This post was originally published on November 12, 2012…

8 Belles 

it was the 2008 kentucky derby, the 134th time the race had been run.  eight belles was the 39th filly to qualify for that race, having proved that she could run with the big boys at oaklawn earlier that spring,  when she set a record, beating their butts by 13 1/2 lengths in the martha washington stakes.  she came in second in that 134th derby, running her life out chasing big bertha.  as 8B was slowing down, she suddenly collapsed and fell in a scene that, in real time, was probably the most heart-wrenching i’ve ever experienced…the vet was immediately present and determined that she had fractured both front ankles in trauma too profound to even move her from the track;  she was immediately euthanized..

just writing this now makes me tearful, and as i watched that day i wailed and cried and shook my fist at the injustice…i still believe that the jockey contributed to her demise because he kept pushing her, even though it was obvious she wasn’t going to catch up with “big butt” as i call him, yet she was far ahead of the rest of the field…  her trainer/owners said it was her tendency to trip on her own feet… thoroughbreds are, of a necessity, inbred and this has contributed to the weak ankles that run through the line.

anyway, we visited the kentucky derby museum yesterday and  paid  homage…

we had a great time visiting the museum and churchill downs yesterday…so great that i didn’t get any blogging done, so i’ll entertain you with another post later on:  more museum, but mostly horses, jockeys, and races…