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The trainer of euthanized filly Eight Belles said Monday his jockey handled the horse properly during her second-place finish at the Kentucky Derby. Trainer Larry Jones said from Lexington that if the Derby were run again tomorrow, he'd put jockey Gabriel Saez right back on one of his horses. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has called for the suspension of Saez, saying the horse must have been injured during the race and he should have pulled her up rather than finish. But Jones said Saez acted exactly as he should have. Saez started whipping the horse to prevent...

THE only filly in the legendary US Kentucky Derby, which Hillary Clinton urged her supporters to put their money on, broke both its ankles and was destroyed on the track after the race ended. Senator Clinton will be hoping Saturday's derby does not prove to be a political omen. Runner-up Eight Belles, whom Senator Clinton had urged supporters to put their money on as the sole female runner was humanely destroyed on the track minutes after the race ended. Barack Obama, Clinton's African-American rival for the Democratic White House nomination, may draw comfort from both the winning thoroughbred's name and...

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is seeking the suspension of Eight Belles' jockey after the filly had to be euthanized following her second-place finish in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday. Gabriel Saez was riding Eight Belles when she broke both front ankles while galloping out a quarter of a mile past the wire. She was euthanized on the track. PETA faxed a letter Sunday to Kentucky's racing authority claiming the filly was "doubtlessly injured before the finish" and asked that Saez be suspended while Eight Belles' death is investigated. "What we really want to...

Tragedy struck the first filly in the Kentucky Derby since 1999, as Eight Belles went down on the track after her second-place finish today, broke two ankles, and was euthanized. Showing a sisterhood with the female horse, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., during a trip to Louisville this week had said she was going to bet on Eight Belles to win, place, and show. ABC News' Karen Travers reports that Clinton told supporters in Jeffersonville, Ind., earlier this week, "I hope that everybody will go to the derby on Saturday and place just a little money on the filly for me....

Former Gov. Brereton Jones has borrowed heavily from a financially distressed bank that he and several other Democratic Party leaders founded in 2001, according to interviews and bank records. Federal regulators have criticized the directors of Frankfort-based American Founders Bank, including Jones, for inadequate supervision. The bank was badly managed and suffered "hazardous lending and lax collection practices," which left it with far too many unpaid loans, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Among the specific concerns cited was improper reporting and recordkeeping of insider loans to bank directors and executives. The FDIC issued a cease-and-desist order to the...

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 camera cut away from her, but it should have stayed on her. Eight Belles had run herself half to death yesterday, and now the vets were finishing the job as she lay on her side, her beautiful figure a black hump on the track. Horses don't just fall down like that, you thought, as NBC flitted away, cowardlike, from the sickening picture to the more appealing image of the Kentucky Derby victor, Big Brown. There is no turning away from this fact: Eight Belles killed herself finishing second. She ran with the heart of a locomotive, on champagne-glass ankles,...

Cuban emigres living out rags-to-riches fairytale with colt Gayego Dr. Jose Prieto, left, and Carlos Juelle pose with Gayego shortly after they purchased him at the 2006 Keeneland September yearling sale. Carlos A. Juelle Mike Brunker Horse racing editor -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Few, if any, have traveled a more improbable and circuitous route to the Kentucky Derby than Carlos Juelle and Jose Prieto. The Cuban émigrés journey to the owners’ suite at Churchill Downs traces back nearly four decades to hard-labor camps and a maximum security prison run by Fidel Castro’s communist regime. Juelle, a 68-year-old semi-retired business executive...

Trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. said earlier this week that he could not imagine that a post position could get Big Brown beat on Saturday. That conviction will be put to the extreme test when Big Brown breaks from the outside post in a full field of 20 in the $2,211,800 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) at Churchill Downs. Big Brown drew the 16th pick on Wednesday morning in the traditional pill pull that determined the selection for post positions. Dutrow and owner IEAH Stables had four other options—posts one, two, 18, and 19—by the time they chose their...

In our quest to discover the origins of names belonging to Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) contenders, we discovered a diamond mine, picked up some basketball lingo, learned Indonesian, and found out "What brown can do for us" (to slightly modify a line from a popular television ad). Here are the stories behind the names of a few runners going into this year’s first Saturday in May. Anak Nakal (Victory Gallop-Misk) is an Indonesian phrase meaning "mischevious child," owner Kassem Masri of Four Roses Thoroughbreds said. "He was a bad boy," Masri said. "But he's not anymore."...

