Award-winning columnist Tom Archdeacon — an old-school storyteller in a brand-new venue — writes about sports, the city, southwest Ohio and anything else that catches his fancy… or yours.Home > Blogs > Through the Arch > Archives > 2008 > May > 04 > Entry
BLOG: More on Eight Belles’ death
LOUISVILLE — Here are some other images and comments from the Eight Belles tragedy at Saturday’s Kentucky Derby:
It was an hour after the big grayish roan filly had been euthanized by injection on the track following what — at least in these early considerations — is being called an unexplainable break down.
Running an impressive race, Eight Belles had finished second — behind Big Brown, but well ahead of the 18 other colts in the race. A quarter mile past the finish line, she suddenly crumpled to the track with both of her front ankles so severely broken — her cannon and sesamoid bones broken — she could not be saved.
The death let a lot of air out of what had been a great racing day and nowhere was it felt more than at Barn 43, where Eight Belles trainer Larry Jones had sobbed uncontrollably as he stood outside her empty stall.
“She was our family,” he finally whispered. “It’s just not supposed to happen like this.”
One of the grooms finally closed the stall door. Another barn worker affixed a green bumper sticker to the door that read: “We Love Kentucky-Bred Eight Belles.”
One by one, some of the trainers and owners of the other Derby horses reached out to Jones and Eight Belles’ crestfallen owner Rick Porter
Before he talked to the press about the victory, Big Brown co-owner Michael Iavarone offered condolences to the Eight Belles’ people
Colonel John trainer Eoin Harty and co-owner Bill Casner came over to Jones’ barn, talked to him at length and finally Casner embraced him.
A woman exercise rider from another barn came up in tears and, unable to say a word, simply squeezed Jones’ hands.
“We convinced (Eight Belles) that half the people were here to see her,” said Jones, trying to force a smile. “We knew all the women came out to see her.”
Souvenir stands had sold out of Eight Belles buttons before the race was run. And stumping in Indiana the other day, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton talked about Eight Belles, “the other filly” making a name for herself.
Eight Belles was the first filly in the Derby in nine years and just the 39th — of 1,710 all-time starters — to run the race. Only three fillies — Regret (1915), Genuine Risk (1980) and Winning Colors (1988) had won the roses here.
Just a day earlier, Jones had won the Kentucky Oaks with Proud Spell. Although Eight Belles certainly would have been the favorite in that fillies-only race, her connections opted for the Derby. After all, she had won all four of her races in 2008 — although they all were against fillies — and she was bigger than many of the colts in the Derby.
There are some horseman who aren’t keen about fillies running against what often are more roughhousing males at the Derby.
Asked if this accident gave new credence to that old claim — that, in fact, it was too dangerous for fillies to go against the boys — track veterinarian Dr. Larry Bramlage discounted that:
“One injury is not an epidemic. As bad as it seems right now, it was one incident. Fillies race against colts on an intermittent basis and it’s not like we see this as routine. In fact, I’ve never seen it before.”
He also said he didn’t think a synthetic Polytrack — rather than Churchill Downs’ dirt — would have prevented this. Neither did Jones:”It’s not the track that did it on her today. They did a great job getting the track sealed (after Friday’s rains). The track was good.”
Jones said an autopsy would be performed, so he might get some understanding as to why this happened when, as he put it, “our horse wasn’t even bumped.”
He said Porter was decimated by the loss:
“He’s taking it pretty rough. We’re going to be criticized and second guessed. Somebody will come up with the idea the filly shouldn’t have been in there, but she never got bumped, She never did anything. She could have done this racing against Shetland Ponies. It wasn’t in the race where it happened.
“Still he’s going to second guess himself from now on. But like I told him, all the things that were going against her — that she’d never raced against the boys, that she had never raced past a mile and a sixteenth — she passed all those with flying colors. She’s ran the race of her life …. and went out a champion. She was…”
Jones began to choke on emotion and finally he just bowed his head in silence. Soon tears were rolling down his cheeks.
