Kentucky Derby

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garett

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Dec 12, 2007
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Did any of ya'll watch the Kentuckt Derby? If so you probably saw Big Brown win, then after Eight Belles finshed second she collapsed breaking both ankles and was immediately euthanized. How sad, a horse that just came off an amazing finish..then that was the end. But congratulations to the winner and maybe we can see a Triple Crown Champion...its due time
 

garett

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Dec 12, 2007
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Heres a link to the video about her

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=Kentucky+Derby+Eight+Belles&hl=en&sitesearch=[flash=200,200][/flash]
 

Jenny

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south dakota
Showing my age again...
remember when the filly Ruffian had a duel with a colt that I don't remember the name, but during that race, the filly broke her leg and was euthanized in that case also; it was a special broadcast and a special race just between a filly and a colt.
Did not watch today, but did watch that one with Ruffian  and it made me sick.
 

showgirl2010

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I have watched the movie about Ruffian.  I bawled my eyes out (and I am not emotional).  Especially in the end when she breaks her other leg because she thinks she is still racing.  How sad. 

I stepped outside to finish clipping a calf thinking I had about another hour left but when I came back in they were leading big brown to the winners circle.  He was my second choice so I am happy.  I just love the way he dominates....and he has stamina...he can handle the long runs.  My first choice was Smooth Air and I don't know why...just seemed right.  I do hope Big Brown takes the crown though that would be pretty cool.  He made history too.  He was actually the first to win from post position 20!  <party> 

I did see the recap but they didn't show any emphasis on Eight Belles.  That was sad I would have loved to have a filly win just to show all them young colts up.  ;D  I hated it when Barbaro died, shoot I found out from my grandpa that he was injured because I missed the race and I thought he was just jokin with me. That stunk pretty bad too. 

Jamie

 

STX

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Apr 22, 2008
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There will be a triple crown winner this year. (dog)
 

renegade

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I have high hopes that big brown will get the triple crown, I think Barbaro could have done it too.  The death of that filly was just sad  :'( and it seemed to most of the people talking about it that it was just another thing - didnt matter much.  I guess it shouldnt seem like a big surprise when you start riding them at a year and them running a mile and a quarter by three  :-\, poor filly didnt have a chance after breaking both front ankles. 
 

simtal

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Apparently, this stuff happens more frequently.  Heard a statistic on ESPN today that around 700 horses are euthanized every year due to racing injuries.
 

showgirl2010

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They do run them too young.  They're not developed yet and can't handle such pressure espcially what they are putting on them.  The Ky Derby is a mile and a quarter and most of the contenders had only been in races where they ran a few furlongs 7 here or there.  A furlong is only an 8th of a mile so a mile is too much on them. 

I do hope Big Brown takes it all but the reason he hadn't been in more races was because he has bad feet or something.  I wil have to check that out more, but I did hear that somewhere.

Jamie
 

Show Heifer

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Can you say: "Handing peta a silver platter?" THAT is why it is  8 Belles death was down played.....it is horse racings dirty little secret.

Won't be a triple crown winner this year....I don't think Brown can stand the schedule or the stress of running races so close together.  He has only run 3 races (4 with the Derby) in his life.

I also think a horse won from post 20 before(think that is what the announcer said), but not post 19, which is where Gayego was.

Barbaro: Kinda like that "champion" calf that is laying their deformed/dead due to delivery problems. All the potential in the world does no good when it is not accompanied by breathing.
 

showcattlegal

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gallup New Mexico
GO BIG BROWN..... I have TVG channel so I got to see the 2 races he won before the Kentucky derby. I really think there could be a Triple Crown winner this year. I bet on 8 belles too, She was really good too. I couldn't believe it but thats how it goes sometimes. Horse racing is still the best sport there is. (clapping) <party>
 

Jenny

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south dakota
Anybody get the Wall Street Journal?
It was in Friday's issue a huge story about horse racing...
all of the entrants in this year's Kentucky Derby can trace their ancestory back to one horse, "Native Dancer".
There were two or three entrants that were line-bred  Native Dancer and one flaw  that Native Dancer had was leg problems. 
Big Brown is one of the line breds.  Very very interesting story.
 

