Photo by jamesbusso

Over the weekend, the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby ended in tragedy as Eight Belles, the first filly to run since 1999, broke both front ankles and was subsequently euthanized. Moments after Big Brown won the race by a little over four lengths, Eight Belles collapsed while over 15,000 attendees were still celebrating the still undefeated champion.

It was a relapse into the despair felt when Barbaro succumbed to a fracture in his rear leg during the Preakness just two years ago. At the time, the sentiment was that Barbaro’s fate was a once-in-a-lifetime situation that wouldn’t happen again in a quarter of a century. The statistics that have been cited support this theory. Two tenths of one percent of all race horses end their lives in this manner. Before Barbaro and Eight Belles, people who tuned in to watch the most famous races that make up the Triple Crown were almost assured of seeing a clean race, sans tragedy.

Now, in just the past three years, there have been four euthanized thoroughbreds in major races. In ‘05 at Belmont, Funfair broke a hind leg in the Breeders’ Cup Mile and was euthanized that day. In ‘06 Barbaro broke his hind leg at the Preakness. In ‘07, two-time European champion George Washington broke down in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Monmouth Park and was euthanized on the scene. And now, we have Eight Belles.
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