Theme, Week 14

I watched the Kentucky Derby over the weekend. It was spectacular; the winning horse (Big Brown) moved with such grace. As the horses came out of the gates, they collided, shoulder to shoulder, fighting for position. Big Brown started on the outside post, and moved to the front with a nice rush out of the gate. As the horses rounded the track, I couldn't help but admire their speed, and beauty. Big Brown hung with the top five all the way around, and at the final quarter mile, he burst. His muscles rippled as he jolted forward. It was like watching a Ferrari on the freeway. He passed the leaders on the outside and broke away for a huge lead. Crossing the finish line, the jockey raised his arms in triumph. Big Brown the powerful champion trotted to the cheers of thousands; his owners eyes filled with tears of joy; truly a glorious celebration of a magnificent creatures abilities.

I saw a shadow, at the crossing of the finish line; that showed another side of this champion's sport. The shadow of a jockey flying through the air. The second place finisher, a philly by the name of Eight Bells had collapsed on the track, throwing her rider. Vans pulled up on both sides of the horse to shield it from the eyes of on lookers. The media stayed focused on the champion as he trotted around the track. Slowly, news came that the philly had broken both of her legs and had been put down. There, laying on the track that she had come so close to winning on, she lay dead; she had run the race of her life. I was shocked and saddened. Suddenly, Big Brown's owner, with the tears in his eyes no longer appeared as an overjoyed patron, but instead, he took on the shadow of a tyrant. A man who used these beautiful creatures for his own profit; a man who cared nothing for the life of his horse. A greedy man. I couldn't get the thought from my head that Eight Bells had died; living a hard life, a life in which she had given up her life to please her masters. I felt ashamed that I had cheered as she raced around the track.