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Athens, GA (May 19, 2008) - After my daughter's sleepover birthday party yesterday, we drove one of her friends home to her horse farm out in the country. While there, we were admiring a 12-day old colt names "Moose", so named because of the disproportionate size of his head at birth, and talking to the young lady's mother about Big Brown's victory in the Preakness.

"I had no idea who won. I refused to watch. After what happened at the Kentucky Derby, I am so over competitive horse racing," she said. "We were so excited to see the filly finish second, only to have our hearts torn out by what happened next. What these breeders are doing to and with these beautiful horses is horrible. They are being run at too early an age and without adequate preparation. It is absolutely disgusting."

To hear this from a horse breeder was surprising to say the least. But perhaps it is part of a growing groundswell of the right right people saying "enough is enough." It is one thing to hear this coming from the mouths of annal rights activists and the hypocritical People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). It is quite another to hear it from a person who makes their living breeding and raising quarterhorses.

Forget the panel discussion hosted by Bob Costas before the running of the Preakness on Saturday. It would be far more interesting to have this type of conversation with NBC Sports Tom Hammond (whose education is in Rquine studies) over a dinner, or any other media announcer who earns part of their living from calling horse races on television and/or radio. What do they really think? It is unlikely they would give a candid answer on the record, but it would be very, very interesting to hear a no-holds barred off the record discussion.

Related Links

NY Times Richard Sandomir discusses NBC Sports Panel Discussion (thanks Fang's Bites!)