Eight Belles after fall
Posted on 05/03/2008 9:34:08 PM PDT by red flanker
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A quarter mile past the finish line in the Kentucky Derby, a gallant runner-up effort by the filly Eight Belles was forgotten in an instant.
In a freak accident that one experienced racetrack veterinarian said he had never seen before, the 3-year-old daughter of Unbridled’s Song apparently snapped both of her front ankles simultaneously as she galloped out after the race, sending her crashing hard to the Churchill Downs dirt racetrack. She was euthanized moments later, after vets determined there was no chance to save her.
“She had finished the race and was around the turn at the start of the backstretch and right near one of the outriders as they were watching,” said Dr. Larry Bramlage, on-call veterinarian for the race. “He saw both front ankles just collapse.”
While such an injury on only one leg might have given her a fighting chance to survive, “she didn’t have a front leg to stand on to be splinted and hauled off in the ambulance, so she was immediately euthanized,” Bramlage said.
He said such a double simultaneous break is an extremely rare occurrence.
“In my years in racing, I have never seen this happen,” he said. “... There was no possible way to save her.”
Jockey Gabriel Saez, who was thrown when the filly went down, walked away, apparently uninjured.
Trainer Larry Jones, who a day earlier celebrated winning the Kentucky Oaks with Eight Belles’ stablemate, Proud Spell, went to his barn immediately after the accident and could not be reached for comment.
(Excerpt) Read more at wnky.net ...
This isn’t commonly known but horses legs are not fully developed until age three. The rest of their bodies don’t catch up until age seven. Nevertheless, the stress of Thoroughbred racing at age two, which is the age required at the Kentucky Derby, can result in the terrible tragedy that occurred Saturday.
As an example of athleticism in horses, Lippizaner’s perform incredible athletic feats - but they don’t start training until age seven and their training takes as long as seven to eight years. Many of these horses, all stallions, perform well into their twenties.
Hillary told an audience to bet on this horse because she (the horse) was a filly.
I swear its an omen, especially since a Clinton was in the area something dies.
My interpretation is that the Hildabeast will come in second, fall flat on her face and will be mercifully “Arkancided”.
one can dream...
Some bloodlines of thoroughbreds are definitely known to have weaker bones, more easily fractured.
There have been a few fillies who could compete against the colts... there has been at least one winner of the Kentucky Derby who was a filly (Regret, can't remember the year she won).
Some years back, there was another gallant filly, Ruffian, who also fractured a leg and had to be destroyed. I remember reading that her bloodlines were known to be full of horses with weak legs. Her bloodlines had Bold Ruler on both sides of the pedigree, IIRC, and he was known to pass on weak legs.
If you Google Ruffian's name and find a picture, you can see that she had very delicate-looking legs, even for a thoroughbred. She was also a relatively large filly.
Or could the horses be started racing too early in their development? Anyone out there know anything about this?
Some folks think they race them too young, which may be part of it. All thoroughbreds are considered to have the same birthday (not sure, but I think it's January 1), regardless of when they were actually born.
In this country, thoroughbreds commonly start racing as two-year-olds. But they're not actually full-grown until they're about four years old.
Actually, the Kentucky Derby, as well as the other races in the Triple Crown, is for three-year-old horses.
Friday’s WSJ had an article explaining the bloodline of the Kentucky Derby racehorses. Every horse in this year’s Kentucky Derby is a descendant of Native Dancer who raced in the early 50’s. The article questioned whether the sport has become too reliant on one set of genes.
Because of heavily muscular legs and a jerky running style Native Dancer and his descendants have trouble with their feet. And over-breeding has made the problem worse.
Barbaro was a great-great-great-grandson of Native Dancer.
IIRC, Native Dancer is not the only stallion to have passed on his delicate legs to his progeny. I think Bold Ruler was up there too. Horses who have had a bunch of breakdowns in their racing careers, all too often, are retired to stud and used to breed. IMO, this is risky, but then again, I am not a horse owner.
I think thoroughbreds are beautiful, but even if someone gave me an off-the-track retired thoroughbred for free, I'd be very cautious about the deal.
I'm no expert on horses... however, *if* I had the money to have any horse I wanted, I'd probably et one of the so-called "European warmblood" horses, or maybe a Friesian, as they seem to have better, stronger bones in their legs (among other reasons). They're big and strong enough to carry a big person, and they seem more durable to me than thoroughbreds.
If people have to bet on races, why can’t they bet on races that involve people? Why do horses and greyhounds have to be run? Just don’t bet on me if I ever enter a race. I’m not a very fast runner.
“Does anyone know if she had anything to do with the winning jockey getting thrown.”
No. Had nothing to do with it.
“Had the filly raced on dirt before?”
Yes, all nine of her previous races were on dirt.
I stand corrected.
When I was younger I remember that some race horse owners and trainers wouldn’t enter their horses into the Kentucky Derby because they would have to race them the previous year. Two year olds racing before their legs have matured adequately is dangerous. Eight Belles may have paid for this poorly thought-out practice with her life.
After all, she’s born to run, it is her instinct, so it is up to her owner and trainer to care enough about her well-being to prevent what happened. She may very well have had stress fractures before she even stepped out onto the track.
What a stupid sport.
I believe jockeys and car drivers are NOT athletes in same class as other true sports. They simply sit and steer. Even golfers exhibit FAR more athletic skills.
To glorify jockeys and drivers as athletes is an insult to real atheletes.
Just my .02
true but they have to start racing a year before to even get the chance.
Although I'm not into horse racing I have met a few jockies ... without exception they are in great physical condition, wiry, and very strong. As far as Grand Prix and NASCAR drivers are concerned they have to have great concentration and co-ordination in order to win.
If you go looking for good hard evidence that jockeys in American thoroughbred racing are important, you’ll be looking a long time. In harness racing the jock is very, very important. And in the UK the jock matters, though probably not as much as harness racing.
I’m looking in vain for the Beyer Big Brown ran yesterday. Anybody know?
Eight Belles after fall
Eight Belles
Think bending stress, think psi’s..... too few square inches. Greater section required to prevent failure.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.