What happened to Eight Bells at the derby?

Question

I just feel so bad for her owners and trainer. She was a promising underdog and she did SO WELL in the race... and then she ended up getting injured.

I know she was slowing down at the end of the race and she ended up falling and fractured 2 legs (resulting in euthanasia). They wouldn't show video of the fall and they wouldn't show her while she was on the ground. Is there video clip somewhere I can watch to see what happened?

Answer 1

There is a photo of her on the ground at this link.

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/24445049/s...

She is only one of many horses who have suffered such injuries!



Check this out!

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/web...

After that, compare these two pedigrees

http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/eight+be...

http://www.pedigreequery.com/chelokee

and for more interesting info, compare those two with this one...

http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/barbaro2

for even more interesting info, compare those with this...

http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/ruffian

Read the story of Ruffian's surgery and her behavior as she woke up from anesthesia and you'll see one major reason why it's so very difficult to try to treat horses with broken legs.  The horse is a prey animal, a herd animal, and it's natural instinct is to panic at restraint, etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruffian_(ho...

Consider the following about the horse that is behind most of the common ancestors of the above horses...

'Like hemophilia in the Russian royal family, Native Dancer's line has a tragic flaw. Thanks in part to heavily muscled legs and a violent, herky-jerky running style, Native Dancer and his descendants have had trouble with their feet. Injuries have cut short the careers of several of his most famous kin, most notably Barbaro, a great-great-great-grandson who was injured during the Preakness Stakes and was later put to death.'

Selective breeding for better strength and shock absorbing ability in lower legs and feet, needs to be implemented.  However, as long as the emphasis in breeding race horses is on speed (since that's what wins and what makes the money), it's unlikely there will be any incentive for breeders to try to breed for characteristics that might reduce speed.

Answer 2

The youtube link posted above is not correct.

Answer 3

What happened to her? She was pushed beyond her limits, thats what happened. I have been an avid horseracing fan for years, but this, coupled with Barbaro, has disgusted me more that I can even explain. I will never again be involved in the Sport of Greed.

Answer 4

Ya, like said above, you can only see her out of the corner of the screen. All you see is her tripping and the shadow of her jockey falling off. And then they showed her once while she was on the ground. I don't think there is any other footage though. Sorry

May she RIP.

Answer 5

there was a little bit of it as she was still runing but what thay did show was that as she she was flat on her sideand was trying to get up her owner and her jockey held her down untill the horse vet and horse van got there but thay were unable to save her so thay had to put  her to sleep I cry for barbro now I cry for eight bells

rest in peace girl

Answer 6

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBGIQ7Zuu...

:(

Answer 7

they showed it after the derby as they were following Big Brown. all you see is her front half hit and the jocks shawdow go flying through the air. i really dont know if there is any footage of the fall because all cameras were tracking Big Brown and his owners trainers and the rest of the big brown club.

Answer 8

She was too young and collapsed and was euthanized. Porr girl. It is so sad. I cried and cried when I found out.

Answer 9

This was an unfortunate freak accident. It's the risk horse racing takes.  It's the risk show horses take also. Freak things happen to ordinary backyard horse people too. I knew someone whose horse, which they had owned for a few days, was playing around in his paddock, kicked a board and shattered his back leg.  It's truly devastating but it happens.

Answer 10

she suffered two conjular fractures  thease fractures are really bad becouse the spiral its not like another fracture. this was a freak accident and could not be prevented . well if they wouldnt have ran her in the derby she prolly fractured it another day we just wont know. it sad but a reality in horse racing .

now all the tree huggers(PETA) are coming out calling for a investigation into the jockey and into the track surface they just need to shut up . most  and i say most trainers will only run a healthy horse and eight belles did pass a pre race exam and was pronounced health by lic vets. when you run horses at this level every precaution is taken to insure the safty of the horse and its rider