2008 Kentucky Derby Results: Big Brown Wins; Eight Belles Collapses
Big Brown remained unbeaten as he pulled away to a 5-length victory in the $2,211,800 Kentucky Derby on May 3 at Churchill Downs.
The lone filly in the 2008 Kentucky Derby, Eight Belles finished second but collapsed with broken front ankles and had to be euthanized on track.
The breakdown brought back memories of the 2006 Preakness Stakes, when Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro shattered his right rear leg yards into the start. Barbaro was euthanized months later after developing laminitis.
Trained by Richard Dutrow Jr. and ridden by jockey Kent Desormeaux, Big Brown covered the Kentucky Derby distance of 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.82 and paid $6.80, $5 and $4.80. Eight Belles, under jockey Gabriel Saez, returned $10.60 and $6.40. Denis of Cork with jockey Calvin Borel aboard was 3 1/2 lengths behind and paid $11.60 to show.
Kentucky Derby payouts: $2 exacta (20-5) will pay $141.60 while $2 trifecta (20-5-16) will pay $3,445.60.
With the Kentucky Derby win, Big Brown became the 7th undefeated Kentucky Derby winner and is just 2 wins away from becoming horse racing’s Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.
It marked the third Kentucky Derby victory for jockey Kent Desormeaux, who rode Kentucky Derby winners Real Quiet (1998) and Fusaichi Pegasus (2000).
Three-year-old horses that also ran in Churchill Downs’s Kentucky Derby 134 in order of finish: Tale of Ekati, Recapturetheglory, Colonel John, Anak Nakal, Pyro, Cowboy Cal, Z Fortune, Smooth Air, Visionaire, Court Vision, Z Humor, Cool Coal Man, Bob Black Jack, Gayego, Big Truck, Adriano and Monba.
It was a somber end to the weekend for Eight Belles trainer Larry Jones, who won Friday’s Kentucky Oaks with Proud Spell. Jones was attempting to become the first trainer to pull off the Kentucky Oaks-Kentucky Derby double since Alan King in 1952.
Minutes after the race, as the horses galloped around the final turn, Eight Belles fell to the ground and jockey Gabriel Saez jumped off the horse.
“When we passed the wire, I stood up. She started galloping funny. I tried to pull her up. That’s when she went down,” an upset jockey Gabriel Saez said.
“She didn’t have a front leg to stand on to be splinted and hauled off in the ambulance, so she was euthanized,” said Dr. Larry Bramlage, the Kentucky Derby’s on-call veterinarian.
Eight Belles, who came on late to finish second before breaking down, was the first filly to run in the Kentucky Derby since 1999, when Excellent Meeting finished fifth and Three Rings was 19th.
It was a disappointing showing for Colonel John, the Santa Anita Derby winner who was the second-betting choice and considered the main threat to Big Brown. But the colt never was a factor in finishing sixth.
Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher fell to 0-for-21 in his career in the Derby after Cowboy Cal ran ninth and Monba finished last.
May 4th, 2008 at 10:24 am
Why is it so difficult to find a simple listing of how the horses came in. Like the board you see at the track. It’s good to see other info but let’s face it this is the most important part of the race.