Florida Derby (gr. I) winner Big Brown shipped into Churchill Downs April 28, exhibiting the same ease with which he earned his latest five-length victory. Now, with just five days remaining until the running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), trainer Rick Dutrow’s main concern is keeping the unbeaten son of Boundary out of trouble and in good condition heading into the May 3 event. Although Dutrow declined to hold court with the media early on, he eventually emerged from his office to give a brief statement on the condition of his trainee. “He’s good,” Dutrow...

The Steve Asmussen-trained duo of Pyro and Z Fortune kicked off the week leading up to Saturday’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) with their final workouts Monday, April 28. With a large contingent of media and other observers on the backside on a cool morning, the two horses were among the first to work as the sun began to break through the horizon. The ground was slightly wet from light rain that fell overnight. Pyro was timed in :49 4/5 for his four furlong work, getting fractional splits of :13 1/5, :25 3/5, and :38. He galloped...

WinStar Farm’s Colonel John, one of the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), solidified his status with a scintillating five-furlong drill over the main track at Churchill Downs Sunday morning. Under exercise rider Karine Lhuillier, Colonel John got the trip in :57 4/5. Colonel John, winner of the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) in his last start, broke off at the three-quarter pole and lowered his body and really picked it up at the five-eighths. He was clocked in splits of :12, :23 1/5, :34 3/5, :46. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:11 1/5....

Mount Joy Stables' Smooth Air spiked a slight fever Thursday that prevented his going to the track for a scheduled gallop in preparation for the May 3 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). The developing situation could result in his defection from the Derby starting grid, according to trainer Bennie Stutts, who at 70 is looking to run in his first Kentucky Derby. Stutts said the Florida Derby (gr. I) runner-up will not go to the track Saturday, having been treated with antibiotics for what Stutts, who scheduled a press conference for 8 a.m. Saturday morning to update...

The first morning at Churchill Downs brought sunny skies and warm temperatures, as the Kentucky Derby horses began their final stretch to racing’s biggest day. From here on, there is no room for error. We’ll give a brief rundown of the day’s activities and continue with the plusses and minuses of each contender. The majority of activity took place after the renovation break, with the only worker being the Nick Zito-trained Cool Coal Man, who worked a half-mile in company in :47 2/5. The two horses who really filled the eye from a physical standpoint were Colonel John and Adriano,...

With the final Derby preps approaching, there is no more room for error. It’s time to earn your way into the Run for the Roses or pack up and go home. The three graded stakes this weekend – the grade I Santa Anita Derby and Wood Memorial and grade II Illinois Derby – offer intriguing plot lines that will make or break aspiring Derby hopefuls. Those plot lines include some juicy questions: Can last year’s champion 2-year-old War Pass rebound in the Wood Memorial following a dreadful performance at odds of 1-20 in the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III)? Will...

Z Humor, a gutsy dead-heat winner in the Dec. 7 Delta Jackpot (gr. III), and Smooth Air, who captured the Jan. 5 Hutcheson (gr. II) but will stretch out beyond seven furlongs for the first time, lead a field of nine in the $200,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes Feb. 16 at Tampa Bay Downs. The 1 1/16-mile Sam F. Davis is a test for 3-year-olds on the dirt. One of five Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) hopefuls trained by Bill Mott, Z Humor is a well-bred son of Distorted Humor--Offtheoldblock, by A.P. Indy. After breaking his maiden...

LOUISVILLE, KY — While she said wished she could be in town for the Derby on Saturday, Clinton had some instructions for volunteers going to the race in her stead — telling them “I want everybody to place a little money on the filly.”

LOUISVILLE --Big Brown won the Kentucky Derby by 4 3/4 lengths, a race marred with tragedy after the only filly in the race, Eight Belles, lost her life. The filly was euthanized on the track after breaking both front ankles.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP)—The filly Eight Belles finished second behind favorite Big Brown in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, then collapsed with two broken front ankles and was euthanized after crossing the wire. 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...

The rain that fell on Churchill Downs throughout Kentucky Oaks (G1) day and through the evening stopped at about 9 a.m. Saturday morning, and track officials expect a fast track in time for the 134th Kentucky Derby (G1) at 6:04 p.m. EDT. With 30 minutes to post for the opener, the main track is sloppy and the turf course is yielding. A combination of weather and an on-going dispute with horsemen led to decreased business on Oaks day, as attendance dropped to its lowest figure since 2004, and total handle declined 6.97% to $31,231,991. Saturday’s weather should not impact attendance,...

