Big Brown wins, runner up euthenized on track

[Sabres244]

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/hor...ory?id=3380081

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Big Brown backed up his trainer's boasts with an explosive finishing kick and won the Kentucky Derby on Saturday -- a day marred by the fatal breakdown of the filly Eight Belles.

The cheers for the winner's decisive victory were cut short when Eight Belles, the runner-up, was euthanized on the track minutes after the race when she collapsed with two broken front ankles.

The unbeaten Big Brown took charge when the 20-horse field turned for home. Under the urging of jockey Kent Desormeaux, Big Brown cruised to a 4 3/4-length victory to become the seventh unbeaten Derby winner with his fourth consecutive win. The last one was Barbaro in 2006.

Eight Belles was attempting to become the fourth filly to win the Derby. However, as the horses galloped out around the first turn, the filly fell to the ground and jockey Gabriel Saez jumped off.

An equine ambulance came onto the track, but the filly could not be saved, said Dr. Larry Bramlage, the Derby's on-call veterinarian.

"When we passed the wire I stood up. She started galloping funny. I tried to pull her up. That's when she went down," a distraught Saez said.

[Sabres244]

[Uncle Jesse]

That sucks. I really hate that aspect of Horse Racing. I know you have to put horses down usually when they break a leg, but sometimes race horses are pushed so much, it makes them way more likely to hurt themselves.

It happens though, Big Brown was certainly impressive too. If we wins the next race, I can see him winning the triple crown for sure.

[The Common Man]

Did they change the rules?

I mean, I understand the goal is to win... but 2nd place isn't THAT bad... certainly not punishable by death...

I think they should let the top 3 live and just euthanize the rest of the field instead of only 2nd place.

[treydawg]

It was nuts. The guy on the horse got absolutely tossed!

[Mr. TBS]

No TCM that is horrible.


What they should do - is continue to kill the 2nd place finishers and have the winning horse drag it's 2nd place carcass off the field.

They also need to bring back the shotgun. It's soo much more climactic waiting for the "boom".


But most importantly:
Eight Belles