Amid the exhilaration and jubilation that surrounds perhaps the most famous horse race in the country, tragedy loomed just beneath the surface for a number of trainers with animals competing in this year’s Kentucky Derby.
Saturday, a pair of 3-year-old horses, a gelding named Chloe’s Dream and a colt named Freezing Point, suffered debilitating injuries in the races leading up to the weekend’s main event at Churchill Downs.
Both horses had to be euthanized, bringing the total number of horses put down at the famous track in recent days to seven.
When asked for comment, Churchill Downs officials said in a statement that “no discernable pattern” could be found amid the slew of tragic injuries, though they added, “We will rigorously work to understand what caused these incidents.”
The actual 149th Kentucky Derby did go off without a hitch with Mage surging to victory down the stretch.
Mage’s odds for the race were 15-1.
While there is no specific thread between the cause of deaths for the animals who didn't make it through the race, Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, said the deaths underscore the need for reform across the horse racing industry.
"Seven was not a lucky number for the horses, as that is how many died in the lead-up to this year's Kentucky Derby. And yet, they ran it," Block said in a statement to PEOPLE.
"The unacceptable deaths of so many young horses surrounding the Kentucky Derby this year underscores the urgent need for reform to protect the lives of horses, including the immediate and full implementation of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act which has been held hostage by some horsemen obstructing the anti-doping provisions."
To World Animal Protection, an animal welfare nonprofit, told PEOPLE the deaths are a result of the racing industry prioritizing "profit over animals."
Related
