Northernhorse.com Blog

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association continues to coordinate equine health and safety initiatives in response to the death of the filly Eight Belles, and on May 9 called for “urgency” and an end to the “status quo.”

The NTRA board of directors, during the special meeting, reviewed current Thoroughbred industry policies and communication programs. According to a release, the board directed NTRA management to continue to coordinate and implement industry-wide communications on current initiatives and urged the industry to move expeditiously to adopt additional measures to ensure the health and safety of its equine athletes. read more…

Students will be able to choose horse racing as a major in Wuhan as the city’s educational officials have galloped ahead with approval to set up a course, Changjiang Times reported Tuesday. Wuhan Business Service School, a junior college in the capital of Hubei Province, said it would trot out horse racing as a major this fall to cater to the growing demand for such professionals, the report said, adding that it will be the first school to do so on the Chinese mainland. The school plans to enroll 40 students specializing in sports for the three-year course, which falls into the category of tourism management, said Xia Yunjian, head of the physical education department at the school. The course aims to nurture top professionals for horse racing - not only expert jockeys, but also management talents and horse veterinarians, the report said.

Jockey did nothing wrong: Trainer. Says filly wasn’t pushed too hard before injury that led to on-track euthanization.

The trainer of euthanized filly Eight Belles adamantly defended the way jockey Gabriel Saez handled the Kentucky Derby runner-up. In an interview with the Associated Press yesterday, Larry Jones said Saez applied the whip only to prevent Eight Belles from crashing into the rail. more info

Alarm Bells Over Eight Belles - The Humane Society of the United States

Don’t Euthanize Horse Racing Just Yet - NBC Sports

Losing Perspective in the Winner’s Circle - The New York Times

Horse Racing is Beauty, Tragedy - Baltimoresun.com

PETA Demands Radical Reforms to Horse Racing - newsday.com

The Kentucky Derby Tragedy - US News & World Report

Barbaro’s Trainer Keeps Another Vigil for Injured Horse - USA Today