A Tribute to Gameness. A Tribute to "EIGHT BELLES" - Page 1

Be it in  Man, Dog, or Horse, there is nothing on earth that can compare with the quality of Gameness.  I have just witnessed one of the greatest exhibitions of Gameness ever shown.

 A filly hasn't run in the Kentucky Derby for 9yrs. Only 3 have ever won the Derby in it's entire history.  The Great filly "EIGHT BELLES" just finished 2nd to the favorite powerhouse "BIG BROWN".

What hurts so much, is the deep game filly, finished the race on broken legs. She was immediately put down.

http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/05/03/filly-eight-belles-breaks-both-front-legs-euthanized-after-kent/

Yes I seen it so so sad, I did like the winner Big Brown but I thought they should have said more about the filly. And then crown the winner,

How said,

That poor girl must have had alot of heart.......

RIP Eight Belles.

She actually broke down after the race as they were galloping out.  Took a bad step and broke one and then threw all her weight on the other and broke it as well.  She was a massive filly, the biggest animal in the race.  Also had a ton of bone and was very fit.  Very sad.  She ran the race of her life.  

Big Brown ran a great race, staying on teh outside out fo trouble the entire trip.  He has had to overcome really bad feet which is why he has had only four lifetime starts.

I watched her break her Maiden @ Delaware Park. First in Five. 

One of her un-named siblings (yearling filly) was for sale not too long ago in Philly.

RIP

I actually saw something during the race as they came down the stretch and she was in 2nd place behind Big Brown.. there was 1 split second where she turned her head to her right while running full speed and then everything seemed to change..     I think that was the beginning,.. just breaks my heart .. hate it.  What a champion

It makes you wonder about the breeding of horse's as many question dog breeding.   Weak bones and joints?    I didn't see the fall only the latenite news.   You know she ran her with all her heart to be second.  Really sad.

We don't let our dogs take part in high impact sports until their joints are fully formed, yet they race horses at 2 and 3 years of age. As long as they keep doing that, these things are going to happen.

The growth plates on a horse's skeleton don't fully close until 4 years of age. But, of course, it costs too much money to keep a horse, and not race it until that age. 

I agree Sunsilver,

I also feel that the nature of the money's involved and the intensity of this sport of kings, the nature of the competition is blame for a lot of things.   I love my dogs but a horse can take your breath away.