Ryan Armbrust - Sniper Photography
> The Kentucky Derby Festival > 2008 > Eight Belles - Kentucky Derby Horse
As Big Brown was draped with roses, Eight Belles, the first filly to run the Derby in nine years, was euthanized after breaking both of her front ankles. It was the first time in Derby history that a horse died.
The death of Eight Belles cast a pall over the celebratory crowd with the painful memories of Barbaro still fresh. The injury to Eight Belles is similar to the one sustained by Kentucky Derby champion Barbaro at the Preakness Stakes in 2006.
Both horses had fractures of the condylar, the bulbous bone that connects to the cannon. Barbaro was eventually euthanized because of complications from the injury.
Eight Belles was slowing down less than a minute after her second-place run when her jockey Gabriel Saez first noticed a problem.
``After we passed the wire, I stood up,'' Saez said in a statement. ``She started galloping funny and I tried to pull her up, but she went down.''
Eight Belles was trying to become the first filly to win the Kentucky Derby since Winning Colors in 1988.
"Eight Belles showed you her life for our enjoyment today,'' Desormeaux said. "I'm deeply sympathetic towards that team. I'm very sorry for their loss.''
The death of Eight Belles cast a pall over the celebratory crowd with the painful memories of Barbaro still fresh. The injury to Eight Belles is similar to the one sustained by Kentucky Derby champion Barbaro at the Preakness Stakes in 2006.
Both horses had fractures of the condylar, the bulbous bone that connects to the cannon. Barbaro was eventually euthanized because of complications from the injury.
Eight Belles was slowing down less than a minute after her second-place run when her jockey Gabriel Saez first noticed a problem.
``After we passed the wire, I stood up,'' Saez said in a statement. ``She started galloping funny and I tried to pull her up, but she went down.''
Eight Belles was trying to become the first filly to win the Kentucky Derby since Winning Colors in 1988.
"Eight Belles showed you her life for our enjoyment today,'' Desormeaux said. "I'm deeply sympathetic towards that team. I'm very sorry for their loss.''
Eight Belles - Kentucky Derby Horse
Morning workouts - Backside of Churchill Downs
Morning workouts - Backside of Churchill Downs
Eight Belles - Kentucky Derby Horse
Morning workouts - Backside of Churchill Downs
Morning workouts - Backside of Churchill Downs
Camera: Nikon Corporation (Nikon D300) |
more details: exif |
original size: 4288px x 2848px |
Current: 600px x 399px |
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