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Eight Belles connections persevering; other Derby runners doing well They remain heartbroken over the loss of Fox Hill Farms' EIGHT BELLES (Unbridled's Song), their star filly and runner-up in Saturday's Kentucky Derby (G1), but trainer Larry Jones and his wife, Cindy, were at Barn 43 at Churchill Downs at 6 a.m. (EDT) Sunday morning after the emotional rollercoaster of Kentucky Derby 134. Eight Belles was euthanized after she shattered both front ankles as she was galloping out about a quarter-mile past the finish line following her second-place effort in the Derby. Jones, who won the Kentucky Oaks (G1) just 24 hours earlier with Proud Spell (Proud Citizen), said the hours following the race had been difficult and media attention that immediately followed the filly's mishap had been a challenge but he understood the interest in the fate of Eight Belles, who was the first of her gender to compete in the Kentucky Derby since 1999. "Everybody meant well," Jones said. "I can understand everybody wanting to see what was going on here. The filly in the last week had won a lot of people, and I think she won a lot of people over with the way she ran in the race." Eight Belles was attempting to become just the fourth filly to win the Kentucky Derby in the 134-year history of the race. Although she did not win, she was just the second filly to finish second in a head-to-head battle with males in the Derby. "We couldn't be more proud of her, believe me," Jones said. "She had trained so well coming into this." What caused the fatal injury remains a mystery to Jones. He has watched the replay of the Kentucky Derby several times and was impressed by the way Eight Belles was striding out in the final yards of the race. He did not witness the filly's mishap, but said there was no indication as she galloped out that there was any problem. "We have some photographers that we really got to know last year with (Kentucky Derby runner-up) Hard Spun, especially from the Philadelphia area, that were on the first turn taking pictures as everybody was galloping out," Jones said. "We've got a lot of great pictures they say of her, and she's got her ears up and was not in any kind of distress galloping out around the turn. I don't know what happened and when. Just all of the sudden, it just went." Jones said Eight Belles would be cremated, but he was unsure of owner Rick Porter's plans for the interment of her remains. The Kentucky-born trainer plans to leave Churchill Downs on Monday with Proud Spell on a journey to Delaware Park, where his stable is participating at that track's current meet. Some of his horses were scheduled to run Sunday and Jones said they would run, but most of his stable would get the day off following the loss of Eight Belles. "Your first impulse is to be overprotective of everything you're around, but with them being an athlete, you've got to still do the business and do it right," Jones said. "I have 48 horses in Delaware. We're actually sending eight to the track (today) -- the other 40 this morning are walking. "We've got three in today and we're going to race them. You've got to get to business as normal. We're not scratching those other three, afraid to lead them over. Are we going to be over-jubilant and all? No, it's going to be very depressing for several days around here. We're going to do the work because we have to, not because it's going to be fun to do." Trainer David Carroll reported that Kentucky Derby third-place finisher DENIS OF CORK (Harlan's Holiday) came out of the race in good order and will now begin preparing for the Belmont S. (G1) on June 7 at Belmont Park. "He ate up good and his legs are cold this morning," Carroll said of his first Kentucky Derby starter. "He will skip the Preakness (G1) for sure and we are looking at the Belmont. We would probably go up four or five days before the race, whenever we can get a plane." Denis of Cork rallied from last place to claim third money under Calvin Borel, who immediately dropped his mount over to the rail after breaking from post 16, enjoying a trip similar to the one he made to win last year's Derby on Street Sense. Since post positions one and two were available when Carroll selected his spot in the starting gate, the trainer was asked why the inside spots weren't taken in the draw to save ground early. "It's a valid point and we probably would have saved some ground," Carroll said. "I'm tickled to death with his race, but there was no way we were going to beat the winner." Trainer Barclay Tagg spent Sunday morning getting his two Kentucky Derby runners -- fourth-place finisher TALE OF EKATI (Tale of the Cat) and 18th-place runner BIG TRUCK (Hook and Ladder) -- ready for their return to New York before noon. "They both came back well," Tagg said. "There will be no Preakness for either of them because I see no reason to run back in 14 days. I am going to point Tale of Ekati to the Belmont Stakes and Big Truck, he's a New York-bred so I may try him in a state-bred grass race." Trainer Eoin Harty announced Sunday morning that COLONEL JOHN (Tiznow) "survived the war in one piece" and would remain in Kentucky for a while before a decision would be made on his next start. The bay colt finished sixth in the 20-horse field, representing the best finish for a Derby entrant who made his previous start on a synthetic surface. Harty told