Death Threats … To a Horse???

You have to stop and wonder what’s going on in the world when a thoroughbred race horse receives death threats. This troubling circumstance came about last week when Rinterval’s life was threatened just days before she was due to run in the Lady’s Secret Stakes at Hollywood Park. Considered to be one of the top challengers to the mighty Zenyatta on Saturday, Rinterval had given the undefeated superstar a strong challenge in the Clement Hirsch Stakes, in both horses previous race. When trainer Eric Reed arrived to his horse on Thursday he was surprised to see a group of security around the barn. He wondered if they were there keeping an eye on  him. In fact they were there to protect his horse. The first thing that crossed my mind when I learned of the situation was the stabbing attack of Monica Seles by a rabid tennis fan named Gunter Parche in 1993. Parche was an obsessed fan of Steffi Graf who could not bear to see the object of his affection supplanted as the number one player in the world by the younger Seles. Monica Seles survived the on court attack, but her athletic career was derailed and never quite the same as before she was stabbed. With the help of 24/7 security detail surrounding Rinterval, the five-year-old mare, owned by Jerry Jamgotchian, was kept safe until it was time to bring her over to the track for the race. In a bizarre turn, Rinterval had to be scratched moments before the running of the grade 1 race. Apparently she became agitated by the noise and waving of signs created by the presence of Zenyatta. She banged her head in the commotion and was scratched for her safety. In the Hollywood Park paddock fans can get very close to the horses. Too close to comfort for Reed, who said he doesn't blame the fans, but would consider saddling his horses outside of the usual area in future races at Hollywood Park. According to Reed, Rinterval was left no worse for wear after the ordeal, and in fact worked five furlongs at Hollywood Park yesterday before flying back to Kentucky, where she is being now pointed for the Spinster Stakes this coming Sunday. Horse racing is a sport that invokes great emotion and passion. I know this fact firsthand, but to turn that fervor into even the threat of harming or killing a horse disgusts me. To the despicable person or persons who made the death threat … I urge you to get some help.