Yes, It was a glorious day at the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby. Thousands of oversized Sunday-hats sipped Mint Juleps and cheered fanatically for the champion Big Brown. That is, it was glorious until the #2 horse, Eight Belles, was killed on the track, with post-race broken ankles. Then NBC went on to simply praise the champion, as Eight Belles gets turned into dog food. Great–let the PETA backlash begin.

Dr. Larry Bamlage made a statement following the breakdown of Eight Belles:

“She has finished the race and was around the turn at the 7/8ths pole around the backstretch and she was by one of the outriders — he saw both front ankles collapses and the initial physical examination — of course there was no x-ray — it’s obvious from the physical examination that she had condylar fractures in both sides and the left front opened the skin — broke through the skin and was contaminated…and at least one of the sesamoids broke, so she didn’t have a front leg to stand on…she was immediately euthanized,” he said.

Not sure which part I am dreading most–everyone saying how rough and barbaric a sport it is, or PETA absolutely losing their minds in what will be a week of constant blather. Just when I thought the slow news weekend was going to move over into asbolute boredom, this happens.

But let us not us forget that it is a horse. Not a superdelegate, not a Darfurian child, not a manatee, but rather an animal bread for the singular purpose of running races. When they are normally done, some get to spend the rest of their days humping other horses in a field a flowers–but alas, the bulk wind up in dog food, glue or getting shot on the side of the track like an equine Tupac Shakur.

We can’t blame Biggie for this one. Rather, blame the millions of people around the world who love to watch this race. But I have to say, shooting the horse right off of the track was “Coooooooolllldddddd Bloooooodeeddd!”

I am a new horse racing fan!