So, I came off the road just in time for the 134th Run For the Roses. The Kentucky Derby is huge here in Louisville, bigger than Christmas. And what a Derby it was. The favorite, Big Brown, blew past all the other horses to win by several lengths while the only filly in a field of 19 colts, Eight Belles, the horse my mom and I sat squealing for from our armchairs, ran her little heart out behind him, coming in 2nd, only to break both her front ankles just past the finish line and knuckle down on the track where she lay and was euthanized within minutes of finishing the race.
And somehow, this was not really newsworthy. The announcers mentioned the "ill-fated filly" but continued with the celebratory coverage for Big Brown's owners, and we sat there stunned. It's funny what we humans consider a tragedy...bc you know if she'd come in 1st, and then come down, she would be given some kind of respect for having died racing so her owners could make a bunch of money off of her talents. Reporters would have been all over that. But, as it is, she came in second, so her unbelievable death - dying by racing her little heart out - was a side note to the big winner, who brought people the most money...cause you know it is all about money.
I haven't really watched horse racing since I left KY years ago to live in NYC, and I just find it ironic that the year that I leave NYC, to study how people are living sustainably (or not) in America, I come home to watch the Derby and the horse we are rooting for dies on the track...from, I presume, being bred for an unsustainable career running as fast as she can so that people could bet on the likelihood of her winning the race. We are a strange species and I feel very sorry.
Rest in Peace, Eight Belles, beautiful girl. You ran a magnificent race and now you are free. I hope your spirit is soaring.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Dear Julie,
I don't know if you remember me from Louisville a long time ago but last year I was googling a lot of names I remembered from college and I came across your blog. I got completely hooked on it and really loved reading your experiences. What an incredible thing you all did! Congratulations on that, and of course on your pregnancy.
We live in Europe but we had our son in Jeffersonville 3 1/2 years ago (owing to my dad's terminal cancer we came home for the birth). Do you remember Mary Oliver Humke? Did you know she works as a lactation consultant? imagine my surprise when we ran into each other in Clark memorial hospital. We didn't go the home birth route but we did want it to be all natural and that hospital was quite open and cooperative about the natural birth thing. of course, at the end of the day it was still a HOSPITAL, but all things considered quite progressive. Dr. Arthur Boerner was our physician. I also used a book by a Dr. Bradley that had a lot of good advice about natural births. (his approach is called, not surprisingly, the Bradley Method.)
anyway, if you have time I would love to hear back from you. good luck!!
--Kristin Faurest faurest.kristin@chello.hu
Post a Comment