Big Brown Wins Kentucky Derby

Runner-up Eight Belles Collapsed After Crossing The Wire And Was Euthanized

(AP)  Big Brown backed up his trainer's boasts with an explosive finishing kick and won the Kentucky Derby on Saturday - a day marred by the fatal breakdown of the filly Eight Belles.

The cheers for the winner's decisive victory were cut short when Eight Belles, the runner-up, was euthanized on the track minutes after the race when she collapsed with two broken front ankles.

The unbeaten Big Brown took charge when the 20-horse field turned for home. Under the urging of jockey Kent Desormeaux, Big Brown cruised to a 4¾-length victory to become the seventh unbeaten Derby winner with his fourth consecutive win. The last one was Barbaro in 2006.

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 on the track and put Eight Belles down.

"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." Big Brown, with jockey Kent Desormeaux in charge, won the race by four and three-quarters lengths with Eight Belles second and Denis of Cork third.

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 also was entered in Friday's Kentucky Oaks for fillies, but instead Jones won that race with Proud Spell and set himself up to pull off the double.

Eight Belles was the first filly since 1999 to run in the Derby; the last to win was Winning Colors in 1988. She didn't press 2-1 favorite Big Brown down the stretch, and he drew away to a 4¾-length victory.

Still, Eight Belles was a sentimental pick by 157,770 fans, second-largest crowd in Derby history. She repaid their support by returning $10.60 and $6.40 for a $2 win ticket.

[kool_beans_1]

The real question is why are baby horses being raced? I don''t know how old Eight Belles was, but I do know they were racing Barbaro at an age when most horse owners (not race horse owners) would only have been riding their horses that year. Most horses bones are not fully developed until they are four or five years old. It is no surprise that two and three year old race horses are breaking bones that are not fully developed.

[kool_beans_1]

The real question is why are baby horses being raced? I don''t know how old Eight Belles was, but I do know they were racing Barbaro at an age when most horse owners (not race horse owners) would only have been riding their horses that year. Most horses bones are not fully developed until they are four or five years old. It is no surprise that two and three year old race horses are breaking bones that are not fully developed.

[shanev137]

The sport of horse racing is no better than dog racing, dog fighting, or bull fighting. Animals needlessly suffer and die so people can feel better about themselves. It''s seriously barbaric and pathetic when you think about the concept...but then again, what else would you expect from our mentally-ill human race.

[nonayabiness]

Perhaps horse racing = animal abuse. If animals have to die for the sake of someone making a few bucks or a lot of cash, then I''d say it''s an abusive sport.

[nothappyatall]

How can we make a real difference?

Thanks to you, we are focusing new resources on laminitis in three areas where we can make a real difference:

1. First, we are carefully studying each patient we treat, and comparing the effectiveness of treatments.
2. We are teaching nurses and veterinarians to improve the healthcare system available to owners.
3. Finally, we are see

[nothappyatall]

www.vet.upenn.edu/barbaro/

Barbaro was insured for $20 Million, had he died on the track the owners could have collected that, BUT, the owners who didn''t NEED the money- they are well off financially, wanted to SAVE their horse so the result was an expendature paying a team of vets in an expensive hospital for MONTHS to try treatments.
That does not strike me as people who wanted to "cash in" on stud fees CYBERUS!

abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=2742921

Dr Richardson press release: nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/16873221#16873221

How can you help?

Our Barbaro Fund supports ongoing patient care and the needed expansion of the George D. Widener Large Animal Hospital, our world-renowned large animal teaching hospital.

We are also fighting laminitis through the Penn Vet Laminitis Institute at New Bolton Center. Laminitis is a leading killer of horses. While it has existed since Roman times, it is still poorly understood and extremely difficult to stop. It is extraordinarily painful, and often has a fatal outcome, as we saw in Barbaro''s case. You can help by supporting the Fund for Laminitis Research.

king a cure for laminitis through fundamental laboratory studies.

[nothappyatall]

I personally was outraged at the suffering that Barbarro was put through, which to me was simply a way to extend his life enough to collect as much *** to sell as possible.

Posted by cyberus

You are totally WRONG on that, the owners of Barbara were totally upfront all the way, they spent WAY more money trying to SAVE their horse than they ever could have gotten from some silly stud fees you imagine. Perhaps you didn''t know the FACT that the stallion, in this case Barbaro would have been REQUIRED by the association''s rules to do a live mating to mares, that was was published. Thus a crippled or weak horse with injuries who can''t do the job does not have his progeny registered.
Barbara was not suffering and the doctor at the school treating him took his case on very personally and became VERY attached to this horse and tried to do everything he could. He had visible TEARS in his eyes and was deeply moved at the press releases.
Barbaro''s treatment helped the doctors learn more about what may or may not work for treatments of other horses in the future.
Years ago most any injury was an AUTOMATIC death sentence, now many can be saved.
If you were so upset by this, MAYBE you should be turning your obvious anger on those who sell and slaughter horses for MEAT- many thousands every year, I dont see you protesting THAT.

