Bye Bye Barbaro

Ok, I'm sick of the spin. The gallant colt, the fighting spirit, the determined owners.

What about a sport that races babies because it's too expensive to allow them to mature? Barbaro, Ruffian, Seabiscuit, Black Gold, these are the winners of legend who broke down horribly in front of millions. Why? Because they were raced too hard too early. You don't often hear about the losers who break down-they are simply euthanized and used as a tax write off.

I love to watch the horses run, but unlike men watching supermodels, I couldn't care less how old the horse was-I don't need to see a baby. I doubt anyone else would NOT go to horserace because the horses were 5 and 6 year olds....

If you want to set new speed records, why don't you give the horses time to develop to adulthood before you race them? I'm not saying do away with the Triple Crown, that great American tradition-just change the age limit-and limit the LOWER limit as well, so that younger horses cannot break their legs in the quest for glory.

Barbaro was a HORSE. I am sure he probably liked racing and running around, healthy young animals do. But given the option, I bet he would have raced less and at an older age and live a long healthy life begetting baby Barbaros.

Barbaro didn't just sign himself up for those races-the responsibility lies with the owners who made the decision to race him at an early age. I'm sorry, folks "that's just the way it is in horse racing" does not free you from the choice you made. YOU chose to enter an animal into a sport that endangered his life-and he lost. Moreover, you went to a lot of effort to do just that.

So, please, press and media, quit shoveling that crap about the loving owners and fans. A loving owner does what's best for their animal, period. And loving fans speak out for what is right.

Sign me.....A loving fan