Eight Belles Collapses After Kentucky Derby Horse Race

The Kentucky Derby finish on Saturday, May 3, 2008, was bittersweet for horse racing enthusiasts. Although spectators and participants celebrated Big Brown's dramatic first-place finish at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, they lamented the tragedy that befell the second-place horse.

Eight Belles, the only filly in this year's Kentucky Derby, finished a clear second and collapsed immediately after the horse race.

Two equine ambulances appeared on the Kentucky Derby racetrack, and veterinarians assessed the dark grey thoroughbred mare's condition right away. The Kentucky Derby crowd tensely awaited the verdict, as rumors circulated.

Had the filly suffered heart failure or a brain aneurism?

Finally, the truth was told. At the end of the horse race, Eight Belles had broken both front ankles and toppled to the ground.

Sadly, Eight Belles was euthanized on the spot, according to the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) on-call veterinarian Larry Bramlage, DVM.

The jockey, Gabriel Saez, sporting green and red jockey silks, was uninjured.

Eight Belles had been one of the Kentucky Derby's popular favorites, among the twenty three-year-old entries in the horse race. Had she won, she would have been the fourth filly ever to win the Kentucky Derby in its 134-year history. The last mare to win the Kentucky Derby was Winning Colors, twenty years ago.

Starting in the #5 post position, the Fox Hill Farms mare, owned by Richard Porter, was trained by Larry Jones. In 2007, another Jones-trained horse, Hard Spun, also placed second in the Kentucky Derby.

Sad memories surface at the racetrack.

Horse racing enthusiasts could not help but recall the tragedy of 2006 Kentucky Derbywinner and Triple Crown hopeful Barbaro, who was injured in the 2006 Preakness Stakes horse race.

After valiant efforts by his owners, trainers and veterinarians, Barbaro was euthanized in January 2007.

Barbaro had been owned by Roy and Gretchen Jackson, ridden by jockey Edgar Prado and trained by Michael Matz.

Final results are posted.

In the 134^th annual Kentucky Derby historic horse race, the Run for the Roses, the winners were as follows: Big Brown was first, followed by Eight Belles and Denis of Cork.