HBO last week canceled its lackluster series "Luck" following the death of a third horse during production. Given that about 800 horses a year die at racetracks, Cord Jefferson questions the logic of the decision:
It's a strange society in which a television show can't kill horses with impunity but the more than 50 thoroughbred tracks in the United States can. Perhaps the producers of Luck have more of an affinity for the horses, agreeing to quit after killing only three while people in the racing industry destroy thousands. Perhaps people believe a death on the racetrack is somehow more honorable than a death for HBO. Whatever it is, America's loyalty speaks volumes about how it prefers its horse deaths: Luck averaged only around 625,000 viewers per episode, but 14.5 million people watched the Kentucky Derby last year.
The Dish 