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Letters To The Editor

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 10, 2008

Use Casinos To Gamble

Regarding "Eight Belles Breaks Down After Derby" (Sports, May 4):

I've never followed horse racing and I don't belong to any animal rights organizations, but I was horrified to read what happened to this beautiful animal!

Eight Belles did not choose to race. She didn't ask to be beaten to go faster and faster, and she didn't deserve to die because gamblers wanted to gamble - because people wanted to make money on her.

If people want to gamble, let them go to Las Vegas or an Indian casino instead.

Horse racing and greyhound racing is animal abuse, pure and simple, and it should be outlawed.

JOAN THAU

Tampa

Lethally Inject Gambling

What a graphic, horrifying image of one of the heavy costs of horse racing. The gorgeous filly, Eight Belles, finishes second in the Kentucky Derby, only to suffer catastrophic fractures of both front ankles, and then to be put down - killed - on the racetrack by lethal injection. At least they don't shoot horses on the track at the Kentucky Derby.

Partially because of the brutality, and also because of the slow pace compared to other forms of gambling, horse racing was heading for the ash heap. Then suddenly to the rescue came slot machines! Wealthy track owners and horse breeders begged, often successfully, before state legislatures that their industry would die without the introduction of the slot machines. Gratefully, the Kentucky Legislature did not listen to that nonsense this year.

In a free-market economy why should the government artificially prop up a failing industry by allowing them to operate addiction machines while allowing other outmoded businesses to succumb to normal market forces? We certainly didn't allow steel and textile mills to shore up their financials with slot machines.

With the brutality of the "sport" on open display, it is a good time to reject the cries for slots at the tracks. The tracks should be allowed to die a natural death to replace the violent, tragic, untimely death of beautiful young animals. The tracks should be allowed to die a natural death, from lethal rejection by market forces. Why let slot machines ruin both people and horses' lives?

HELEN ROBERTSON

Washington, D.C.

Similar To Dog Fighting

From an old racehorse breeder and race enthusiast, last Saturday's unpleasant finish to the Derby was just a drop in the bucket to the actual number of horses that are ruined in one way or another by man in his attempt to best his neighbor using animals for sport.

Horse racing is very, very similar to dog fighting. The domestic animal is the unwilling participant and always the loser. I do not know of any horses that, given a choice, would participate in such a ridiculous and demented pastime for the questionable amusement of their slave masters. The horses I have known, when running, want to run joyously in a big group - no winners, no losers. The object is to have fun and avoid the natural perils of a prey animal running alone.

Horse racing should be allowed, but the roles should be reversed. The horse should ride the naked ape as far as he can carry and then be allowed to show the hairless wonder who can really run as he leaves the track, the paddock, the stall and the fenced enclosure and heads back to open range forever. Tradition does not supersede reason regardless of propaganda to the contrary.

BYRON DEAN

Brandon

The writer is administrative director of National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling.

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