Showing posts with label Jacky Martin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jacky Martin. Show all posts

September 4, 2011

The Harsh Side of Racing

When I go to the racetrack, I say a little prayer for myself that all of the horses and jockeys return safe and sound. Most of the time it does work, but sometimes it doesn't.

Just this weekend, Jacky Martin who was supposed to ride the favorite Ochoa in the All American Futurity (the biggest Quarter Horse race in the World) tomorrow was injured and is in serious condition and paralyzed (although the paralysis could go away when the swelling goes down). There where rumors that he had passed away, but they had turned out to be false. Today at Del Mar, Burns who had upset Midnight Interlude in their previous race was fatally injured in the Del Mar Derby. His jockey Patrick Valenzuela, who has come back from the lowest of lows was also injured.

People where concerned about Havre de Grace running in the Woodward for what happend three years before in the Kentucky Derby. That's when her connections sent out Eight Belles who had finished second in the race, only to break down after the wire and was euthanized. Thankfully, all the horses in the Woodward, including Grace game back safe and sound.

Hopefully tomorrow's races go off without a hitch, with all the riders and horses comeing back in one piece.