Anyone watch the Derby?

Kentuckychick wrote: I know it's more a Kentucky thing... but I also know a lot of people bet money on the races so did anyone watch or bet on horses this year!?

It was an awesome race and it's sad that it will be remember for such a tragedy and not for the great race that it was. I actually wanted Eight Belles to win... she ran an amazing race

Edited to add: Crud... I should probably add for those who didn't watch or have no idea, the runner up "Eight Belles" who was the only filly (female) in the race went down right after the finish with two broken ankles and had to be euthanized on the field. It was really horribly sad...

mom21kid2dogs replied: I always watch it. I got to go once when I was in school in KY~it was a great time!!!

It was a great race~wow did Big Brown run his legs off! I didn't pick any favs this year~it kinda snuck up on me.

The situation with Eight Bells was particularly sad for me. I had just heard an interview on Sat AM with Barbaro's jockey. He just finished a book on that whole experience. I remember crying for a couple of days after that horse passed. They tried so hard to save him. I guess that situation reinforces the decision to euthanize on site but it still is so hard to see/hear. It made the whole Derby kinda weird this year.

The paper this AM made reference to an injury at Fri's Kentucky Oaks. Do you know what that was all about?

lovemy2 replied: I didn't get to watch it - I went to the movies with Olivia but saw the replays - so devestating to spoil such a wonderful event

luvmykids replied: I watched it, I was so sad for Eight Belles

Another irony, the horse that won the Barbaro race last year broke the same leg in the same place this year that Barbaro did

Kentuckychick replied:
Aww... I didn't hear that. That's terrible!

I hate watching horse racing for this exact reason and had actually just finished saying before the race started that no horses better get injured!

Thankfully they didn't replay this one over and over (I don't think they really even have a clear shot of it) like they did when Barbaro was injured. I remember watching that and just feeling sick to my stomach.

On a side note though, we had been sitting there watching interviews earlier in the day and they'd interviewed Eight Belles trainer who said he personally rode her each morning to excercise her. My grandfather about died! He was a horse trainer for years and he said a guy that size has no business excercising a horse that small that he could weaken her bones or hurt her...

It's just really sad. And two horses died at the Rolex here last weekend so it's been a bad week for horses here in KY.

mom21kid2dogs replied:
I assume the track still was taping the course but I was thankful I didn't have to see it happen, too. There was a photo of Eight Bells falling to her knees in the columbus Dispatch this morning~that was hard enough to look at.

Kentuckychick replied:
I missed your question earlier --
This was the horse that luvmykids was refering to named Chelokee. He won the "Barbaro Stakes" last year.

He was taken to Rood and Riddle here in Lexington and is doing well. Initially they believed he'd experienced the same sort of fracture Barbaro had but thankfully he had a dislocated ankle that was able to be repaired!

One bit of good news

luvmykids replied:
I made a comment to DH about all these injuries in recent years, it really got me thinking and wondering whats changed in training that this is happening so much. It's always been drilled into my head the importance of warming them up for this very reason...I know it can happen no matter what but I'm really sort of shocked and saddened that it seems to be so common now. I know these horses are treated better than my kids but it makes you wonder whats going on these days in the quest for a big win

DillsMommy replied: I missed the race, it was playing on all the t.v.s at work, but I was too busy to watch it. A couple came in to eat, who had been at the race, and told me all about it. They showed me a picture that they took of Eight Belles--right before she broke her ankles. Thats so horrible. I'm really glad I didn't watch that.

mommy~to~a~bunch replied: I didn't watch it, but heard about what happened to Eight Belles. How awful . It really makes you wonder what is going on that these horses are getting injured so badly.

Crystalina replied: I watched it also and was wanted Eight Belles to win because she was the only Philly. I was so happy when she came in second. DH kinda had a feeling she had broken a leg but I kept hoping she dropped from a hard race rather then something tragic. DH said right away that she wasn't getting up.

My2Beauties replied: Oh gosh it was just absolutely horrible, they showed it over and over and she had so much heart, I mean she broke her first ankle on the last turn which is a good distance from the finish line and she ran with all her might to come in 2nd. I honestly think had she not broken her ankle she could have beat Big Brown, she had all the heart in the world. We all stood by just almost in tears!! So sad! There was another injury on Oaks Day, they were running in the pouring down rain and a horse broke his leg, the jockey actually fell off and I didn't hear whether or not they put that horse down, I don't think it was the actual Oaks race. We went to the Oaks in the infield, but left shortly after the 5th race due to the heavy rain, it was miserable out there.

luvmykids replied:
It was Chelokee, who won the Barbaro Stakes last year. They initially thought he had the same injury as Barbaro but it turned out just to be a dislocated ankle.

Crystalina replied: I was shocked to find out just how many horses have to be put down after some of these races due to inujuries. I heard PETA is blaming the tracks. I don't follow it enough to know much about it.

luvmykids replied:
They're wanting the jockey suspended too, saying he knew she was hurt and kept running her. I don't know if thats true but I don't think you could prove it. Plus their pain tolerance is so high and she had to have had so much adrenaline, she might not have even known it right away

There are all kinds of things that get blamed...running them too young, poorly maintained tracks, drugs, etc. It's sad, I don't think racing in and of itself is evil but I do think some changes could be made.