Shook the Spot

Crippled horse photo panned by some readers

A score or more readers found Tom Reel's photograph on Page 1 of the Sunday Express-News troubling. Among the terms used to describe the photo were "shocking," "horrendous," "pathetic" and "in poor taste."

Patricia Quintanilla, sobbing, left a telephone message Sunday saying she was "devastated" by the photo. Others, obviously looking at the photo as they spoke into the phone, threatened to cancel subscriptions, urge friends who are animal lovers to also call and questioned the newspaper's sanity in putting a photo of a crippled horse on the front page "where children can see it."

While the photo drew lots of brickbats from readers, just one call criticized reporter John Tedesco's report, "Racehorses risk fatal finish in a life-and-death gamble." The story accompanied Reel's photo of Miss Pretty Promises, kneeling, her nose in the dirt of the Retama Park track, her front legs broken, moments before the quarter horse was euthanized.

Express-News editors defended the decision to run the story and photo, a decision that was fortified when Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro fractured a rear ankle Saturday in the Preakness in Baltimore. That story also appeared on Page 1 of later editions of the Sunday Express-News.

"We knew this was a provocative photo that could spark reaction, but the decision to run it as the dominant art on 1A was not made lightly — nor is it on a daily basis when we weigh the context and news value of images of death, destruction or suffering," Managing Editor Brett Thacker said.

"We were leaning against such prominent play until Barbaro's injury at the Preakness thrust the issue of racing injuries to the forefront of the news. Is it a painful photo? Absolutely. Does it illustrate the point of the story? Nothing could have said it better."

David Sheppard, the newspaper's special projects editor, said Tedesco had been working on the story for weeks.

"I would agree the photo is graphic and disturbing," Sheppard said. "We take no particular pride in showing the racehorse struggling in the final moments before she was euthanized. But the picture reflects the reality of what happened to Miss Pretty Promises, and to hundreds of other racehorses that break down on the track.

"Tedesco and ... Reel witnessed that awful moment and captured it in words and pictures. We are not in the business of suppressing the news and felt strongly that the photo belonged on the front page to let readers see for themselves what happens to some of these beautiful animals."