Eight Belles was a shame, Go For Wand was pure Horror?

Question

I'm only bringing this up because so many people list Eight Belles as the worst breakdown in sports history. I feel terrible for her and she will be missed. For those of you who never saw Go For Wand race, she was a remarkable filly and the breakdown she went through was the definition of tragic. She was the champion 2yo filly of 1989, and was a standout at age 3 in 1990. She went up against the older champion filly/mare Bayakoa in the BC Distaff in 1990 when the horror unfolded. Here's the link to the video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNltI2p_Mac

Answer 1

I consider neither breakdown to be the worst in racing history- that honor, dubious and sad as it is, will always go to Ruffian, at least in my mind. What happened to Go for Wand WAS horrific, yes- and the fact that it happened on the same track, in almost the same place, as Ruffian's breakdown makes it doubly so. Will there be more tragedies like this one?-Yes, you can count on it, as long as the real and underlying causes of them continues to go unaddressed and are never dealt with.

The worst part about all three of these tragedies is that they were all totally preventable- and so totally unnecessary. These poor fillies gave their LIVES so that we could be entertained for a few minutes- and I personally find that to be utterly appalling. I love racing, yes, but not in its current form, which desperately needs to be overhauled and changed. The great philospher and statesman, Gandhi, once said that you can tell a lot about a society by the way in which that society's animals are treated and cared for. What keeps happening in today's racing world makes me wonder how long it's going to be before we start treating our own kids the way we treat young racehorses. I hope that day never comes- but who knows if it will??

Answer 2

Frankly, your title makes it seem as if you are comparing Friday the 13th to Halloween, as a film critic would!  Please, To lose any horse to a fatal breakdown is a tragedy!  To try to rank the Horror level of any breakdown is puzzling!  The value of a horse should have nothing to do with the consequence of the race!  A horse having to be put down on the track is terrible everytime!

    I remember very well, the horrifying moments of Go For Wand's breakdown, and her instincts making her try to hobble to the finish line anyway!

    I remember Ruffian, still fighting to get to the finish line, as she came out of her anesthesia, rebreaking the bones that had just been repaired by surgery.

    I remember Edgar Prado, fighting with all his strength to pull up Barbaro before he did any further damage to his broken leg.

     The lesson's learned from each of these horses, will live with us.  Remember Barbaro was put down due to Laminitis in both his front hooves, not because of the broken leg.  The extra time he had with us, is in part due to the lessons learned from Ruffian.

    Chelokee, a horse that broke down the day before the Derby at Churchill Downs is doing great and is about to be released from the Equine Hospital at Rood and Riddle!  He has the lessons learned from Barbaro to thank for his upcoming life as a Stud!

     Tragedies happen...it is what you learn from them that means the most!

Answer 3

That's a pretty awful video and very sad.

I do think you should have warned people it could be upsetting.OK some people ignore the issues and should face up to them but this will upset a lot of animal lovers  who have nothing to do with racing.

Answer 4

Before Go For Wand there was another - Ruffian.  Her story was put out on DVD in 2007.   Do not watch if you are sensitive.

I remember watching the Breeders Cup that year in 1990; because of that race I do not watch the events live anymore.

Answer 5

Yes very sad

But it happens everyday somewhere!

You only pick the horses that are in the publics eyes

It happens in morning work outs and at the gate

at farm s

  I have seen at least 100 horses break down and have been on them when they have

It's not fun

and it makes everyone sick

We had a 3 yr old in trails In the morning ,the jockey kept hitting her with the right hand . she went over the rail and Killed the jockey in front of his wife and kids !

Why he did not change to his left hand with the whip ?? No one will ever know

Please no more we do not need to see this !!Why ?

Its not any different when a race car wrecks and kills three drivers with him

or skiing accidents . Boxing when one punch kills a man

talk about humans they kill each other ,, or war !!!

Why only spot light race horses?