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Lisa

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Who is your pick for the derby today?

Pyro- He won two out of three preps very impressively. The Risen Star Stakes was amazing! He was last for most of the race and ROCKETED to the front in the last furlong! He has the closing kick to be able to rally in the Derby. He was impressive in the Juvenile last year. What could hold him back is his pedigree. It's a very nice pedigree, but not geared well to that final 1/4 mile. If he doesn't get boxed in, he could very well be the first across the wire tomorrow. He's definitely the colt of my choice.

Eight Belles- I love her, because she's a filly in the Derby! I'm all about seeing history made haha. I would love to see a filly win the Derby. I have never seen it done, and this would be a nice filly to become the fourth to win. She has raced very impressively, she is as big as any of the boys. She could have a shot! The question is: can she handle herself against 19 colts? She has yet to be started in a colt-race. I sure hope she can do it!

Who do you like?
 
Going to go with the family business (Dad's retired UPS) and say Big Brown. ;)

Liz
 
haha

I think Big Brown is a good enough horse, but he's too over-hyped in my opinion. His trainer is so over-confident that he has basically called it a one horse race! D. Wayne Lukas (legendary trainer of Winning Colors, among others) has gone on record saying that Brown's trainer will be "humbled" by the end of today. I just think that Brown will have too much ground to cover coming from #20, that he is not seasoned enough with only three races (no horse has taken the roses with only three starts since Exterminator in 1918).

But! That's what the Derby is all about-anything can happen!
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I still cannot get images of Barbaro out of my mind...I won't be watching any more races....
 
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It is a hard image. I'm sorry it has soured you to racing.
 
I'm remembering a really disastrous year, quite a number of years ago, when the Derby winner broke down in the Preakness, and the Preakness winner broke down in the Belmont. Breakdowns are sickening when they happen, they cast such a pall on the whole event. All that fire, beauty, speed, and spirit, gone in an instant.

I hadn't been keeping track this year, who trains Big Brown?
 
Richard Dutrow, Jr. trains Big Brown. You can get all the info at www.kentuckyderby.com

It is so, so horrible when that happens. The first time I ever went to a track a horse broke down and had to be euthanized right in front of me. I was 13 at the time.

All that fire, beauty, speed, and spirit, gone in an instant.
You could not have said it any better.
 
I never got to see Ruffian race
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I am too young. I've only see the greats caught on film on youtube!

The first breakdown I saw on TV was Charismatic in 1999's Belmont.
 
On a much happier note, (I'm really telling my age here) I also watched Secretariat race into the history books. He's what got me hooked!

I saw a bunch of very familiar names among the trainers and jockeys. One name I haven't seen in a while is Bob Baffert. I wonder if he's still training? He was as interesting as his horses!
 
I am envious! I have never seen a Triple Crown. That is my greatest dream, to see a Triple Crown champion made before I die!!

Baffert is still training. He is a California trainer out in Hollywood Park. He just hasn't had a Derby horse lately. He is still training many champions, including nine Eclipse Award winning horses, two of them just last year!
 
I was at the Derby the day Winning Colors won! Did I bet on her? Nope. Just can't seem to bet on a filly against all those boys. Today is the first Derby in about 25 years, that I haven't been working at Churchill, or simulcast at Keeneland. Do I miss it? You Bet!

Bunnylady, I used to work for one of the veterinarians that did surgery on Ruffian when she went down. Dr. W.O. Reed whose office was right out the back gate at Belmont. Believe me, everyone cried!

I don't know if this will help or not, but when a horse breaks down in a race, the adrenalin is pumping so hard that the horse doesn't really realize it, and is usually euthanized before it starts to feel the pain. It doesn't help in the fact that a beautiful animal is gone, but it helps to know they are not in a great deal of pain when it happens.

Mr. Baffert is quite the character. D. Wayne Lucas is always on stage, and will never miss a chance to "educate" anyone within range. I have had the priviledge to meet most all the greats.
 
A few years ago, I came across a book someone wrote about Ruffian in our local library. I flipped through it, and, against my better judgement, read the account of her final hours. Sure enough, it brought it all back, and I stood there like an idiot, sniffling and wiping tears among the stacks! It's sad when any horse is lost, but with the great ones, you keep thinking if only, if only. . . .
 
RIP Eight Belles

The gallant filly collapsed after running second to Big Brown. She broke both front ankles and was immediately euthanized.
 
It is so sad to see them break down like that.
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She did such a great job in the race. Hopefully Big Brown can do well now and come out a Triple Crown winner. I'm waiting to see one of those too.
 
I knew something was off with Eight Belles just before she crossed the finish line it looked like she took a mistep. It is such a shame as she was a gorgeous girl and ran her heart out. Big Brown did a good job and can't wait to see him run at the Preakness.
 
They ran another one to death. How many more will have to die before the industry (including the fanbase) wakes up?
 
Poor girl .

RIP Eight Belles....

I cried for you.

What an awful way to have her beautiful life end...
 
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They ran another one to death. How many more will have to die before the industry (including the fanbase) wakes up?
I'm sorry to be rude mininik, but I don't think that is an appropriate comment at the moment to us who are mourning this beautiful filly. We love the sport, every sport has it's downsides and at the moment I would appreciate not having a debate of ethics on this thread. Please feel free to make your own thread to discuss how us racing people and fans are running our athletes to death.

I hope he can make it a Triple Crown this year.
 

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