LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — The trainer of euthanized filly Eight Belles adamantly defended the way jockey Gabriel Saez handled the Kentucky Derby runner-up.
In an interview with the Associated Press yesterday, Larry Jones said Saez applied the whip only to prevent Eight Belles from crashing into the rail.
“This filly in every race has tried to drift toward the rail,” Jones said. “It’s her comfort zone, and Gabriel knows this. This kid made every move the right move, and I hate it that they’re wanting to jump down his throat. He did not try to abuse that horse to make her run faster. He knew he was second best, that she wasn’t going to catch Big Brown.”
Jones spoke while traveling from Churchill Downs to Delaware with his other prized filly, Kentucky Oaks winner Proud Spell. Jones is scheduled to have a press conference this morning near the paddock at Delaware Park.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals called for Saez to be suspended, contending he should have noticed an injury and pulled the horse up rather than apply the whip.
In a statement yesterday, Saez said Eight Belles never indicated anything was wrong.
“All I could sense under me was how eager she was to race,” Saez said. “I was so proud of her performance and of the opportunity to ride her in my first Kentucky Derby, all of which adds to my sadness.”
PETA also announced plans to protest the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority today, arguing for major changes, including a ban on using the whip or racing horses younger than three years old.
KHRA executive director Lisa Underwood said yesterday that racing stewards found no evidence of wrongdoing by Saez. The authority also released a statement responding to PETA’s proposals, arguing that many of them were premature or unnecessary.
The Humane Society of the United States also weighed in yesterday, arguing that horses are becoming more fragile because they’re being bred for speed, not durability.
“There are problems coming to light more than ever — problems related to breeding,” said Wayne Pacelle, Humane Society president. “Breeding too many horses, and waiting for someone else to clean up the problem. And breeding them for body characteristics that make these animals vulnerable to breakdowns, especially those spindly legs on top of these stout torsos.”
Dr. Larry Bramlage, the on-call veterinarian at Churchill Downs during the Derby, acknowledged there was merit to that argument. He suggested there should be more financial incentives for horses who display longevity, rather than just the ability to come up big in one huge race.
“The value of a horse is no longer related to how much he can win on the racetrack,” Bramlage said. “It’s related to how likely he can get you to one of those events. The breed creeps toward a faster and faster individual, but that individual may be brilliant because they have a lighter skeleton. We’re inadvertently selecting for the wrong thing.”
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