Did anyone else notice how Eight Belles' jockey was whipping the c**p out of her while I never saw Big Brown's

Question

jockey hit him once?

Just shows me that she was pushed beyond her limits for human ego and money. I felt guilty watching it in the first place, but I was looking for a horse to root for (always go for the underdog) and when I heard she was the only Filly I was rooting like h**l for her. Now I am broken hearted and ashamed of myself for watching the whole hat day debacle.

Answer 1

Kent hit Big Brown just as much as Gabriel hit Eight Belles.  And she didn't break down while she was being hit... she broke down when the jockey was trying to pull her up (to stop her).  Her injury was a freak accident.  Eight Belles loved to run and she didn't break her leg because she was pushed too hard.  She was an amazing horse and absolutely capable of running against the boys today.  Lets honor and celebrate her memory.

Apparently YOU didn't watch the horses running down the stretch.  From the 3/16 pole to the 1/8 pole, Kent hit Big Brown about 5 times, then switched his whip to the left hand and hit him another few times.  Watch the video again.  I remember it vividly because when they showed the replay, my mom commented on it... she said why does he keep hitting the horse when he's already winning.  Go watch it again and then correct yourself.

Answer 2

Barbaro was barely touched in the Derby.  yet he broke down maybe before the Preakness started.  It's luck of the draw - these are 900-1000 pound horses running on skinny legs.  Bad things happen once in a while.  I was pulling for Eight Belles to win, and it still upsets me that she broke down and was euthanized, but I doubt it was the jockey's fault.

Look at any important race -  I bet the jockey was whipping the heck out of any horse who wasn't in first place and how many of them broke both front ankles?  It was a tragic fluke accident.

Answer 3

Then you weren't looking closely enough.  BB got the whip, just like Eight Belles.  Just like Colonel John.  Just like Tale of Ekati.  Just like every other horse in the race.

Then were you listening to the commentary?  When Stevens commented that Desormeaux used the whip on BB and that BB probably wasn't used to that because he was used to winning so handily?  Or are you just so wound up in your "righteous indignation" that you don't bother to look at reality?

http://www.kentuckyderby.com/2008/

Upper right corner.  Click Play.  Watch as they hit the home stretch.  Right when the announcer says "Big Brown makes a big move! And he takes the lead! Big Brown is opened up now by three!"  Desormeaux is using the whip on BB.  Geeze, BB is even getting the whip 20 yards from the finish line.

It starts at 2:04 if that helps you any.

Answer 4

I didnt see it. Wow. Her Jockey was probably on weed or something when riding her. I feel so bad.

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♥ I added you. Good luck stoping horse racing. I'm with you!

♥ My real name on here is Jennifer Jeter but until 1:05 tomorrow I am "Eight Belles" in honor of the beautiful horse that died yesterday ♥

Answer 5

I was rooting for Eight Belles and even put a bet on her because she was the only filly in the race.  I posted a couple of other answers on yahoo here in regards to Eight Belle and also felt the need to answer here after seeing your question.

I haven't watched replays of the race after knowing the fate of Eight Belles,so I don't know if the jockey was whipping the c**p out of her, but in afterthought of how she came up front so fast, i wouldn't doubt it.  

I was so happy to see her leave all those males in her dust , after all the horse racing analysts   were saying she could not make the grade in this race, she did and she didn't.  The young gal gave her all, she was pulled from race Friday because her trainer and owner wanted to run her in the Derby (who can say if it was greed or truly believing she could make the grade with the other 19 males is all water under the bridge now).

She should never have run in the Derby, there is a reason why a filly doesn't run in the Derby, my husband was really distraught by the tragedy today as well and he does not rattle easily.  He said humans in sport, animals in sport, female football players do not go into a team as the only gal in the superbowl, I'm not sure if my reasoning makes any sense here but what I'm trying to get across is that fillys race with each other, keep it that way, I believe she was pushed too hard.  And my whole outlook on horse racing is changed forever on how humans are exploiting animals for their own enterainment and profit

Answer 6

Jockey error may prove to be the reason for Eight Belles tragic injuries. Sad, sad, sad... Perhaps it was the jockey's  inexperience, ego, etc. Time will tell. I hope this is investigated by experts in the field.

Answer 7

You are the type of person that shouldn't be watching horse racing then.  

Breaking down is a sad, common thing and whipping a horse has NOTHING to do with that, it's bad genetics.

Answer 8

If you need to whip the horse to get it going, whip the horse.  If you don't need to, then you don't need to.  It's just part of the sport.

Answer 9

Just because a horse is whipped, doesn't mean that's how their legs break.  Geez.

Answer 10

Kent Desormeaux whipped Big Brown to get him to get running. Eight Belles was whipped just as much as Big Brown. Eight Belles broke down after the race. She ran beautifully in the race and just a freak thing that she broke down while jogging out.