Dramas at Kentucky Derby
Seven dead horses shake traditional racing week
05/07/2023 2:54 p.m
The gallop spectacle Kentucky Derby attracts 150,000 interested people to the racetrack. But not only the experts are shocked by seven dead horses. The fact that an outsider surprisingly wins the main race becomes almost a minor matter when it comes to the deaths.
Seven dead horses have overshadowed the galloping spectacle of the Kentucky Derby in the USA. After five animals had to be euthanized during the course of the race week, two more gallopers were killed on veterinary orders due to injuries before the main race on Saturday. Both horses had sustained the injuries during their races.
Three-year-old gelding Chloe’s Dream made a misstep and sustained a knee injury, trainer Jeff Hiles told the AP. This can also happen on the field and not just on the racetrack. “That’s unfortunate. We have to deal with it,” said Hiles. Three-year-old colt Freezing Point was hit by another horse during the race and suffered an ankle injury, according to his trainer Joe Lejzerowicz. Both animals were euthanized.
Trainer suspended after in-race fatalities
Among the five dead horses earlier were two gallopers who collapsed and died during their races. Both were coached by Saffie Joseph Jr., who was suspended indefinitely by organizers. It’s unusual for two horses from the same stable to die under such mysterious circumstances, said Wayne Pacelle, president of animal welfare organization Animal Wellness Action. “The kind of people who know something about the sport find it incredibly unusual for four and five-year-old horses to drop dead after their races,” said Pacelle, “It’s so incredibly unusual that there’s evidence of what the trainer did to expose them to some risk.”
The Kentucky Derby, also known as the “Run for the Roses” because of the award given to the winner, is a 1.25 mile (2.01 km) three-year-old Thoroughbred horse race. In front of around 150,000 visitors, including American football star Patrick Mahomes, outsider Mage with jockey Javier Castellano in the saddle won the 149th edition, which was endowed with three million dollars (around 2.7 million euros).