Eight Belles Tries to Follow in Winning Fillies Shoes

By: Greg Melikov

A filly will try her luck in the Kentucky Derby for the first time in nine years. Eight Belles attempts to become the fourth to visit the winner’s circle since Regret in 1918.

Regret lived up to her odds and was the only female favorite to whip the boys. She immediately went to the lead, never looked back and defeated 15 challengers by two lengths.

In ‘80, Genuine Risk took command in the stretch and triumphed by neck over a dozen runners. In ‘88, Winning Colors lived up to her name, broke on top from the inside post and led all the way over 16 rivals to win by a neck.

Unlike those two, Eight Belles has never faced males or traveled 1 1/8 miles. However, her speed figures have been comparable to the colts, which prompted her connections to try the Derby instead of the Oaks.

Trainer Larry Jones entered her in both, but drew No. 12 in the Oaks. She fared much better for the Derby and will break from post 5. And she’s coming into the big one with a four-race winning streak, including two graded stakes victories at Oaklawn Park.

Jones said he would have opted for the Oaks only if his filly ended up in the auxiliary gate from post 14 outward. “We wanted a ground-saving trip. She’ll run up behind the early leaders. She’ll be fine in there.”

The daughter of Unbridled’s Song is named after Eight Bells, the Maine home that belongs to the family of American contemporary realist painters Andrew Wyeth and N. C. Wyeth.

“We’ve been friends with the Wyeths for years, and I’ve named horses after his paintings because it’s just something I do,” owner Rick Porter said. “I was going to name a colt Eight Bells, but I’d been holding onto the name and then I fell in love with this filly as a yearling and decided to use the name Eight Belles for her.”

Her sire came into the ‘96 Derby favored off victories in the Florida Derby and Wood Memorial, but in capturing that prep at Aqueduct hit himself in the left forefoot, causing a cracked hoof.

Racing with a special bar shoe and acrylic patch, the son of ‘90 Derby winner Unbridled tracked the pace five wide and gained the lead after six furlongs, but weakened in the stretch and finished fifth.

I remember a decade ago when all the talk was about another outstanding filly — Serena’s Song. She showed promise in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies in ‘94 when she battled Flanders, but lost to her stablemate by a head.

Serena’s Song beat the boys in the ‘95 Blue Grass Stakes. But on Derby Day, the winner was Thunder Gulch, who finished fourth at Keeneland, while the favored filly ran 16th after setting a blistering pace.

In all, 38 fillies have run at Churchill Downs. In ‘99, two tried the boys and ended up fifth and 19th while a favored entry finished eighth and 19th in ‘84.

The first female runner failed to live up to her name in the inaugural 1875 Derby. Gold Mine finished 15th and last.

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Greg Melikov, a native Chicagoan and retired South Florida newspaperman who resides in Greater San Antonio, has been handicapping and writing about thoroughbreds for decades. His articles and columns appear globally in print and online, including on his own site: www.horsingaround.info. He became a racing fan at 13 when he saw 1948 Triple Crown winner Citation whip 20 older horses at old Arlington Park. He can be contacted at gmelikov@satx.rr.com.

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7 Comments

  1. I hope the owners of eight bells are happy now that she is gone. I wish you the pain she suffered and hope you feel that the rest of your life. You should be ashamed of yourself

    Comment by kate on May 3, 2008

  2. Now kate, they didn’t want Eight Bells to get hurt and i’m sure they’re just as sad as you. She finished just fine (second! impressive still) She hurt BOTH of her front legs during the pull up and she may have hit something just right! Horses do that sometimes ok. But, did you want her to live with that pain? How would you like it?!?!

    Comment by Megan on May 3, 2008

  3. You should be ashamed of yourself. She raced her hardest and the accident just happened. There was nothing that could have stopped it.

    At least her pain is gone now. Even if she is gone. Such a shame. She could have gone on to win the rest of the races.

    Comment by Lissa on May 3, 2008

  4. Why couldnt the owners just wait??? Two front ankles broken… C’mon, that was one hell of an accident. Clearly, there’s a reason why you dont see fillys in Derby. Rick Porter and the trainer are monsters.

    Comment by Kevin on May 3, 2008

  5. I was so happy to see the filly, Eight Bells, run as well as she did. I wanted to see a filly win!!! But, the worst happened. It was not the owner’s, trainer or jockey’s fault. The old saying, “SH T Happens”. It did. A RACE HORSE, with a big heart, broke her legs. Would you want to see her suffer? I think not. Yes, fillys may not be as strong as a stallion, but look at women, we aren’t eith, but we get the job done. She almost had it all. RIP Eight Bells. You did a wonderful job!!

    Comment by Marsha on May 3, 2008

  6. What a horrible ending to the 2008 Kentucky Derby. I would have like to see Eight Belles win!! Second is still great for a filly. There is no reason why fillies can’t or shouldn’t race in the Kentucky Derby, However, fate has happened as it could have happened to any of the other horses, as we have seen in the past such as Barbaro!! Eight Belles would have thrown some beautiful offspring !! But everything happens for a Reason….My heart goes out to her trainers, owners & everyone in which she has touched in her short life….God Bless!!

    Comment by Connie on May 3, 2008

  7. She was a great athlete, she beat all but one of the boys. My heart goes out to all who were close to her. It hurts so much. I knew her not ,but I wept when I heard of her demise. I agree with some of the others it was an unfortunate accident. I understand it had rained, the track was wet, then it dried rather quickly. An unfortunate accident none the less.

    Comment by Warren on May 4, 2008

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