Famous horses that have broken down in big races

* Eight Belles, 2008: About a quarter-mile after finishing second in the Kentucky Derby, the filly breaks both front ankles and has to be euthanized in front of 157,770 at Churchill Downs.

* George Washington, 2007: Breaks down 100 yards from the finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in the mud at Monmouth Park, breaking bones in his right foreleg. The horse has to be euthanized.

* Barbaro, 2006: Kentucky Derby winner fractures three bones in and around the ankle of his right hind leg in front of the grandstand, about a quarter-mile into the Preakness. Despite six surgeries, the horse had bouts with laminitis and had to be euthanized eight months later.

* Pine Island, 2006: The 3-1 second choice in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs falls on the backstretch, suffers multiple fractures and has to be euthanized.

* Charismatic, 1999: Going into the Belmont as the 2-1 favorite after having won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, Charismatic holds the lead going into the final furlong. However, the horse fades and finishes third behind Lemon Drop Kid and Vision and Verse. Sensing trouble after passing the wire, jockey Chris Antley jumps off the horse and holds up the colt’s left front leg, broken in two places. Many say Antley’s actions saved Charismatic’s life. The horse underwent career-ending surgery the next morning.

* Prairie Bayou, 1993: On a drizzly day at Belmont Park, Prairie Bayou, who had run second at the Kentucky Derby and first at the Preakness, buckles in the backstretch about half a mile into the race. Jockey Mike Smith jumps over the horse’s right side and escapes injury, but the horse suffered compound fractures in his left foreleg and had to be euthanized about 30 minutes later.

* Go For Wand, 1990: Snaps right front ankle and tosses jockey Randy Romero toward the outside rail during the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Belmont Park. Go For Wand gets up and hobbles on three legs, with the mangled part of her fourth limb dangling before the horse collapses. She was euthanized in front of the grandstand.

* Ruffian, 1975: In a match race against Kentucky Derby winner, Foolish Pleasure, Ruffian hits her shoulder on the starting gate. She recovers quickly but looks to be running in pain and leans heavily on her right foreleg. A furlong past the quarter-mile pole, Ruffian is in front by half a length when both sesamoid bones in her right foreleg snap. Jockey Jacinto Vasquez tries to pull her up, but the filly wouldn’t stop, pulverizing her sesamoids, ripping the skin of her fetlock as the bones burst through and tearing her ligaments until her hoof was flopping uselessly. Surgery repairs the damage, but the horse thrashes about after the anesthesia wears off, reinjures herself and has to be euthanized.