Worst Spill You've Seen

[munster705]

Watching the Preakness undercard on TV this past Saturday in that turf race was the worst spill I think I can remember. Im glad Eddie Castro was alright, but the poor horse got trampled pretty badly. Anyone got better?

[Scurlogue Champ]

They showed a pretty good one on the Real Sports thing on HBO where Asmussen was interviewed.

[slotdirt]

At least it was on the backstretch and happened in a second. I've seen way worse than that - the British horse in the 2005 mile comes to mind. Fleet Indian, obviously, Go for Wand, of course.

[TheSpyder]

Watch the Grand National from England. It's over jumps...BIG jumps. Typically 43 horses start and about 12 finish.

Spyder

[KirisClown]

It was either 1994 or 95.. in the slop at Belmont.. Smart Little Boy and Scherbo.

[paisjpq]

all of them.

[Danzig]

this is a maudlin thread....

[fpsoxfan]

They are all bad, but Go for Wand was probably the worst I've seen on TV.
As far as live, it was pretty bad when Julie Krone went down at Saratoga. I can't remember the year or horses but I remember the hush that went over the crowd that day. Very Scary. It's obviously the worst part of the game.

[AeWingnut]

I've had threadds deleted for being boring

I think this thread needs to go away

[Cajungator26]

All of them...

In person, Bright One.

[Hickory Hill Hoff]

The one that will be forever etched in my mind was the '82 Jockey Club Gold Cup with the breakdown of Timely Writer.
I wasn't a big fan of racing yet, but several of my classmates were and we watched the race at senior party.
I was sick to my stomach after his breakdown...it was the first time I ever saw an incident like that.
You remember things like that, good or bad.

[byalip]

Exogenous breaking down before even setting foot on the track in the 2001 BC at Belmont.

And then the ill-fated Landseer on the turf.

Gruesome day.

[sundaysilenceforever]

My horse, Sage Chatter, in 1983, shattering his sesamoid and going down on the turn.
I was in the 6 furlong chute on the pony horse and could not get there fast enough. We've lost horses over the years of course, but that one hit me the hardest. You never completely get over it.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

Landseer was pretty bad, but I think they were 2 different years.

They were.

[Cajungator26]

Originally Posted by Bababooyee

Amen.


There was one at River Downs last spring...last race of the afternoon. On a Friday. An otherwise beautiful day. He was at the low end of the food chain...3200-5000 claimer. On paper, not much talent to speak of. Maybe his 2nd or 3rd race ever. 3 or 4 yo. Grey. Still remember that grey mane. Right in front of the grandstand and I was on the outside rail. Maybe 20 yards directly in front of me. I felt the “thud” as much as I heard it. Seemed like forever before the medical team even knew what was going on. People screaming. “Where’s the help!?!” Women and children bawlin’. Men trying to be men with that glassy-eyed, concerned stare. Both horse and jock just layin’ there motionless. ****, what took them so long…I’ll never understand that. Finally, they got the jock strapped on a board and off to the hospital. They couldn't get the horse in the equine ambulance...tried draggin him in with the winch. He fought it. Barely budged. Couldn’t stand up on his own no matter how hard he tried. Broken femur or hip. Somehow they finally got him up…but he couldn’t stand on his own. About six guys helped him stay upright. Out came the tarps. Damn. Right after the injection, he bucked hard and crashed to the ground. Poor bastard. His once beautiful grey mane got all wet and muddy as they dragged his body into the equine ambulance. That was hard…

Oh God, I wish I wouldn't have read that.

[brianwspencer]

Worst spill I've ever seen -- not in the case of how graphic it was or how brutal it was -- but how it affected me:

Comprehensively


It was the day we planned for 6 weeks, me taking my 18 year old coworker to the track for the first time. And I was so happy that Comprehensively was running, not only was she going for the first time, she was getting to see my favorite horse up close. I had lost money already, so we stood around to watch my boy run in this race. I played a measly trifecta bet and a few dollars to win on him just because it's what I do.

He was midpack in the stretch, he wasn't going to threaten for the win, or maybe he was, but something went wrong. He stumbled, fought with all he had to stay up, took another step and lost it. Twyla went flying off of his back and onto the track, he flipped and twisted on the ground. He got up. I silently prayed, as fast as I ever have, that he would run off like I've seen so many times before. He stumbled. He couldn't stand up straight. He made his way inside the 16th pole, fighting to walk, seemingly unaware of what had happened or how it had happened. There he was being the horse that he is, giving every last bit and trying to find the wire, unburdened of his rider. He came right in front of us, and I saw his front right leg. Shattered. Flailing in all the wrong ways. I almost cried. And I started to as my friend looked at me, trying to understand how this horse meant so much to me. She had heard about him all day long, and I was so excited to share him with her. She caught on quickly from the look on my face and the tone of my voice that she caught during the few words I could manage to say. Mostly, "I'm going to cry." The man next to me shouted "on to the glue factory!" and it took everything I had to not lose it. For Twyla and the others risking their lives every second out there for his kicks. For these animals who love what they do. They do it for him.

