Breeders' Cup ends in tragedy again

By Steve Keating

OCEANPORT, New Jersey (Reuters) - The Breeders' Cup weekend ended in tragedy for the second consecutive year on Saturday when Irish raider George Washington was put down after breaking his leg.

The unsettling sight of the Irish colt standing alone in the dusk in Monmouth Park homestretch with his shattered limb dangling grotesquely beneath him recalled images of Barbaro, the 2006 Kentucky Derby winner who waged a long but ultimately unsuccessful fight to survive a similar injury.

After two days of rain the Breeders' Cup had looked headed for a bright finish when the sun poked through the grey skies just before the start of the showcase $5 million Classic.

Crowds that had spent the weekend huddled under shelters to escape the rain ran to the rail to watch the three top finishers from the Kentucky Derby -- champion Street Sense, runner-up Hard Spun and Preakness winner Curlin renew their rivalry.

The Classic lived up to the immense pre-race hype as the three horses thundered around the final turn, Curlin storming away from his challengers to a commanding 4 ½ length win over Hard Spun on the sloppy track.

But the cheers of more almost 42,000 spectators quickly turned to gasps as George Washington pulled up in front of the main grandstands with a broken right front leg and battled bravely to stay upright.

"He did well to stay up, he was brave," jockey Michael Kinane. "He didn't go down. He stayed up on it.

"He saved me."

'HOPELESS INJURY'

Workers rushed onto the track to aid the horse but it quickly became evident that nothing could be done and the decision was made to destroy the twice European champion.

It marked the second consecutive year that the Breeders' Cup touched by tragedy.

Last year at Churchill Downs in the Distaff, Pine Island had to be euthanised while Fleet Indian sustained a career-ending injury in the same race.

"It was a hopeless injury as far as repair and he has been euthanised," Dr. Wayne McIlwraith, the on call veterinarian of the Equine Association of Practitioners told reporters.

"The decision was made very quickly.

"Aidan O'Brien (George Washington's trainer) was on the racetrack with the horse right after it happened and he requested euthanasia."