A Tribute to Gameness. A Tribute to "EIGHT BELLES" - Page 2

This is why, I hate to see fillies running against the studs. She would have been better served, running against others of her own gender, and then finishing her career rearing get, rather than 3 years and out.  When a horse breaks down, it isn't ever pretty, but to run fillies, who in all fairness aren't built to rock and roll with the studs.....when good judgement isn't exercised, a great sporting event is compromised.

I totally agree with you Abhay.  I sat and bawled when she broke down and my first thought was about the bastards that made her run against those colts.  She was a big filly but she didn't have the bone or the heart girth of most of the colts running.  She did have heart though.

The owners and trainer of of Eight Belles had already won the Oaks (Derby for fillies) the day before but the prestige is in the Kentucky Derby and that's all they're after.

Running with the boys had nothing to do with it.  Watch the replay.  She wasn't bumped or touched at all.  And she most certainly had both more bone and heart girth than some of the colts.  How can you say stuff that simply isn't true?

I am not into horses, but even I can recognize beauty and heart when I see it in a horse. It is something of regal quality that cannot be disguised. Many of us remember the long-ago performances of Secretariat and Carbon Copy. These horses were physically no greater than their best competitors, yet they had the innate desire to finish first-or not at all. No amount of training can place that into an animal's psyche. I agree it is very sad when such a thing happens to a filly like Eight Belles.

Regards,

Bob-O

she could not have run at all, let alone hold her strong second place finish, with two fractured legs.  This terrible injury happened as she was finishing (I saw a slight hesitation in her gait just at the finish) or soon after as she was pulling up.   Knowing horses quite well, I'd agree with the vet and those who said she broke one and then fractured the other after the race.  Terrible horrible thing to happen to any horse.  She had guts, heart and courage to run second in a race of big strong colts, only a small handful of fillies run at all let alone give the colts a run for their money as she did.  I'll remember her as a great filly.

molly

I'm glad I didn't watch the race. It was Ruffian all over again. She even LOOKED like Ruffian, same size, same colour.

My enthusiasm for horse racing died the day Ruffian had her match race with Foolish Pleasure. Her heart was so great, she ran for several hundred feet on a shattered leg, refusing her jockey's efforts to pull her up. 

As in any Performance animal, Blood Tells.  These horses are not of normal horseflesh.  I call them Gamebred Horses. "EIGHT BELLES" did not have to be bumped or touched to feel the massive strain and stress placed upon her when she was entered in the Derby.

Ask any Jock, these horses know when they lose. It affects them mentally and they take it hard. Bob-O, gave a great definition of Gameness, " the innate desire to finish first-or not at all",,,,in reality, EIGHT BELLES, would rather die than lose. No living thing other than "EIGHT BELLES" knows exactly when she began to break down. I believe she broke down at the end the race but not completely until she began to halt.  At 17 hands, "EIGHT BELLES" was a large filly, but her heart was bigger than her body.  The fact that she was a large filly might prove what Sunsilver said, to be true.  Just like in dogs, sometimes the larger animals take a little longer to fully mature.

"EIGHTBELLES" was willing to boldly fulfill any incessant desire, the magnetism of which is so intense that it overtakes every fiber of her existence. There was neither an obstacle substantial enough nor a distraction powerful enough to justify a cessation of her journey. The only legitimate impediment is death itself. An animal's persistence must not subside until their deed is complete or until their final breath has exited their physical body. Then and only then are they entitled to the designation "DEAD GAME".

RIP "EIGHT BELLES" You were truly one of the rare breed.

Bob-O, you might be interested to know, when they did the autopsy on Secretariat, they found his heart was much larger than a normal horse's. That's how he managed to do what he did. He was indeed a superior physical specimen.

I watched the replay of the Derby. Eight Belles turned her head out, because her JOCKEY moved her over, to prevent bumping some other horses, which probably would have resulted in them being disqualified.  She continued to run strongly after that, with no signs of lameness that I could see. It looked like she just plain 'ran out of gas' at the very end of the race. There was no bobble or hesitation in her stride that indicated lameness at that point.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Mi9H_G4ztIU

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kQU_BEiNRVI

I agree this is a massive tragegy. She was a magnificent filly. 

Another hose broke down this weekend at an undercard race to the Kentucky Oaks. Chelokee has been given a 50-50 chance of survival after he broke a front leg. Chelokee is trained by Michael Matz, the man who also trained Barbaro.

These horses are being pushed too far too young. Such a shame.

There is video of Eight Belles breaking down on You Tube. Just terrible.