In the derby today what is happening to eight belles?

Question

she was euthanized? what?

Answer 1

she broke her two front legs

Answer 2

From Yahoo news report:

Big Brown wins, Eight Belles euthanized at Kentucky Derby

By RICHARD ROSENBLATT, AP Racing Writer

29 minutes ago

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP)—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.

I find it so sad. The decision had to have been a very hard one indeed. I would not try to second guess the decision.

Answer 3

Yes, Eight Belles ran a fantastic race today and finished in front of 18 colts to run a spectacular 2nd in the Kentucky Derby.  However, as the jockey was pulling her up around the turn, she broke both of her front ankles and fell down.  They had to euthanize her on the track.  She was a great horse and I miss her terribly.

Yes, she died.  They gave her an injection... that's what euthanize means... they gave her an injection of an overdose of a drug that would stop her heart immediately.

Answer 4

she had multiple compound fractions in both her ankles and the vet at the track knew there would be nothing he could do so they had to put him down...

Answer 5

Euthanizing is death by lethal injection. The injuries she sustained would be like snapping two twigs off a tree. There was nothing that could have been done to save her life.

Answer 6

She had to be euthanized. I don't usually watch horse races.  I only watch the Kentucky Derby because I live here.  When she went down I cried.  Every time they play it on television I cry.  So sad!

Answer 7

Euthenization is an injection given to "put down" or eliminate peacefully. Eight Belles had compound fractures to both of her front ankles and she would never be able to walk again. If a horse can't walk, they will die of respiratory failure. That is a sad and painful death, so they just let her go without the pain.

R.I.P.   Eight Belles