Im sure i wasnt the only one who was shocked to hear about the couragouse filly who lost her life giving it her all  and who won second place just to be put down by braking her two front ankles!!!.  i was rooting for this filly and she did a wonderfull job, as we all knew she would. but at what price did she have to pay? i was watching the  memorial videos , and all they showed was her being riden basically, it made me wonder, for a 2 yr old did she ever have  any relax time?  Do they push 2 yr olds too hard to become ready for race time? i mean at what age do they start training? do thoroughbreds have a chance to even be a horse? to lazy around a lush green pasture, and maybe even go on a relaxing trail ride to unwind like my buddies? did Eight Bellles get any of these oportuniteis or was the life she knew all about raceing and the stress of it made her brake down?  Is 2 yr old to young?

My personal opinion?  Yes, 2 years old is too young to race ANY horse... TB or not.  Racing is incredibly hard on their young joints, which is why there is an astounding amount of lame retired racehorses.  And most of these horses haven't even reached 4 years old yet.  When galloping, the horse has one foot on the ground at any one time, and all their body weight (plus weight caused by force) is put on those leg joints.  I will never understand (besides money reasons) why the racing industry just doesnt wait for them to get older to race them.  Then at least their joints would be fully developed.

JMO though.  That's why I don't follow racing.

I second what Nicole said.  I don't think that horses need to be started until they are two yrs old.  I have to wonder if race horses wouldn't hold up better and have longer more enjoyable lives if they weren't started until they were two and then raced as say four or five year olds.  Granted, I know nothing about racing, but I feel bad for all those out of work race horses with bleak futures.

My thoughts exactly...  The only reason I can see for NOT waiting until they are 4 or 5 (I'd rather see them wait until 5 or 6 to actually enter them in races though) is because then trainers don't have to put as much money into the horse before it can start making money on the track.  I don't think that a 2 year old that much faster than a 5 year old, and it wouldn't matter if the standard racing age was changed anyway.  It is my dream to one day start a racehorse rescue facility to bring out the full potential in these amazing horses with so much life ahead of them.  If I can ever get out of accounting, that is.  lol.

Lol Nicole, you sound like me!!

I decided to quit supporting racing a few years ago.  I won't even watch it.  I agree with what's been said and honestly..... it makes me sick. 

I think that a 2 year old is too young to even be on a horse, never mind gallop it hard! I too dislike racing, and think that horses should be at least 3 before they can race. I think that this would prevent a lot of injurys. I also agree that many competion horses don't have a lot a time to relax. Race horse owners bon't know that rest can make horses happier!

i completely agree with all of you guys, but the derby is reserved for 3 years olds, not two. i know that the winner BB had only raced three times before, probably all this year when he turned three.

Personally, I think 3 is too young too.  I assume you're saying that BB raced in races three times before?  Because even if he only raced in 3 races before the derby, he was still put into training at home beforehand.  So I still think its way too young.  I'm not disagreeing with you.  JMO.  :)  I don't watch racing.

Racehorses are started as YEARLINGS to race in their two year old year.... They are considered 2 on Jan 1st, some aren't even actually two until many months later.

I totally agree they are started WAY TOO EARLY.

Jessi

It's interesting that the racing industry makes more money in breeding than in actual racing.  Why the industry has bred speed while sacrificing sturdy feet flies against the old adage, "No foot, no horse."   It just doesn't make sense.

My bet is that the best way to influence the racing industry is through the insurance industry.  If covering mortality on race horses included a standard on healthy feet, then the breeders will have to comply.

Enlighten me please.  TBs were jumping in Rolex Eventing shown on TV last Sunday.  Did those TB's come out of the same breeding program as race horses? 

Its possible... many ex-racehorses end up being eventers if they retire sound.  Or they are bought from racehorse breeders before they are raced.

Even if they did raise standards on healthy feet (sounds like the QH industry!) I still think racing horses that young is unnecessary.  They can't get real money from breeding until they win races so its still too much incentive for trainers to get them out there racing early.  And the cost of a broken horse is far less than the benefit if they win. :(

Horse racing is one of the most organized and calculated forms of animal cruelty accepted in the world.  It is ALL about the dollar.  Most people who care about horses truly will not even back them until they are 2 and often 3 years old.  The TBs used in these races are in full training at 18 months old.  WAY too young.  I can't even watch.  I was told that in Europe the horses are older when they start racing and that they race for more seasons because of this.  We really need to revise this system in the USA.  It is accepted animal abuse.  OK, now I will put away my soap box and quit preaching to the choir.

Nicole:

the cost of a broken horse is far less than the benefit if they win. :(

It's all a numbers game, isn't it?  I read somewhare that the racing industry produces a large number of foals per year (90,000??).  As noted in another discussion thread, many of these foals end up in slaughter.

The industry is also loosing to other forms of entertainment/gambling.  Here in Oregon, Portland Meadows race track is in a state of disrepair and will probably close very soon. 

So where's the money coming from?  Could it be a matter of degree?  My wife and I willingly spend/throw money to keep our trail horses happy.  As such, I can understand the many millionaires out there willing to loose fortunes on their race horses.  I only wish it were done out of guardianship and not out of greed!

When I heard Eight Belles went down just after the race my heart sank.  Then I started thinking...What is such a young filly doing there anyway!?!  I Heard she was 17 hh . At that age to be so big how could she be developed enough to carry herself balanced let alone race + carry someone else?  A five y/o at the barn had a growth spurt of a few inches and was all un co-ordinated for a while at certain gaits.