Dusty

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We have to remember that these horses are athletes and athletes get hurt all the time.  It just goes with territory.  As far as PETA.  I don't think it will be a problem.  As much money as PETA has I think the horse racing industry has more...
BTW I think Big Brown, as long as his legs don't break, has got a pretty good shot at the triple crown.  He hasn't been really challenged in a race yet....
 

oakbar

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Apparently, Big Brown has had a problem with "quarter cracks" in his hoofs so he has been lightly raced.   Quarter cracks are cracks in the hoof wall that run up and down or parallel to the angle formed at the front of the hoof.   If they get deep enough they can cause lameness.  I'm not a farrier or an expert on horses hooves, but I have had horses with quarter cracks and you do have to take them seriously.   They take a long time to heal because if they're deep the entire hoof has  to grow out until the crack is healed.  Meanwhile, the entire time they are growing out, stress on the hoof is tryin to make the crack widen.  I'm really impressed with Big Brown--I thought he looked really confident and ready during his workout this week.   He also looked like he had a lot of gas left after running the derby!!  Having said that, a horse is only as good as his worst foot.  If he would develop quarter cracks again, he could be done racing for this year no matter how ready he is otherwise.  That would be to bad because to me he looks like the most likely candidate in some time to be called "the next Secretariat"!!

As far as the injury to Eight Belles--the best analogy I heard once was that a race horse at one points in their stride puts all his weight and momentum on a single joint approximately the size of an average human wrist (check the video Knabe posted a few days ago).   The ankle area of the horse is made up of several smaller bones, ligaments, etc.   The slightest mistep can be fatal to these finely tuned running machines because the great ones also have inherited the will to run and will keep trying even when they are hurt.  Terrible tragedy and I'll bet no one understands or empathizes more with the horse than the owners, trainers, etc. that work with them day to day.


 

renegade

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To help quarter cracks you rasp horizontally across it and fill it in. Im sure big brown has had work done on his feet at Rudde and Riddle (big equine clinic in KY, one of their shoers worked on barbaro).  Honestly,  I think race horses are amazing animals but horse racing I dont quite like at all.  I know the trainers and their regular warm up riders get attached and even the occasional owner get attached and really do get upset when their animals must be put down and truthfully a lot of the injuries are preventable except they have to put so much stress on a babies legs.  Often times to the owners the horses are an investment and when they die they are just an insurance check and there are so many other shady things that go along with horse racing it isn't funny.  They have some great horses though. I have got to spend time with Afleet Alex and his trainer and several other great horses at their barn and its amazing.
 

Dusty

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I will agree that they are amazing animals and I'm sure that the people around them everyday do get attached to them.  But, they are still animals, and just like cattle serve a purpose, race horses serve a purpose.  And when we are done with a cow, we send her off to be killed.  99% of cattle don't get to hang around long enough to die of old age.  While Eight Belles' wreck was a tragedy, she suffered minimumally, and she went out with glory.
 

OH Breeder

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Feb 14, 2007
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Do you think they would have cloned her? They say clones are registerable but what about their offspring. They mentioned she was the largest horse inthe race as well as a large filly. It seems odd the horse industry doesn't clone as quickly as the cattle industry. Just a thought.
 

Show Heifer

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It wasn't until recently that the Quarter Horse Assoc approved flushing a mare....could only register one foal per year per mare. Their idea of keeping it natural (genetic base) and "sane". They also just approved AI'ing...although it has been going one for quite some time.
I will check with my breeder/trainer on regulations.
And trust me, this has NOT gone unnoticed by the animal rights folks. Yes, injuries happen. Yes, us in the industry realize this, but THEY do not.  They are still living on "The Sandman" from (if I remember) Kentucky. Even though he was caught and prosecuted, he is still petas' poster child for "the racing industry."

Have ya ever thought "why it is always the "great ones" that get injured"???? Could it be they are the ones that are pushed the hardest. Before they are ready. Before they are mature enough to handle it. It is like asking a 10-12 year old boy to run a 1:15 mile, a 8 sec 100 yrd, and a marathon in under 5 hours. Can you image the human rights riot that would insue?  Compare to the "baby body builder" that his father gave him steriods and made him lift weights and compete. That made news for a month!
 

Show Heifer

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Off the presses: PETA has called for the jockey riding 8 Belles to be suspended for "animal cruelty" . And you don't think they have influence????? If peta wanted, the race horse industry would have no chance against them. And the industry would change to "peta standards".....just like animal ag is doing.

Also: Nick Zito, one of the most respected and best trainers of thoughbred race horses "The gene pool in race horses is not as strong as it once was."    This was interpetted to mean as mentioned above they are linebred therefore, bringing out not only the good, but the bad. So I guess that means it is "inbreeding"???
 

kanshow

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Has anyone seen any actual footage of the collapse?    I've seen the race but most videos end there or go with Big Brown.   

 
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