Seven Horses Die in the Days Leading Up to this Year’s Kentucky Derby
Activists brand racetrack venue Churchill Downs ‘a killing field’ following four breakdowns, a broken neck, and two unexplained deaths.
Seven horses have perished in the past week at Churchill Downs, the venue for the world’s most famous horse race, the Kentucky Derby.
Two horses, Chloe’s Dream and Freezing Point, were killed just hours before the Kentucky Derby after suffering injuries to their legs, becoming the sixth and seventh horses to have died at the track over the course of ten days.
Chloe's Dream was euthanized due to a right front knee injury. About 23 seconds into the race, the gelding "went wrong leaving the first turn, pulled up and was vanned off," according to the Equibase race report. Freezing Point was killed by lethal injection after sustaining an ankle injury, He was vanned off shortly after the start of the Pat Day Mile race.
The other five horses that died are Take Charge Briana, Code of Kings, Parents Pride, Chasing Artie and Wild On Ice.
The first victim, 3-year-old Wild On Ice, had to be euthanized after his bone shattered during a training session on April 27. Take Charge Briana broke down in the final straight portion of the racetrack and was later euthanized after suffering from a catastrophic injury. Two days later, 3-year-old gelding Code of Kings died after flipping and breaking his neck in Churchill’s temporary paddock before a race.
Two of the horses who collapsed and died - Parents Pride and Chasing Artie - were trained by Saffie Joseph Jr, who was suspended indefinitely as investigators look into the cause of death.
"Given the unexplained sudden deaths, we have reasonable concerns about the condition of his horses and decided to suspend him indefinitely until details are analyzed and understood," said Bill Mudd, the CDI president and chief operating officer.
Animal rights campaigners are calling for the track to be closed down immediately and more safety protocols put in place for the sport.
“Churchill Downs is a killing field. Freezing Point is the latest casualty,” said Kathy Guillermo, the Senior Vice President for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ (PETA). “He’s the second horse to die today at the track, making it an appalling seven deaths in advance of the Kentucky Derby. They should play “Taps” at the Derby instead of “My Old Kentucky Home.”
Others also expressed that the Kentucky Derby represents a significant decline in both horse safety and human integrity, stating that no other sport would tolerate the deaths of seven athletes and continue operating without being shut down immediately.
“If every athlete, when they break their leg they have to be put down, you’d stop sports. You’d have to,” said Mike Repole, co-owner of Forte who was scratched from this year’s Kentucky Derby just hours before the race. “You see a football player carried out. Unfortunately, if that happened to a horse, he gets more than carried out. That’s the reality of it.”
An average of three horses die on racetracks every single day in the U.S., according to PETA. The group says that the odds of injury are even higher than normal at Churchill Downs due to the dirt and turf tracks that pose a huge risk to horses’ safety. Last year alone, a total of 25 horses tragically lost their lives due to catastrophic injuries sustained on these tracks.
"The tragic loss of life during this year's Kentucky Derby is a devastating reminder of the inherent cruelty in the racing industry, where innocent animals are exploited for entertainment, gambling, and profit,” said Elizabeth Novogratz, Executive Director and Founder of Species Unite. “Churchill Downs, like all other racecourses, continues to put horses at risk of catastrophic injuries and death. It is time to prioritize the welfare of these majestic animals over greed and tradition."
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