The Associated Press

LEXINGTON - Doctors upgraded former Gov. Edward T. "Ned" Breathitt's condition from critical to serious Sunday, two days after he collapsed during a speech, a hospital official said.

Breathitt, 78, remained unconscious in the intensive care unit at the UK Medical Center, spokesman Ralph Derickson said.

He collapsed Friday night about seven minutes into his speech during a Lexington Community College volunteers appreciation dinner. The dinner was held at the E.S. Good Barn on the campus of the University of Kentucky. Breathitt was transported to the UK Medical Center immediately after the collapse.

The former governor was admitted to the hospital's intensive care unit and placed on a ventilator. Mary Margaret Colliver, a UK spokeswoman, said Sunday that Breathitt's "vital signs are stable."

Breathitt's cardiologist, John Gurley, has not said what caused the collapse.

Gurley said Breathitt underwent a heart catheterization that showed no evidence he had a heart attack. He also said there was no evidence of head trauma, bleeding or stroke.

Breathitt, a Democrat, is credited with supporting civil rights, strip-mining regulations and campaign finance legislation and boosting the state's education budget. The Hopkinsville native was governor from 1963 to 1967 and served three terms in the legislature.

Jim Kerley, president of Lexington Community College, sat with Breathitt during the dinner Friday. Kerley said Breathitt was "upbeat and in tremendous spirits" before his collapse.

Before the dinner, Breathitt had spent the day with Don Mills, who was once Breathitt's press secretary, at Keeneland racetrack.

Mills said Breathitt was in "great shape" and "laughing."

Among Breathitt's visitors Friday and Saturday were UK President Lee Todd and his wife, Patsy Todd, former UK President Charles T. Wethington and Attorney General Ben Chandler, the Democratic nominee for governor.

Mills said that Breathitt has been campaigning for Chandler in his race against U.S. Rep. Ernie Fletcher.

Barbara Hadley-Smith, a spokeswoman for Chandler, said Breathitt was Chandler's political mentor and "a guiding force in his life."