Eight Bells was the only Filly to run in the 2008 Kentucky Derby, winning second place. Minutes after her extraordinary finish she collapsed with two broken front legs and was euthanized on the track. On September 7, 2008, her ashes were buried at Churchill Downs Derby Museum Garden. A Derby day race has been renamed The Eight Belles Stakes in her honor and memory.∼Eight Belles was a gray Thoroughbred racehorse owned by Fox Hill Farms. She finished second in the 2008 Kentucky Derby, a race won by only three fillies in the past, but collapsed during her cool-down after the race. She suffered compound fractures of both front ankles and was euthanized immediately following the race because of the nature of the injury. Dr. Larry Bramlage, the on-call veterinarian, stated that the filly's injuries were too severe to even attempt to move her off the track.
The Louisville Courier-Journal reported:
Dr. Larry Bramlege the on-call veterinarian from the American Association of Equine Practitioners said the filly had a condylar fractures of both front legs. That is the same type of break that was suffered by 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro in one leg.
Eight Belles' dam was Away, herself a descendant of Northern Dancer, and her sire was Unbridled's Song. Unbridled's Song's dam is a daughter of Caro. Caro is the sire of Winning Colors, one of the three fillies to win the Kentucky Derby. Mr. Prospector is in her bloodlines on both her sire and dam's sides.
She was bred by Robert N. Clay & Serengeti Stable, Kentucky
Her owner was Rick Porter
Her Jockey that day was Gabriel Saez
Her trainer was Larry Jones
Race Record :10: 5-3-1, with earnings of $708,650
Major Racing Wins
Honeybee Stakes (2008)
Fantasy Stakes (2008
A plain walnut box containing the ashes of Eight Belles was buried on the Kentucky Derby Museum garden grounds at Churchill Downs on August 25, not far from the track where she took her last gallop. On top of the box rests a halter plate with Eight Belles' name and a plaque including the dates she was foaled and died.. She is the first horse that didn't win the 134-year-old classic to be buried in the museum's garden. Besides Sunny's Halo, her ashes join Derby winners Broker's Tip, Swaps and Carry Back.
∼Second place in Kentucky Derby in 2008.
The Louisville Courier-Journal reported:
Dr. Larry Bramlege the on-call veterinarian from the American Association of Equine Practitioners said the filly had a condylar fractures of both front legs. That is the same type of break that was suffered by 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro in one leg.
Eight Belles' dam was Away, herself a descendant of Northern Dancer, and her sire was Unbridled's Song. Unbridled's Song's dam is a daughter of Caro. Caro is the sire of Winning Colors, one of the three fillies to win the Kentucky Derby. Mr. Prospector is in her bloodlines on both her sire and dam's sides.
She was bred by Robert N. Clay & Serengeti Stable, Kentucky
Her owner was Rick Porter
Her Jockey that day was Gabriel Saez
Her trainer was Larry Jones
Race Record :10: 5-3-1, with earnings of $708,650
Major Racing Wins
Honeybee Stakes (2008)
Fantasy Stakes (2008
A plain walnut box containing the ashes of Eight Belles was buried on the Kentucky Derby Museum garden grounds at Churchill Downs on August 25, not far from the track where she took her last gallop. On top of the box rests a halter plate with Eight Belles' name and a plaque including the dates she was foaled and died.. She is the first horse that didn't win the 134-year-old classic to be buried in the museum's garden. Besides Sunny's Halo, her ashes join Derby winners Broker's Tip, Swaps and Carry Back.
∼Second place in Kentucky Derby in 2008.
Eight Bells was the only Filly to run in the 2008 Kentucky Derby, winning second place. Minutes after her extraordinary finish she collapsed with two broken front legs and was euthanized on the track. On September 7, 2008, her ashes were buried at Churchill Downs Derby Museum Garden. A Derby day race has been renamed The Eight Belles Stakes in her honor and memory.∼Eight Belles was a gray Thoroughbred racehorse owned by Fox Hill Farms. She finished second in the 2008 Kentucky Derby, a race won by only three fillies in the past, but collapsed during her cool-down after the race. She suffered compound fractures of both front ankles and was euthanized immediately following the race because of the nature of the injury. Dr. Larry Bramlage, the on-call veterinarian, stated that the filly's injuries were too severe to even attempt to move her off the track.
The Louisville Courier-Journal reported:
Dr. Larry Bramlege the on-call veterinarian from the American Association of Equine Practitioners said the filly had a condylar fractures of both front legs. That is the same type of break that was suffered by 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro in one leg.
Eight Belles' dam was Away, herself a descendant of Northern Dancer, and her sire was Unbridled's Song. Unbridled's Song's dam is a daughter of Caro. Caro is the sire of Winning Colors, one of the three fillies to win the Kentucky Derby. Mr. Prospector is in her bloodlines on both her sire and dam's sides.
She was bred by Robert N. Clay & Serengeti Stable, Kentucky
Her owner was Rick Porter
Her Jockey that day was Gabriel Saez
Her trainer was Larry Jones
Race Record :10: 5-3-1, with earnings of $708,650
Major Racing Wins
Honeybee Stakes (2008)
Fantasy Stakes (2008
A plain walnut box containing the ashes of Eight Belles was buried on the Kentucky Derby Museum garden grounds at Churchill Downs on August 25, not far from the track where she took her last gallop. On top of the box rests a halter plate with Eight Belles' name and a plaque including the dates she was foaled and died.. She is the first horse that didn't win the 134-year-old classic to be buried in the museum's garden. Besides Sunny's Halo, her ashes join Derby winners Broker's Tip, Swaps and Carry Back.
∼Second place in Kentucky Derby in 2008.
The Louisville Courier-Journal reported:
Dr. Larry Bramlege the on-call veterinarian from the American Association of Equine Practitioners said the filly had a condylar fractures of both front legs. That is the same type of break that was suffered by 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro in one leg.
Eight Belles' dam was Away, herself a descendant of Northern Dancer, and her sire was Unbridled's Song. Unbridled's Song's dam is a daughter of Caro. Caro is the sire of Winning Colors, one of the three fillies to win the Kentucky Derby. Mr. Prospector is in her bloodlines on both her sire and dam's sides.
She was bred by Robert N. Clay & Serengeti Stable, Kentucky
Her owner was Rick Porter
Her Jockey that day was Gabriel Saez
Her trainer was Larry Jones
Race Record :10: 5-3-1, with earnings of $708,650
Major Racing Wins
Honeybee Stakes (2008)
Fantasy Stakes (2008
A plain walnut box containing the ashes of Eight Belles was buried on the Kentucky Derby Museum garden grounds at Churchill Downs on August 25, not far from the track where she took her last gallop. On top of the box rests a halter plate with Eight Belles' name and a plaque including the dates she was foaled and died.. She is the first horse that didn't win the 134-year-old classic to be buried in the museum's garden. Besides Sunny's Halo, her ashes join Derby winners Broker's Tip, Swaps and Carry Back.
∼Second place in Kentucky Derby in 2008.
