The Kentucky Derby is one of the most-watched sports events of the spring. Often dubbed the "two most exciting minutes in sports," around 16 million viewers tuned in to watch Rich Strike win the contest in 2022.
At 80-1 odds, Rich Strike had the longest odds among the 20 horses competing. It was the second biggest upset in Kentucky Derby history, and with more people using betting apps than ever before, lots of money was to be made on such a long shot bet.
DON'T MISS: How to Get Free Lululemon Leggings (Act Fast)
Of course, when money and competition on a national stage intermingle, tensions can run high. Some may recall that in 2021, horse trainer Bob Baffert's now-deceased horse Medina Spirit won the Kentucky Derby but subsequently failed a drug test. Churchill Downs (CHDN) ruled that Baffert would be disqualified and barred from entering any of its competitions for two years, through mid-2023.
Four Horses Dead Ahead of Kentucky Derby
Cheating scandals aside, horse racing has always been an emotionally-charged sport. Thus it is particularly confounding that four horses have been found dead at Churchill Downs in the days ahead of the 2023 Kentucky Derby.
All four horses died within five days of each other - about a week out from the 149th race.
"Two horses trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. collapsed on the track and died over the past week. Two other horses also died as either a result of racing or training, including Derby entrant Wild On Ice," AP reports.
Churchill Downs released a statement on Wednesday addressing the incident.
"While a series of events like this is highly unusual, it is completely unacceptable," Churchill Downs said. "We take this very seriously and acknowledge that these troubling incidents are alarming and must be addressed. We feel a tremendous responsibility to our fans, the participants in our sport and the entire industry to be a leader in safety and continue to make significant investments to eliminate risk to our athletes."
Churchill Downs has not indicated any manner by which the horses could have died, or whether the deaths were related.
Two of the horses, trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., collapsed training, according to the AP. The other two horses died as a direct or indirect result of racing or training.
Both Wild on Ice and Take Charge Briana reportedly suffered musculoskeletal injuries on the track and were taken to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, KY to be euthanized. Neither were owned by Saffie Joseph Jr.
It's worth noting that the Kentucky Derby does not require a completely cataloged database of reported injuries and fatalities, whereas the Belmont Stakes does have such a requirement.
In 2021 there were 366 thoroughbred race horse fatalities, or 1.39 per 1,000 starts, according to the Jockey Club's Equine Injury Database
