Mary Zappia, Mesquite

Fri, May 16, 2008 (2:02 a.m.)

Regarding Bonnie Erbe’s Saturday column on the racehorse Eight Belles, headlined “Sacrifice of compassion in name of sport makes us inhumane”:

I saw the Kentucky Derby and was deeply saddened when I saw Eight Belles on the ground.

It bothered me much more than Barbaro. After reading the column I realized what it was that upset me. The jockey used the whip on Eight Belles while Barbaro was not whipped.

It is shocking to learn that even in training she might not have been treated kindly.

I will never be able to see a horse race in the same way again.