From KentuckyDerby.com, in depth info on every horse in the 20-horse field (inc free video and charts of prior races):http://www.kentuckyderby.com/2008/contenders *FREE* Equibase Past Performances on pdf file (they give free ones out on occasion for major stake races):http://ntra.equibase.com/eqbNTRAGetFreeFF.cfm?trk=CD&rd=05/03/2008&cty=USA&de=D&rn=10 ESPN's special page for horse racing (source for the free Equibase past performances pdf):http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/index National Thoroughbred Racing Association (main page):http://www.ntra.com/

The Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) attracted 24 entries on Wednesday morning, and the connections of likely favorite Big Brown, impressive winner of the Florida Derby (G1), will draw 16th at the post position draw later this afternoon in Louisville. "It's going to leave us with just a few options," said Michael Iavarone, co-managing partner of IEAH Stables, which owns Big Brown. "Either way, he's going to have to break to win this race, whether we draw inside or outside."

Robert LaPenta’s War Pass, the champion 2-year-old of 2007 and winner of the $2 million Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (gr. I) at Monmouth Park, has suffered a leg injury that has knocked the colt out of the $2 million guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). Trainer Nick Zito said Saturday that X-rays had revealed a small fracture in the sesamoid in the colt’s left front ankle. Veterinarian Dr. Rick Fischer discovered the fracture that Zito said would likely require War Pass to be on the sidelines for “a few months.” Zito said equine surgeon Dr. Larry...

Calvin Borel's run for the Triple Crown with Street Sense was derailed at the Preakness Stakes, but the Catahoula native will forever be a Kentucky Derby winner. The newspapers and sports announcers refer to him by name, Calvin Borel. The jockeys call him Bo-Rail, for his preference of riding the rail when he races horses. But his family has a hard time calling him anything but what they've called him all of his life, Boo-Boo.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- O.J. Simpson won't take legal action against a Louisville restaurateur who booted from a steakhouse on the eve of the Kentucky Derby after all, Simpson's attorney said Saturday. Simpson and about a dozen guests were asked to leave Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse on May 4 by owner Jeff Ruby, who has said he asked Simpson to leave because "he continues to torment the family whose lives he's already ruined 15 years ago." Simpson, a Heisman Trophy winner and NFL star, was acquitted in 1995 of killing his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Ron Goldman, but was found...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The owner of an upscale steakhouse in Louisville said he asked O.J. Simpson to leave his restaurant the night before the Kentucky Derby because he is sickened by the attention Simpson still attracts. "I didn't want to serve him because of my convictions of what he's done to those families," Jeff Ruby said in a telephone interview Tuesday. "The way he continues to torture the lives of those families ... with his behavior, attitude and conduct."

Kentucky Derby 133 Entrants Program # Silks Horse Trainer Jockey 1 Sedgefield Darrin Miller Julien Leparoux 2 Curlin Steve Asmussen Robby Albarado 3 Zanjero Steven Asmussen Shaun Bridgmohan 4 Storm In May William Kaplan Juan Leyva 5 Imawildandcrazyguy William Kaplan Mark Guidry 6 Cowtown Cat Todd Pletcher Fernando Jara 7 Street Sense Carl Nafzger Calvin Borel 8 Hard Spun J. Larry Jones Mario Pino 9 Liquidity Doug O'Neill David Flores 10 Teuflesberg Jamie Sanders Stewart Elliott 11 Bwana Bull Jerry Hollendorfer Javier Castellano 12 Nobiz Like Shobiz Barclay Tagg Cornelio Velasquez 13 Sam P. Todd Pletcher Ramon Dominguez 14...

(AP) If O.J. Simpson picked it, here's how the Kentucky Derby would end: Tiago at the wire. "I'm just loving Kentucky this week," Simpson said on a rainy Thursday morning on the backstretch. "It's just a great time." Simpson made his fourth straight trip to Churchill Downs since being acquitted of murder charges in the June 1994 slayings of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Ron Goldman. Simpson made several visits in the 1970s and said he used to think about owning a Derby horse. "I used to be in the horse business a little bit with (billionaire horse owner)...

KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. (AP) -- The fans who prayed daily for Barbaro and sent online messages of support never were able to get together to celebrate his recovery. This weekend, those fans will put away their keyboards to meet and honor his memory. The Kentucky Derby-winning colt became a symbol of strength and courage before he was euthanized in January. Now, fans from around the world who sent cards, roses and fruit baskets finally will pay tribute to him Sunday on what would have been the horse's fourth birthday. "Just be warned," said fan Sharon Crumb. "It's going to be...

