couldn't have survived two broken front ankles. Horses have to be able to stand or their internal organs and then immune systems fail on them, like Barbaro eventually did after 8 months.
After an injury like this you have about 10 minutes before the nerve endings fully transmit to the brain excruciating pain to the horse. Euthanizing the animal before that hits is the kindest thing you can do. That's what they did.
BTW the only knock on Big Brown before the race was that he was too inexperienced. He'd only run in 3 races before yesterday.
May 4, 2008 7:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly. Seeing that race as a bit of a metaphor wasn't so far-fetched, and besides, what's the harm?
May 6, 2008 12:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
via Kevin Drum/Political Animal...Let's have a contest. As we all know, Hillary Clinton chose filly Eight Belles to win the Kentucky Derby today. Instead, EB came in second and then had to be euthanized after breaking both ankles right after crossing the finish line. So here's the contest: Who do you think will be the first pundit/columnist/talking head to use this as an idiotically extended metaphor for the state of Hillary Clinton's campaign? Matthews? Dowd? Jonah Goldberg?
Maybe we just have a lot of Jonah Goldbergs here.
May 4, 2008 7:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't that make Kevin Drum the first guy to extend the metaphor?
May 4, 2008 7:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Mike posted this before KD's post went up so I guess you're wrong. Not that it matters.
May 4, 2008 11:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe we ought to stop kowtowing to Kevin Drum's delicate sensibilities. He spends way too much time at the Corner for my tastes.
May 4, 2008 7:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
So...he's been seen spending time at The Corner, eh? If that's the case, I'd recommend you stop kowtowing to him. Save all of your kowtowing for Obama. (KD is an Obama supporter BTW.)
May 4, 2008 11:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
i'm not a horse person, but my aunt is. last year her prize horse kicked the side of the stall and got his foot caught. no big deal until he fell over with his leg still caught. he was put down.
he was a family member to her and she is still grieving. not something i would wish on anybody.
that said. it being sad and tragic does not stop there from being abundant irony here.
May 4, 2008 8:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
I agree. Iowa Mike's post was not disrespectful. The media and the Clinton campaign created the fiction of the "horse race" for the nomination as neck-and-neck (See today's headlines of Survivor: Clinton Closes in on Obama and Clinton Closes the Gap. Clinton extended the metaphor to the actual horse race of the Kentucky Derby. It's possible to react to the indisputable irony of the situation and still feel sadness for the horse and the circumstance that led to her death.
May 4, 2008 11:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
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