Why didnt they race Eight Belles in the Derby?

Question

I think she would have been great!

Awh. =/

Answer 1

She's in post 5. Shes running in the derby for sure

Answer 2

Oh she'll race in the Derby alright... her owner has an ego the size of Churchill Downs. Nevermind putting her in the Oaks where she could win, he wants her in the Derby just so he can say he has a Derby horse. I hope she enjoys the view of Big Brown's big round rear, because she'll get a good view of it.

Answer 3

Check out the derby draw, Today @ 2:00 pm ESPN

If Eight Belles gets a good Post She will Run.

doesn't matter, "BIG BROWN + Colonel John in the exacta"

jm

Order OF Draw=

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Unbeaten Big Brown and the filly Eight Belles are among a full field of 20 horses entered for the Kentucky Derby.

A total of 24 horses were placed into the entry box Wednesday morning, but only the top 20 horses based on graded stakes earnings made the field, including the first filly in nine years.

Big Brown, the expected Derby favorite, will have the No. 16 selection at the post position draw later Wednesday.

The field, in order of post position draw, is Visionaire, Big Truck, Colonel John, Z Fortune, Pyro, Eight Belles, Anak Nakal, Court Vision, Z Humor, Monba, Smooth Air, Adriano, Bob Black Jack, Denis of Cork, Cowboy Cal, Big Brown, Tale of Ekati, Cool Coal Man, Recapturetheglory and Gayego.

The four excluded were Halo Najib, Tomcito, El Gato Malo and Kentucky Bear.

Answer 4

Actually, I made this mistake myself (deleted the question pretty quickly). This is actually good news, relative to running her in the Derby, because if her post position is any kind of good she's got a much better one than in the Oaks. Plus, if she gets an awful position in the Derby, she's probably the best of the field in the Oaks anyway.

Edit: Eight Belles has a much larger chance of winning the Derby than most other horses in the field, I'll tell you that. It would be unwise to completely leave her out of bets.

Answer 5

KMN has it all right. They just wanna see where she gets the best spot. Nice filly though.

Answer 6

They are entering Eight Belles in the Derby.  She cross entered in the Oaks and in the Derby.  She entered in the Oaks in case she gets a bad post position in the Derby.  If she gets a bad Derby post she is going to run against the girls in the Oaks.  Derby entries are finalized tomorrow.  That's why you're hearing about the Oaks today... you'll hear about the Derby tomorrow.

Unfortunately their plan kinda backfired since she drew the outside post in the Oaks ;o)

Good force, that's funny because I read a blog on ntra about that mentality no longer applying to the Derby... people no longer enter because they think they can win... they enter because they can.  That's why you see horses like Hey Byrn, Z Humor, and Anak Nakal enter the Derby.  Winning the Derby is no longer the goal... it's a nice benefit when it happens, but the goal is to enter the Derby and be part of that circus.  In Eight Belles case, she can win the Derby... she has been running just as well as the colts (a lot better than most of them), but as with any of the contenders, she needs racing luck to come out first of 20 on Saturday.

I guess I don't mean it backfired... I just mean that they were trying to get around having a bad post position to get her an easier race... now, if she gets a bad post in the derby, she gets a rough post in either race.  Of course, outside of 12 is still a lot better than outside of 20.

Answer 7

Kmmm is right except that the plan "backfired".

Eight Belles is entered in the Derby and IF she gets a good post position tonight, she will run with the boys.

That, however. has NOTHING to do with the post position that she got in the Oaks.  She would have gotten that positon whether or not she was entered in the Derby.

They now have a better decision to make depending if her post in the Derby is better than the one in the Oaks.

Answer 8

Not only what the first answer is ,, which could be right

Until you her it from the horses mouth, We will never know

But What I think is "

that she was going to lose the Derby

Not meaning being last

But it's simple , why put a horse in a race if you do not think they will win !! !!

You race to win !

Just like showing

You enter to win !!

I think it was a smart move for the trainer

he knows her best right ?

Even if she got the outside , she may still win !!