[cyberus-2009]

---
To those of you questioning the cruelty of putting Eight Belles down without trying to save her: As a horse owner I know the kindest thing was to euthanize her right then and there. Horses CAN NOT recover from two broken front legs. What a sad day for horse lovers...I just sat there and cried.

Posted by GrammaWhamma
---
Being raised on a working farm (with horses) I have to agree .. putting Eight Belles down was kindness.
I personally was outraged at the suffering that Barbarro was put through, which to me was simply a way to extend his life enough to collect as much *** to sell as possible.

[grammawhamma]

To those of you questioning the cruelty of putting Eight Belles down without trying to save her: As a horse owner I know the kindest thing was to euthanize her right then and there. Horses CAN NOT recover from two broken front legs. What a sad day for horse lovers...I just sat there and cried.

[Michael Arnold]

Why have I not seen or read ONE explanation about HOW this happened. Not ONE. Could it be that they just don''t wanna talk about it? Did they put her down simply because it wouldn''t be an economically sensible thing to do to keep her alive... i.e. taking up space and costing the owner money? Probably. Seems like it was "juice her up and drag her off the track as quickly as possible!

Seems like the media has a hands-off policy -- along with golf -- with horse racing. Remember the guy who a few months ago, killed a hawk on the golf course (after several tries) Nothing much was ever said about it. Unlike Michael Vicks pitiful show, it was dropped like a hot potato.

[kounkenardo]

Kmartcarol,
Its obvious that you are upset by this incident but believe me euthanizing this filly was the humane thing to do. With 2 broken forelegs her chance of recovery was slim to none. I give you the example of Barbarro - look at what he was subjected to and eventually had to be put down. Horses are not like us - they cannot survive in a recumbant position - any prolonged time in that position can be fatal. And standing on 2 broken forelegs will eventually lead to severe laminitus and eventually rotational founder, an extremely painful condition.
I have had horses since I was a kid and like you I grieve for this filly - but believe me it was the best thing to do considering the circumstances.
The real problem is that this filly was only 3 years old and not fully developed. Sadly thats the nature of thoroughbred racing - all these horses are babies and not fully developed - a thoroughbred takes at least 5 years to mature. So they are racing babies and as a result some are seriously injured.

[kounkenardo]

What everyone fails to note and ignores is that this filly was only 3 years old - Thoroughbred horses take at least 5 years to mature. When you race a immature horse who''s bones havent yet set and developed you are bond to have problems. It happened to Barbaro, its how happened to Eight Belles and it will happen again and again - by its nature thoroughbred horse racing is cruel for these young horses

[cindybee2]

I believe seeing Eight Belles go down was one of the saddest things I''ve ever seen. Coming in 2nd and her life was over.

[kmartcarol]

I am very fond of Animals. I do not do Horse racing. I did find out about the horse that injured himself. I wonder if the owner knew that the horse had a problem, before letting him race. I am a person who believes in giving animals a chance at rehabilitating themselves, even if the thought may be in vain. I really don''t think they would say, it''s not possible to fix. To me, the word "can''t " is out of the vocabulary. If not for being a racing horse, I know there is somebody to take this horse, and make his life comfortable. It''s horrible what was done. I blame the Veterenarian for not trying to help, and the owner to pay for this, to give his horse a chance. I think that " Horse Racing" is getting dangerous for the animals. It''s Cruelty to the animals. Why is Money so important to people?? This horse, it was young, but it''s bones were not strong enough to race. There is no thinking about anything that proves inportant. I feel for any animal that is taken and put in a situation which proves negligence, unconcern, and not taking what would happen if that person were put in that situation. Could they stand that?? I know the horse is in a safe place. I just feel sad that the chance it was to be given, was not. I give my sympathy to the Horse, for now it is at peace. The owner, a chance to decide the best chance, for the outlook of any other horses he might have. I have spoken my peace, and given my Sympathy. Animals will always be my #1, and my choice will always be my Best.

[shanev137]

Sorry, my bad...the proper and politically correct term I should have used was "adult male chicken" fighting.

I should have known better to use such a blatant and offense word in my description of that sport.

If I offended anyone I am truly sorry.

[shanev137]

It''s really sad what they do to those horses.

There''s really no difference between this and dog or *** fighting....in the end, an animal usually dies so someone can make money off it.

[truthyness]

Wow, what they said was really true. Obama really did win the Kentucky Derby. That is beyond surreal!

[krg12171936]

This only proves what I have said for years.
Horse Racing should be banned because in my opinion it is Cruelty To Animals.

[eddynewhope]

OMG! This is for real! Eight Belles was the horse that Clinton picked during a photo-op last week. She had her daughter go to the derby and bet the philly. The horse broke down and died! That is beyond surreal.

[gce65]

"Mommy! Mommy! Why is that horsie laying down in the dirt flopping his legs? And why are they bending like that?"

"Don''t look, dear. He''s just resting. He''s just happy. Look over there instead... at all the cheery, colorful hats all the ladies are wearing."

Nice show for our CHILDREN, Kentucky Derby and NBC/General Electric!