Eight Belles was the first filly to run in the Kentucky Derby in nine years

Eight Belles was the first filly to run in the Kentucky Derby in nine years. That alone was an accomplishment. But she didn't just run the race -- she excelled. Though she did not win, she placed behind Big Brown, which in a 20-horse field filled with the finest horses around is nothing to sneeze at. It was a fine run, until she crossed the finish line, and her jockey heard a sound.