LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Big Brown backed up his trainer's boasts with an explosive finishing kick and won the Kentucky Derby on Saturday.
But the cheers of the crowd were cut short when the filly Eight Belles, who finished second, was euthanized on the track minutes after the race with a fatal injury.
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.
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."
Dam....just for broken ankles? She cannot race anymore no doubt, but broken ankles can heal. They did not want to invest in her hospitilization because she cannot race. That is a dam shame.
Debbie wrote:Dam....just for broken ankles? She cannot race anymore no doubt, but broken ankles can heal. They did not want to invest in her hospitilization because she cannot race. That is a dam shame.
They were two compound fractures, which she could not put any weight on. Horses cannot leave all of their weight on one side laying down for an extended period of time, in addition to the injury itself being incredibly painful. They made the right choice for both the horse and the owners.
Debbie wrote:Dam....just for broken ankles? She cannot race anymore no doubt, but broken ankles can heal. They did not want to invest in her hospitilization because she cannot race. That is a dam shame.
I wish it was that easy. Money is not the issue. Horses don't heal very well unless they can stand while healing. Laminitis sets in.
People will forget what you said... and people will forget what you did... but people will never forget how you made them feel.
Kyle wrote:They were two compound fractures, which she could not put any weight on. Horses cannot leave all of their weight on one side laying down for an extended period of time, in addition to the injury itself being incredibly painful. They made the right choice for both the horse and the owners.
I understand what you are saying and it does require a lot to shift the horse from side to side every so often for that reason. It requires a lot to work with the horse just to enable her bones to heal. I understand that. I just think it is a shame.
downhill wrote:It's a sad deal but it's not at all, uncommon.
It's incredibly sad when you witness one at a race. Everyone's attention is drawn to the track. Nobody wants to look each other in the eyes.
I was talking about what the vet stated. He commented on the fact in all his years he hadn't seen a horse break their ankles like that. It's not the breaking of ankles that was a surprise, but more how they were broken.
Through the years, other catastrophic injuries only ended the racing careers — not the lives -— of high-profile horses, as in the case of Charismatic, who recovered in 1999 after breaking his left foreleg.
Well, it is good to know that not all of them get put down.
downhill wrote:It's a sad deal but it's not at all, uncommon.
It's incredibly sad when you witness one at a race. Everyone's attention is drawn to the track. Nobody wants to look each other in the eyes.
A very telling observation. Money, entertainment and questionably willing participants, for such reasons I've never been a fan of the sport. Sure it's nice to root for a horse to make a run for the Triple Crown and go down in history, but IMO it's not worth the guilt when something goes wrong.
"...and when I leave, come together like butt cheeks." -Grits 'n' Gravy
