They shoot horses, don't they?

Herald Leader Kentucky ^ | May 3, 2008 | Maryjean Wall

[Larry R. Johnson]

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.

[Petronski]

Okay, so I'm getting smacked in the head by the symbolism here, and I think I'm last to figure it out. In case I'm not, here goes:

• Hillary's hand-picked choice was Eight Belles, "the only filly in the race"
• All those males in the race and just one female
• Eight Belles finishes second
• The winner is Big Brown
• Ultimately, the only female in the race has to be put down

[seoul62]

But how do you give the okay for your horse to be euthanized, does one have to sit there and watch the euthanization? I would tearfully give the okay, walk to another room and then I would have be put on some serious sedatives. I just could not take it emotionally. You are brave./Just Asking - seoul62.......

[skinkinthegrass]

Its' Ruffian, All over again.....this filly was actually 6+ younger than the other horses (bones may have NOT HAVE knitted enough)

[LibFreeOrDie]

Listen to the vet describes catastrophic fractures in both front legs. (Barbaro had one fractured back leg.) Couldn’t even splint to put in ambulance.

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=7664703&ch=4543756&src=news

[LibFreeOrDie]

[bvw]

bttt

[devane617]

I can see the writing on the wall. This will bring them out of the woodwork.

[Dr. Sivana]

A filly hasn’t raced in the Derby for, I think, 11 years

That may be, but Winning Colors WON the whole thing 20 years ago. She just passed away last February from colic.

[dirtboy]

I'm not even that big a fan of horse racing.

But the filly came in second with this injury.

From the point of view of this rank uninformed person, that is stunning.

[acw011]

“symbolism”

LMAO

Ok, I haven’t been paying that close attention to the Derby - Thanks for the symbolism breakdown, cracked me up.

[DCPatriot]

IMO, the injury happened when the rider stood up while pulling on the reins. as they came into the 1st turn AFTER the race.

There's no way that filly ran the Kentucky with 2 sprained ankles.

[LibFreeOrDie]

Ruffian

[gate2wire]

FWIW, Ruffian’s trainer passed yesterday.

http://news.bloodhorse.com/article/45013.htm

[grellis]

Oh my dear sweet Lord, I'm glad/wished I hadn't seen those pictures.

She ran a helluva race. I'm glad she didn't suffer one minute longer than was necessary.

[grellis]

Are you certain? I thought the last filly to win the Derby was Genuine Risk, back in the very late 1980s.

[gate2wire]

Winning Colors in 1988. Before her, Genuine Risk and Regret.

[grellis]

Scroll down this thread, there is a clear shot of the filly’s injuries. One break like this is very often catastrophic for a horse; two is absolutely insurmountable. It might seem fishy, but I don’t think it is anything more than heartbreaking.

[grellis]

thanks

[gate2wire]

You’re welcome.

Sad day.

[Eye On The Left]

FWIW, Ruffian’s trainer passed yesterday.
Check out these two replies of mine from yesterday morning; Numbers 14 and 18 on the linked thread. I had not known at the time that Frank Whitely had died.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2010200/posts