Posted on 5/8/2008 5:35:41 PM

Wager On Horses - Crack the Books, Not The Whip

By Robby Maddux

Following last week's Kentucky Derby tragedy of filly Eight Bells, there's a buzz swarming around The Sport of Kings and online horse betting fans across the nation. With hopes of not offending purest of the game or other hardcore rail birds, I'd like to chime.

You all know by now I'm one of the biggest degenerates in the sports betting business, after having made public I'd bet the over/under of another man's blood-pressure just for action if given the chance, so you know I frequent my local track (Beulah Park in Grove City, OH), and that makes me as guilty as the next track monger looking to make a quick buck off a sporting event fueled by greed and features total disregard for its athletes.

Coming from a family of hunters and fishermen, I rarely see eye-to-eye with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). Yep, the same group of folks that'll push for the death penalty on a human that squashes a Daddy Long Leg whom suffers from arachnophobia. But being an animal lover, and having the utmost respect for the industry, I have to omit, I fully agree with PETA resurrecting the issue of whips being used on horses in races.

Also, I'm not ashamed to tell you, I've refused to watch replays on television or clips online of last week's Derby. Or, shy in saying there was nothing good about taking a winning show ticket on the 5 horse to the track to collect funds for my niece who bet on Eight Bells, of course, because she was the only girl in the race trying to beat the boys.

Anyone that's attended live racing knows the sound of ''cracking the whip''. I'm sure the repeated spanking delivered by a 4'8'' 73-pound jockey flailing a flimsy whip doesn't exactly inflict sheer pain on the animal, but I'd bet it doesn't exactly feel so good. Told you I'd bet on anything!

Many claim ''getting into a horse'' is to remind it to run, keep it focused and-or prevent it from becoming lazy. But, an animal vigorously being whacked in the rear by a jockey applying the whip so intently it looks as though he or she is convulsing atop a horse, doesn't fit the bill.

Conversely, the problem for me isn't abuse, it's the intent and purpose the whip or ''stick'' is used. And, that's to force a horse of coarse (I couldn't resist) to run potentially against its will. On a daily basis, at ''nickel and dime tracks'' across the country, horses are ridden without concern and forced to run with the use of a whip.

If Eight Bells could of spoken, have had the option to not race on that tragic day in Louisville, and had not been driven to the point of collapsing, obviously the filly would still be here today.

But unfortunately, we will never know before post time if a horse has a premonition not to compete because of an undetected injury, doesn't feel well, or simply doesn't want to run on that day. However, one thing is certain...he or she is expected to run by money hungry connections at any cost. Even if they have to be loaded into the gate by man-power which is a common occurrence.

Despite coming from an animal with a major lack of intelligence, a horse's hesitance to enter the gate is a clear indicator it doesn't want to run for what ever reason. Yet, they're repeatedly shoved into their stall just moments from being thrashed by a whip forcing them to run even harder. Rid of the whips and at least give the horses an opportunity to run at their own discrepancy.

Horse racing will never be banned but we may soon bet horses online without the use of whips, which can only help the ongoing efforts of recapturing the glory of The Sport of Kings that's been so severely lost. Even if Big Brown fails to win the Triple Crown.

Banishing whips would greatly reduce injuries and not hurt the sport's integrity or drop the value in a jockey. The handicapping aspect would become more exciting and we could all still get our horse wagering fix. At the end of the day, win or lose, we'd all cash in by losing the whip. That's a lock!

Keep checking the Locker Room all through the Triple Crown season, as we will cover the trainers, horses and jockeys in each race. You can get your early Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs bets in now in the BetUS sportsbook in the Future / props section, under Horse Futures: 2008 Kentucky Derby.