(OT) jarsch, et al: From what I saw on the replays, I don't think the first incident caused the second. It appeared to me like he got bumped by another horse and came down crooked, causing the break. Kinda like what happens when a basketball player lands on another player's foot. But we'll hear more about that when the official vet report comes out. They were planning to perform surgery tonite, so there will probably be more info in tomorrow morning's Louisville paper.
As to your last question, breeding a Triple Crown level horse is as much luck as it is science. You obviously try to increase your odds by breeding "quality" to "quality", but it's still a crap shoot at best. I'm not sure of the exact numbers, but there are somewhere around 100,000 Thoroughbred horses born every year. Of those, only @300 or so are even good enough to get nominated for the Triple Crown series, and only 20 at most can run in the KY Derby. Those are not good odds. A stud fee to a quality stallion will cost you anywhere from $10,000 to $250,000. As to the costs of training, you can probably expect to pay anywhere between $800 and $2000 per month in training fees, depending on the trainer's name. And that doesn't include vet bills, farrier fees, insurance, transportation costs, and a large assortment of track fees. This is definitely not a game for the average working person.
I'll check out the Louisville paper in the morning and pass along any info I find. But y'all can check for yourselves if you'd like. Their web site is www.courier-journal.com
Bill
Market Data 
Markets 
AI