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Comments
By Eva
May 6, 2008 8:20 PM | Link to this
I was very lucky to have gotten to meet Eight Belles on Sunday, April 20 at Keeneland Race Track here in Lexington. My neighbor works for Fox Hill Farms and they were all very gracious to let me pet her, talk to her, and even feed her a few peppermints. I want to say that she was indeed treated wonderfully- loved and cared for greatly. Mr. Jones, her trainer, talked to me about her and talked as if she were his baby. I know that no one wanted anything like this to happen to her. I will never forget her nipping on my hair and breathing peppermint breath at me. You were awesome, Eight Belles!By Jenna
May 6, 2008 7:40 AM | Link to this
What a tragic day. To witness Big Brown win from the challenging outside post position and then to hear that the second place winner, Eight Belles, had collapsed on the track. It was obvious that the owners, handlers, and trainers who worked with that horse were grief stricken over the loss of an animal that they had worked with. FOr them it was not “just about money”. I have followed horse racing since I was a child, but I will no longer watch live horse races. This is the third time in my life that I watched a live broadcast where a horse was injured and put down on the track. Such a tragic loss. It made me physically ill when they announced what had happened to the animal I described as absolutely beautiful and picked her to place in the top 5 horses as she walked to the starting gate. Condolences to her human family and to the racing world.By Margaret
May 5, 2008 11:47 PM | Link to this
That was so sad she is not hurting anymore. Rest in Peace girl.By Margaret
May 5, 2008 11:47 PM | Link to this
That was so sad she is not hurting anymore. Rest in Peace girl.By Margaret
May 5, 2008 11:47 PM | Link to this
That was so sad she is not hurting anymore. Rest in Peace girl.By Rhonda Barrett
May 5, 2008 3:21 PM | Link to this
As a result of being busy with my daughter getting ready for her prom on Saturday and at work all day on Sunday, I didn’t see the race nor hear about this horrible tragedy. If I had I would have broken down and cried over the loss of another beautiful horse sooner. Even though we don’t own horses, my family, especially my granddaughter Jaydyn, has always been around and loved them. In my heart and soul, I know that Eight Belles has joined Barbaro and all the other horses that have lost their lives on the racetrack, battlefield or prairie field. May the grass always be sweet and green for her too eat and the wind blow gently through her mane and tail for eternity. You will be missed, Eight Belles.By Robyn
May 5, 2008 2:16 PM | Link to this
After this race,I dont wanna see anymore. Ive been a Derby fan since I was a child. Here recently,in the past few years my heart was broken over Barbaro,now Belle. Horses are so spiritual to America,and the effort put forth by these two for the sake of a human monetary gain truly sickens me. I doubt I will ever watch a Derby again.By speedo
May 5, 2008 12:26 PM | Link to this
“Just because its broken, doesn’t mean you can’t fix it”-unkonwn. That horse could have been used for like a show-horse, pull a wagon, bred, etc. Shows what greed can do in contrast to generousouity to help a horse get well again.By Beatty
May 5, 2008 12:11 PM | Link to this
As a horse enthusiast,this is one more reason I refuse to watch horse racing…these horses are still babies at 2 and 3 years old. Their bones are not fully fused and hardened. Stats show that 2 horses a day that race in this country are put down due to catastrophic break-downs. It is not surprising this happened…it is suprising it doesn’t happen even more than it does. Rest in peace, Eight Belles.By Mr. Redlegs
May 5, 2008 10:03 AM | Link to this
Arch, really enjoyed your Derby coverage again this year, especially given the tragedy. Love it when you’re writing from a live event! Mr. RBy Denice
May 5, 2008 8:55 AM | Link to this
Poor Baby!!!!! She’s resting now. I didn’t see it and I’m glad I didn’t.By John Bettinger
May 4, 2008 6:01 AM | Link to this
May Eight Belles be in horse heaven this morning. That sure beats Clinton claimig her as a delegate.