05 May 2008 12:14:11

Baylee

Eight Belles

Is it possible that Eight Belles was injured during the race? Watching it now, it appears she started struggling going around the last turn into the homestretch. I'm wondering if the ankle that dislocated before breaking could've dislocated at that spot and just broken after the race. Regardless all this does is reiterate the reason why I strongly do not believe fillies should run against colts. It rarely has a happy ending, even Rags to Riches was never the same after running against the boys in the Belmont. She had months off, then in her next race broke her leg.

05 May 2008 16:33:38

Re: Eight Belles

On May 5, 3:14 pm, Baylee <rdorsey...@tx.rr.com > wrote: > Is it possible that Eight Belles was injured during the race? > Watching it now, it appears she started struggling going around the > last turn into the homestretch. I'm wondering if the ankle that > dislocated before breaking could've dislocated at that spot and just > broken after the race. > > Regardless all this does is reiterate the reason why I strongly do not > believe fillies should run against colts. It rarely has a happy > ending, even Rags to Riches was never the same after running against > the boys in the Belmont. She had months off, then in her next race > broke her leg. I don't think it happened until when it happened.....she wouldn't have been able to run on like she did if something that catastrophic had happened....I think being so tired after a long race, when the one ankle went the other couldn't hold up........very sad day....the nuts at PETA are screaming now and I had to post a couple of comments...those folks are NUTJOBS

06 May 2008 06:01:28

Baylee

Re: Eight Belles

On May 5, 6:33=A0pm, jottl...@yahoo.com wrote: > On May 5, 3:14 pm, Baylee <rdorsey...@tx.rr.com> wrote: > > > Is it possible that Eight Belles was injured during the race? > > Watching it now, it appears she started struggling going around the > > last turn into the homestretch. =A0I'm wondering if the ankle that > > dislocated before breaking could've dislocated at that spot and just > > broken after the race. > > > Regardless all this does is reiterate the reason why I strongly do not > > believe fillies should run against colts. =A0It rarely has a happy > > ending, even Rags to Riches was never the same after running against > > the boys in the Belmont. =A0She had months off, then in her next race > > broke her leg. > > I don't think it happened until when it happened.....she wouldn't have > been able to run on like she did if something that catastrophic had > happened....I think being so tired after a long race, when the one > ankle went the other couldn't hold up........very sad day....the nuts > at PETA are screaming now and I had to post a couple of > comments...those folks are NUTJOBS I've done the same thing. I don't think they understand that of all horse sports, racing is probably one of the least dangerous (compare to cross country and jumping and steeplechase), nor do they understand that horses break down in pastures, trailers, etc. For such large animals, their legs are extremely delicate. It's a miracle my mare didn't get hurt during her jumping days (before I owned her) just because she doesn't have the right conformation for jumping. Owning horses isn't for the faint hearted, nor is any horse sport. PETA is full of idiots. I don't know I just get the feeling something happened on that last turn, when she started tossing her head & trying to drift out & slow down. She could have had the same racing personality that Ruffian did of never wanting to lose or stop running. I've seen horses with broken legs try to keep running and if her ankle didn't break but just dislocated, with all the endorphins she was releasing running, it may have been enough to keep her going. I don't know, just something looked off when she came out of the final turn and onto the final stretch run.