His trainer stood with him, his right arm underneath his neck, patting the opposite side, as the boy refused to give up. Refused to lie down. Refused to be anything but the winner. Not believing that somehow his leg didn't work anymore.

I don't care if he runs in Portland. I don't care that it was a 3200N3L race. I don't care that he bankrolled only 13k in his career. I care that he gave me something to be excited about. I care that he gave every ounce every time. Gamely. I care that he was a beautiful animal and a beautiful racehorse and that meant something to me. I care that every time I knew he was running I would find a way to get to the track to see him, it was a dream come true that he came to Portland to run in front of me, instead of on TV.

He was the 8-5 favorite.

So at least, if anything today, he was loved.

[fpsoxfan]

Originally Posted by brianwspencer

Worst spill I've ever seen -- not in the case of how graphic it was or how brutal it was -- but how it affected me:

Comprehensively


It was the day we planned for 6 weeks, me taking my 18 year old coworker to the track for the first time. And I was so happy that Comprehensively was running, not only was she going for the first time, she was getting to see my favorite horse up close. I had lost money already, so we stood around to watch my boy run in this race. I played a measly trifecta bet and a few dollars to win on him just because it's what I do.

He was midpack in the stretch, he wasn't going to threaten for the win, or maybe he was, but something went wrong. He stumbled, fought with all he had to stay up, took another step and lost it. Twyla went flying off of his back and onto the track, he flipped and twisted on the ground. He got up. I silently prayed, as fast as I ever have, that he would run off like I've seen so many times before. He stumbled. He couldn't stand up straight. He made his way inside the 16th pole, fighting to walk, seemingly unaware of what had happened or how it had happened. There he was being the horse that he is, giving every last bit and trying to find the wire, unburdened of his rider. He came right in front of us, and I saw his front right leg. Shattered. Flailing in all the wrong ways. I almost cried. And I started to as my friend looked at me, trying to understand how this horse meant so much to me. She had heard about him all day long, and I was so excited to share him with her. She caught on quickly from the look on my face and the tone of my voice that she caught during the few words I could manage to say. Mostly, "I'm going to cry." The man next to me shouted "on to the glue factory!" and it took everything I had to not lose it. For Twyla and the others risking their lives every second out there for his kicks. For these animals who love what they do. They do it for him.

His trainer stood with him, his right arm underneath his neck, patting the opposite side, as the boy refused to give up. Refused to lie down. Refused to be anything but the winner. Not believing that somehow his leg didn't work anymore.

I don't care if he runs in Portland. I don't care that it was a 3200N3L race. I don't care that he bankrolled only 13k in his career. I care that he gave me something to be excited about. I care that he gave every ounce every time. Gamely. I care that he was a beautiful animal and a beautiful racehorse and that meant something to me. I care that every time I knew he was running I would find a way to get to the track to see him, it was a dream come true that he came to Portland to run in front of me, instead of on TV.

He was the 8-5 favorite.

So at least, if anything today, he was loved.

Sorry you had to go through that. That's awful.

[brianwspencer]

Originally Posted by Bababooyee

In many ways, I kinda wish I could forget it. Then, similar to what brian said, I recall the fight in this horse. He never won a race...probably never broke a 40 Beyer. Broken, he fought and struggled to get back up. Refused the chains pulling him into the ambulance. And even the last volitional act of his life was just...so defiant. It seemed the epitome of Dylan Thomas' "Do not go gentle..." In some weird way, and while still much more bitter than sweet, I kinda feel blessed to have witnessed that courage and fight firsthand.

So many of us have memorable horses who we loved who had never done anything remarkable. I think that is a great comment on the love some people have for this game. A horse who is 2 for 13 and has bankrolled a measly 10K for winning his two races can leave the same effect as an undefeated Derby winner breaking down in his next race. It really is about the horses, and that fans can find a reason to fall in love with a measly 3200N3L claimer speaks volumes about our game and the fans.

[sundaysilenceforever]

Originally Posted by brianwspencer

So many of us have memorable horses who we loved who had never done anything remarkable. I think that is a great comment on the love some people have for this game. A horse who is 2 for 13 and has bankrolled a measly 10K for winning his two races can leave the same effect as an undefeated Derby winner breaking down in his next race. It really is about the horses, and that fans can find a reason to fall in love with a measly 3200N3L claimer speaks volumes about our game and the fans.

Absolutely. Thank you.

[Zippy Chippy]

Originally Posted by brianwspencer

So many of us have memorable horses who we loved who had never done anything remarkable. I think that is a great comment on the love some people have for this game. A horse who is 2 for 13 and has bankrolled a measly 10K for winning his two races can leave the same effect as an undefeated Derby winner breaking down in his next race. It really is about the horses, and that fans can find a reason to fall in love with a measly 3200N3L claimer speaks volumes about our game and the fans.

Very well put. Records and purses aside, the horse has an intrinsic value that you have to appreciate.