Why should we feel so much grief at the loss of one horse? After all, this is a world in which horses are sacrificed again and again for the sport of humans. Barbaro was euthanized yesterday, eight months after he shattered his right hind leg at the start of the Preakness Stakes. After an injury like that, most racehorses would have been put down minutes later. But every race is a complex equation — a balance of economics, athleticism, equine grace and conscience. Conscience often comes in last, but not in this case. Barbaro’s owners gave that horse exactly what...

Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro was euthanized Monday morning after complications from his breakdown at the Preakness last May. "We just reached a point where it was going to be difficult for him to go on without pain," co-owner Roy Jackson said. "It was the right decision, it was the right thing to do. We said all along if there was a situation where it would become more difficult for him then it would be time."

KENNETT SQUARE, PA — According to Chief of Surgery Dean Richardson, Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro slept well after his left hind foot bandage was changed yesterday. “I’m happy with the appearance of this foot, which is doing as well as can be expected,” said Dr. Richardson. “Over the last several days, his temperature has been normal and his blood work has significantly improved suggesting that the infection in his right hind is under control.” His heart rate is also consistently normal now, a good indication that he is stable and comfortable. Barbaro remains in the Intensive Care Unit of Penn’s...

Ferdinand, 'Death Of A Derby Champ'A push to end horse slaughter in the U.S. continues to be fueled by a former Kentucky Derby winner whose life came to an end four years ago in a Japanese slaughterhouse. Ferdinand won the 1986 Kentucky Derby as a 17-1 longshot. He was slaughtered after being deemed worthless as a stud by the farm in Japan (Arrow Stud Farm) that had owned him for the final years of his life. Ferdinand was originally owned by the Howard Keck family, but was sold to Arrow Stud in 1994. Kentucky Congressman Ed Whitfield has taken the...

For nearly 6 weeks after the catastrophic injuries Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro suffered in the May 20 Preakness, the colt's recovery from the May 21 surgery on his right hind leg had gone better than even the most optimistic had hoped. From the start, Dr. Dean Richardson, who performed the surgery, warned everyone that it could turn the other way at any time. In the last week, almost nothing has gone right for Barbaro. Last night, Richardson said the colt has developed "potentially serious'' complications, including an infection in the leg. When asked how he thought this might play out,...

Barbaro, winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), is being closely monitored after developing complications this week requiring more surgery and treatment of an abscess. Doctors at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center changed Barbaro's cast twice in three days, once on Monday to replace bent screws in his shattered right hind leg and a second time Wednesday because the horse seemed uncomfortable.

KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. -- Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro came out of a day-long surgery Sunday to repair three broken bones in his right rear leg and "practically jogged back to the stall," the colt's surgeon said.

A freelance writer will no longer receive assignments from NBC Universal Sports after copying two passages from a 2002 episode of "The West Wing" in his script for a feature that preceded the Kentucky Derby on Saturday. Ken Schanzer, the president of NBC Universal Sports, confirmed that the plagiarism had occurred. He would not identify the writer but said, "He won't work here anymore." The short feature, which was preceded by a commercial for the final two episodes of "The West Wing," looked at the difficulties faced by Barbaro's trainer, Michael Matz, who survived a plane crash in Sioux City,...

No horse had won the Kentucky Derby with a five-week or longer layoff since Needles 50 years ago. But Barbaro showed how special he is by remaining undefeated and winning the 132nd running of the Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) by a wide margin. Edgar Prado had Barbaro in excellent position throughout the race, in fifth the first time past the stands and in fourth when the field had run a half mile and six furlongs, respectively. As the field cornered for home, the race was over. He made the winning move through the turn as the field...

EAGLE POINT Remember when you were a kid and your parents told you, "If you want to get to know something really well, what you need to do is spend lots of time hanging around it"? Wrong. Kids, I'm here to tell you that if you really want to get to know a race horse named Brother Derek, Saturday's Kentucky Derby favorite, what you must do is meet with the Oregon rancher who bred and raised him, and stand around listening to stories about bull testicles. Before Brother Derek was given his registered name, he was called "Randall" at Gavel...

