Clinton's Derby Pick Places Second, Then Euthanized

(CBS)

From CBS News' Fernando Suarez:


INDIANAPOLIS -- Hillary Clinton's pick to win the Kentucky Derby this year came in second, but was later euthanized on the track. The tragic moment at Churchill Downs cast an eerie spell over the campaign and the candidate who recently compared herself and her candidacy to the only female horse running in the race, Eight Belles.

At a campaign in event recently in Jeffersonville, just north of Louisville, Kentucky, Clinton encouraged her supporters to put their money on the 20-1 long shot. "I hope that everybody will go to the derby on Saturday and place just a little money on the filly for me," she said. "I won't be able to be there this year, my daughter is going to be there and so she has strict instructions to bet on Eight Belles."

Earlier that day Clinton visited her Kentucky headquarters where a sign on the wall said "Bet on the filly." A filly is a young female horse, and no doubt Clinton saw a comparison to the horses' race and her own political race.

On the track today, Eight Belles beat the odds and eventually fought her way to place second, but was sadly put down after sustaining life threatening injuries to both of her front legs.

[txgrouch2004]

Out of respect for the dead horse, I''ll refrain from my usual Hillary bashing.

It was a tragedy, and this is not the place for "politics as usual."

[petronew]

Drop the Wright stuff...its history. Talk more about the illegalities of the Clinton Chronicles and what that means for another Clinton administration.

[lordmi]

Looks like even Nature is against clintons

[Lai K W]

It''s amazing that OBAMA fanatics always brag about winning the race. When OBAMA really win the presidential race, perhaps the only safe place for Americans is Canada.

[adrian_pale]

It sounds even more bizarre with the fact Obama had bet on the horse that won.

[jgunther7]

Hillary Clinton should be more careful when she tries ride on the back of somebody elses fame as a metaphor for herself. Besides, I always identified her more as a scrappy junk yard dog. A real fighter who likes to get down in the gutter and brawl at the lowest levels.

[unlocking-2009]

I don''t care what anybody says - I find the whole thing funny. I know people who never watched a horse race but watched the Derby because Hillary was talking about the filly Eight Belles. Ironically, the jockey says, and I quote, "I TRIED TO GET HER TO STOP," he said. "I TRIED TO GET HER TO STOP, BUT SHE WOULDN''T STOP." Sounds like Hillary to me. And now Clinton supporters are upset with anyone who is laughing about the whole thing and not seeing the irony in it. Who they should be upset at is Hillary - for encouraging people to bet on a 1200 pound animal going at break neck speed on 4 spindly legs. One misstep and its likely death. Sounds like the two primaries coming up on Tuesday - getting people to back her on a gas holiday and them BAM!!!!! death. The gas companies jack the price up. People are not so stupid, but clearly Hillary thinks they are.

[jgunther7]

Well at least it is not a bunch of mindless trash about rev Wright being repeated over and over and over again.

[truthyness]

Fernando, You were doing so good, what happeded? Don''t you realize this borders on trash you find in the rags?

[grammawhamma]

Shame on CBS and the author of this article for taking a tragic story and turning it into a political rant. I am disgusted!

(And yes I cried when Eight Belles died.)