A Sea Of Red

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id ... _article=1

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - The filly Eight Belles finished second behind favorite Big Brown in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, then collapsed with two broken front ankles and was euthanized after crossing the wire.
The field of 20 horses was galloping out around the first turn at Churchill Downs when Eight Belles suddenly went down on both front legs and jockey Gabriel Saez slid off.

"When we passed the wire I stood up," said Saez, a first-time Derby rider. "She started galloping funny. I tried to pull her up. That's when she went down."

An equine ambulance reached her near the second turn and tended to the filly.

"There was no possible way to save her," on-call veterinarian Dr. Larry Bramlage said. "She broke both front ankles. That's a bad injury."

Trainer Larry Jones and owner Rick Porter decided to run Eight Belles against the boys in America's greatest race despite her never having done so before. She brought in solid credentials with a four-race winning streak and then ran gallantly.

Apparently this is a big deal. The second place horse broke both front ankles and they had to come out and euthanize it while it was on the track.

The sound must have spooked Big Brown b/c he jolted and threw his jockey when it happened.

I couldn't believe they put her down right there on the spot.

That turn of events just cost the horse's owners millions. Sad all the way around.

this is the first time a horse racing story has ever interested me....that is kind of sad i guess...

thepostman wrote:this is the first time a horse racing story has ever interested me

Kinda like me and the NBA

Only a few of us are enough to remember Secretariat, and how he ran a very similar race to Big Brown...and to me, Big Brown is the closest thing I've seen in size and strength to Secretariat. The next month or so could be VERY interesting as the Preakness and Belmont come up.

Fumblerooskies wrote:Only a few of us are enough to remember Secretariat, and how he ran a very similar race to Big Brown...and to me, Big Brown is the closest thing I've seen in size and strength to Secretariat. The next month or so could be VERY interesting as the Preakness and Belmont come up.

My dad said something similar. I don't know whether to believe him though, since most years everyone says, "hey this could be the year of the triple crown."

Big Brown is undefeated as as well. I always go with the undefeated horse, so I was rooting for Big Brown yesterday.

I was shocked that the end came so quickly for eight belles. One second you hear the news she is hurt and no less than 5 minutes later she is euthanized. It was so shocking to me, I wasn't sure they were talking about the same horse.

After all...they waited months to euthanize Barbaro. Supposedly Eight Belles injury was painful and much more catastrophic. Very sad.

The difference with yesterday was that both ankles were broken/dislocated (including one side that had broken the skin), thus there was no way to splint or do anything for the animal.

horrible indeed about eight belles. big brown is really special, and has the talent to win the triple crown, so it will be interesting.