The recent events that unraveled at the Kentucky Derby in early May sent shockwaves throughout the racing community.

The 134th racing of the Kentucky Derby on May 3 started out as every other race began. Thousands packed Churchill Downs, many dressed to impress — including many ladies with ridiculously oversized hats — and all looked for a good time to throw back, empty their wallets and bet on a truly magnificent sporting event that lasts just over two minutes.

The crowded field of 19 thoroughbred colts (male horses under age four) and one filly (female horse under age four) took to the gates for the running of the derby.

A filly running in the derby is like a human female playing in the NFL, NBA, MLB, etc; if good enough, they can play on the team as there are no rules discriminating women from playing. However, it is a rarity, so when it happens, the female is top-notch.

Take Danica Patrick, an auto racing driver in the IndyCar Series. Last month Patrick became the first woman to win an Indy car race.

Only 39 fillies have run in the 134-year history of the derby. Only three of those fillies won the derby. Do the math; 130 races were won by males, only three females. Those three females were something special.

To everyone’s surprise, the filly, Eight Belles, finished second, behind derby winner Big Brown. But just moments later, Churchill Downs fell silent. After crossing the finish line and galloping out of the first turn, Eight Belles fell to the ground, throwing her jockey in the air. While the jockey got to his feet unharmed, Eight Belles did not. Turns out she broke both her front ankles, something experts called “untreatable,” and couldn’t be saved. She was euthanized right there on the track.

This sent shockwaves and outcry around the racing community and media. Was it proper to euthanize the horse right there, in the middle of the track, with thousands at Churchill watching? Thankfully the cameras shied elsewhere.

But the question still remained, why do it so publicly?

Granted it was probably very painful for the filly and nobody wanted the horse to suffer, but don’t do it in the middle of the track. Children were watching, and it was even heartbreaking to adults too.

This writer was saddened by the tragedy of Barbaro two years ago at the Preakness. A horse that was on his way to winning the Triple Crown, broke one of his front legs, and after months of surgery and rehabilitation, was finally put down.

Horses are beautiful creatures, racing is a pastime that dates back to 1665 — at least in the United States — and to see a tragedy like this is always sad, but it is worst when the euthanization was only a few hundred feet away from thousands of people.