Kentucky Derby 132 Entrants Program # Silks Horse Morning Line Trainer Jockey 1 Jazil 30-1 Kiaran McLaughlin Fernando Jara 2 Steppenwolfer 30-1 Daniel Peitz Robby Albarado 3 Keyed Entry 30-1 Todd Pletcher Patrick Valenzuela 4 Sinister Minister 12-1 Bob Baffert Victor Espinoza 5 Point Determined 12-1 Bob Baffert Rafael Bejarano 6 Showing Up 20-1 Barclay Tagg Cornelio Velasquez 7 Bob and John 12-1 Bob Baffert Garrett Gomez 8 Barbaro 4-1 Michael Matz Edgar Prado 9 Sharp Humor 20-1 Dale Romans Mark Guidry 10 A.P. Warrior 15-1 John Shirreffs Corey Nakatani 11 Sweetnorthernsaint 10-1 Michael Trombetta Kent Desormeaux 12 Private...

Speed ratings: Sweetnorthernsaint 125 Brother Derek 125 Sinister Minister 124 Point Determined 120 A.P. Warrior 118 Bob and John 114 Showing Up 112 Jazil 111 Keyed Entry 111 Cause to Believe 110 Storm Treasure 105 Barbaro 105 Sharp Humor 105 Lawyer Ron 94 Bluegrass Cat 92 Deputy Glitters 91 Steppenwolfer 90 Flashy Bull 90 Private Vow 88 Seaside Retreat 76

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Something's gotta give. Whether it's the unbeaten record of Barbaro or Showing Up, the lengthy winning streak of Brother Derek or Lawyer Ron, or the front-runners that many trainers expect to set a blistering pace, something's gotta give in the 132nd Kentucky Derby on Saturday at Churchill Downs. A full field of 20 was entered in this Derby, and it is one of the most compelling in years, not only because of the quality of this group of 3-year-olds, but also because of the myriad emotional story lines.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - O.J. Simpson wandered the Churchill Downs backstretch Thursday, shaking hands, laughing and soaking up the pre-Kentucky Derby atmosphere. His pick for Saturday's race? Lawyer Ron, natch. Former football star O.J. Simpson watched morning workouts at Churchill Downs Thursday. "I love lawyers, I know all about lawyers," he said, mentioning the late Johnnie Cochran, who helped Simpson avoid murder charges in the 1994 deaths of his wife and her friend.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Thursday provided one last opportunity to see the Derby contenders before making out the final clocker's report with the focus of attention on Sweetnorthernsaint and Point Determined, both of whom did not have the smoothest of gallops the previous morning. Sweetnorthernsaint appeared to go a little better Thursday although was still not striding out with the same extension observed prior to Saturday's work. He and Point Determined both failed to switch leads through the stretch and around the clubhouse turn during their routine gallops. Both Brother Derek and Barbaro had another good morning. Barbaro tossing in a...

Cecil Peacock's Brother Derek not only will have to defeat a full field of opponents but the California-bred colt by Benchmark also will have to overcome an outside post position to win the $2-million Kentucky Derby (G1) on Saturday at Churchill Downs. A capacity field of 20 three-year-olds were entered on Wednesday and are set to contest the 132nd running of the 1 ¼-mile Kentucky Derby, which will be highlighted by the presence of Brother Derek, Barbaro, Lawyer Ron and several other top colts from all over the country.

Baffert Has 3 to Get Ready, Going for 4. For nearly 20 years, three trainers have compiled an incredible record at the Kentucky Derby (gr. I). Two are in racing's Hall of Fame: D. Wayne Lukas, with four Derby wins from a record 42 starters, and Nick Zito, who has won it twice out of 19 entries. But only one, three-time winner Bob Baffert, has a chance to win this year's $2 million race. The white-haired trainer with 14 starts in the Derby, sends a potent trio of 3-year-old colts to the gates on Saturday -- Wood Memorial (gr. I)...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Flashes of lightning illuminated the twin spires when Churchill Downs opened at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, with the accompanying downpour turning the racetrack into a sloppy quagmire well before midmorning, when the skies finally cleared. As a result, training was either limited or nonexistent for the 17 Kentucky Derby hopefuls stabled on the grounds, many of whom were given what figures to be their final day off before Saturday's big event.

Steve Haskin's Derby Report: Sweet New Faces and More on the Way by Steve Haskin The biggest news of the day was the arrival Tuesday of Sweetnorthernsaint and Cause to Believe. With a lack of work activity once again, the talk of the morning was the cold and the unveiling of the new Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) saddle towels, which appear to be designed with the sole intention of going unnoticed. It was good to see some new faces Wednesday morning, with several others scheduled to arrive tomorrow. Cause to Believe arrived around 5 p.m. and...