STANTON, Del. — The trainer of Eight Belles is certain the filly was never on steroids, and has ordered tests to prove it.

Larry Jones said Tuesday he wanted to dispel any suggestion the Kentucky Derby runner-up was on performance-enhancing drugs. Eight Belles was euthanized after breaking both front ankles Saturday, a quarter-mile after the finish at Churchill Downs.

"I guarantee there were no steroids ever on the horse," Jones said at a news conference at Delaware Park, site of the filly's first win.

Eight Belles' owner, Rick Porter, said the preliminary necropsy result showed the death came as a result of the fracture of the filly's two front cannon bones.

At Lexington, Ky., a protest over the loss of Eight Belles drew nearly as many defenders of horse racing as it did protesters.

About 30 people from both sides held signs outside the offices of the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals contend horse racing is cruel. Their signs read, "Stop racing horses to the grave" and "Racing horses beaten and broken." Horse racing supporters stood alongside them defending the industry.

Horse racing supporters stood alongside them defending the industry from the attack with signs that read "I love horses" and "I support the sport."

In addition to defending his training methods, Jones again defended jockey Gabriel Saez's ride of the Derby runner-up.

"People have been on him. It's uncalled for. It's unjust," Jones said.

Saez's agent, Ruben Munoz, said the 20-year-old jockey was shaken when he heard PETA was calling for his suspension.

"I explained to him that it was coming from animal activists and that he had been exonerated by the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority," Munoz said.

Saez has not spoken publicly since the Derby, but has returned to riding. In fact, he won his first race at Delaware Park on Sunday by six lengths, had a first- and third-place finish Monday and a pair of seconds on Tuesday.

"This is the only thing that has moved him in the two years I've know him," Munoz said. "Yes, he's sad. Yes, he's worried."

Jones also took a swipe at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which has said Saez should have known the horse was in trouble and that he went to the whip too often.

"I think that it is really and truly the most ridiculous thing I've heard of," he said.

Jones said PETA is capitalizing on a sad situation.

"When this started I feel like maybe their heart was in the right place," Jones said. "I think maybe they were generally concerned."

Jones has changed his thinking and said PETA is using the incident to raise money.

"I hate the fact they are using this to be a fundraiser for them. They're doing this for monetary purpose ... They're not in it for the good of anything. It's strictly something to rally around, hoping they are raising funds from this, and I hate it."

PETA spokeswoman Kathy Guillermo said the organization hasn't done any specific fundraising based on Eight Belles.

"PETA is not making money on Eight Belles, Mr. Jones is," Guillermo said. "Our concern was and is for the horses."

Jones said he was looking to get past the death of Eight Belles, for himself and the sport of racing.

"I'm sorry that people have to feel that they have to point fingers and they have to look for the negative of this game," Jones said. "I would like to bring closure to it. I don't want people to think of racing as it being abusive."