Submitted by Paula Stenger, May 14, 2008 14:11

I thoroughly enjoy the Kentucky Derby, horses, and horse racing. I love the sport, I love the animal.

The most difficult thing for me is to know one of these wonderful animals has been sacrificed to the sport. The most enlightening thing for me is to know one of these wonderful animals has been sacrificed for the sport. It is a conundrum I will admit.

When Eight Bells had to be put down, my heart was broken. I started out telling my family I thought I would root for her. I changed to Big Brown before the race began, and ended up filled with sorrow and thinking about this animal, the race, the clouded way it all ended, the jockey, the trainer, the time put into her, the owners and her short life ended. I said to my loved ones, "This is the thing I hate about this sport." It seems every year a gorgeous creature dies, for the sake of our pleasure, if you will.

So, how does one deal with this conundrum? A horse is a horse. The people who worked with this particular horse had their days filled with the love of her. The money expended on her care, was spent knowing it could possibly end even before the race. Having worked with and raised horses, I know how much joy and pleasure they bring to us just by their coexistence with us. Oh I do love them. Oh, it is worth it. We spend, feed, groom, clean up after, train and love. Sometimes they die before their retirement. Eight Bells? Eight Bells died for the love of being a horse, racing her heart out, giving it all she had. I will never forget her.

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