officials from the Maryland Jockey Club that a trip to Baltimore for the Preakness was highly unlikely. "He had a rough trip yesterday," Harty said. "He took the worst of it coming out of the gate. You usually expect all the crowding going into the first turn, not two jumps out of the gate. But I thought he ran well considering all the trouble he had." Trainer Nick Zito was pleased Sunday morning with the condition of his two Derby starters, ANAK NAKAL (Victory Gallop) and COOL COAL MAN (Mineshaft), who came out of their respective seventh and 15th-place finishes in good order. "They came back OK. They look all right," said Zito, adding that neither horse would run in the Preakness but Anak Nakal will be pointed toward the Belmont. "Anak ran a great race. (Jockey) Rafael (Bejarano) did a good job. If he could have gotten a little break here or there, he could have been closer. But he ran a good seventh. "Obviously, he's got a good chance in the Belmont being by (1998 Belmont winner) Victory Gallop." Zito said he would give Cool Coal Man some time off before deciding on the next start for his Fountain of Youth S. (G2) winner. "I don't think (the rail post position) helped him because he had to get away from there and he showed too much speed early," the Hall of Famer said. "He got a little rank, but (jockey) Julien (Leparoux) did a good job. He did settle down, but I don't think he liked being in there. No excuses. He could have run better." PYRO (Pulpit) and Z FORTUNE (Siphon [Brz]) were reported to be doing well on the morning after their disappointing efforts in Kentucky Derby 134. Pyro finished eighth and Z Fortune was 10th for trainer Steve Asmussen, who had finished third in the 2007 Kentucky Derby with eventual Horse of the Year Curlin (Smart Strike). "They both came out of it well," said Scott Blasi, the assistant who oversees Asmussen's Churchill Downs stable. "Everybody came of out it pretty good." Mike McCarthy, assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher, issued Sunday's report on the barn's two Kentucky Derby starters, COWBOY CAL (Giant's Causeway) and MONBA (Maria's Mon) "Monba will go to New York today," McCarthy said of the gray colt, who finished last on Saturday. "(Ninth-place runner) Cowboy Cal got a little laceration and we are going to give him some TLC. He will probably go to Stonerside (farm) and get some time off." Trainer Bennie Stutts Jr. reported all was well with SMOOTH AIR (Smooth Jazz) the morning after the colt's 11th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. "He ate up everything and has no temperature and that's the main thing," Stutts said. "He got bumped around and climbed on; it's the toughest race in the world. What's next will be up to Brian (Burns of owner Mount Joy Stables). I'd like to give him maybe six weeks off and look for an easier spot." To which a hotwalker passing by with a horse in Dallas Stewart's barn said, "That won't be hard to do." "He's a tough little horse," said Stutts, adding that Smooth Air would return to Miami sometime this week. "He will win some races." VISIONAIRE (Grand Slam) came out of his 12th-place Derby finish in good shape, according to trainer Michael Matz. "He's too good this morning," Matz said. "He ate up everything and he will leave for Fair Hill (in Maryland.) tonight. I am going to have to watch the replays a couple of times. I don't know what happened (with him in the race)." Matz said there were no immediate plans for Visionaire's next start. On the morning after the Bill Mott-trained duo of COURT VISION (Gulch) and Z HUMOR (Distorted Humor) finished 13th and 14th, respectively, assistant trainer Kenny McCarthy said both horses emerged from the Derby in good order. Neither horse is expected to run in the Preakness Stakes. BOB BLACK JACK (Stormy Jack) is heading back to California on Monday after running 16th in the Kentucky Derby after setting the early pace. "He's got a little superficial scrape on his leg," trainer James Kasparoff said. "We are going to go back home and regroup. He came out of it good, and that's all you can ask for." Later down the road as part of the regrouping may be a run on the turf. "I'd like to try him on grass, but probably not until Santa Anita in the fall," Kasparoff said. "But for now I want to keep him on synthetic tracks and there are plenty of Cal-bred races at Hollywood Park." Trainer Paulo Lobo reported Sunday morning that GAYEGO (Gilded Time) checked out fine and showed no ill effects from his 17th-place Derby finish. The Arkansas Derby (G2) winner is scheduled to return to his Southern California home base on Monday morning. "He missed the break and he was squeezed after that," Lobo said. "He got rank and when he passed me the first time I knew he was all done." ADRIANO (A.P. Indy) was scheduled to ship back to Fair Hill to rejoin the rest of trainer Graham Motion's stable on Monday. The colt finished 19th in the Derby in what was only his second start on a dirt track. "He is doing well this morning, but his days on dirt are probably over," Motion said. "If all goes well, we will look at the (July 19) Virginia Derby ([G2] at Colonial Downs)." Motion had not had a chance to see a replay of the Derby so as to fully deduce what happened to Adriano in the race. "I know he broke beautifully but then he got knocked around like a pinball in the first turn," Motion said.
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