What we know about all the horse deaths during Churchill Downs' 2023 spring meet
Despite being a record-setting year for Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby, it has been a costly spring meet at the track with regard to horses dying.
As of Sunday, May 28, 12 horses have either died from injuries or euthanasia at Churchill Downs or suffered injuries that required euthanasia in Lexington.
Here's a chronological summary of the horses who have died and how:
April 27, Wild On Ice
The 3-year-old Texas horse hurt his hind leg around 6 a.m. that morning. He was evaluated at the Equine Medical Center and was then taken to a surgical facility in Lexington.
A few hours later, sources told 비바카지노 Viva the injury was too severe, and the horse had to be put down.
April 29, Code of Kings
The horse flipped in the paddock a week before the Derby. He was sent by horse ambulance to a clinic in Lexington, according to his trainer Tim Glyshaw. He was diagnosed with a fractured neck and was euthanized because of how unstable his neck was and the high possibility of paralysis.
April 29, Parents Pride
The filly died after an Opening Night race. We know that the horse was racing on the turf when she collapsed and threw her rider while being eased up.
Veterinarians rushed to aid her, but she became agonal and died before she could be fully evaluated. Her cause of death has not yet been released.
May 2, Take Charge Briana
The filly was in a pack during a turf race before breaking down in the stretch drive. Churchill Downs said she had catastrophic damage to her right foreleg from which she could not recover. She was then euthanized.
May 2, Chasing Artie
The horse was vanned off after the conclusion of the eighth race on 502'sDay.
While returning to the unsaddling area he began to stagger and collapsed. By the time vets got to him, he was agonal and unresponsive. After attempts to stimulate the horse failed, he was euthanized.
May 6, Chloe's Dream
He was pulled up and vanned off during Race 2 on Derby Day. It was determined he sustained a catastrophic injury to his right knee from which he could not recover. He was then euthanized.
May 6, Freezing Point
During Race 8 on Derby Day, the horse was pulled up and vanned off. Churchill Downs said that the horse couldn't recover from that injury, either.
After diagnostics were performed by the private veterinarian it was determined that the horse had suffered a serious injury to his left foreleg, and he was then euthanized.
May 13, Bosque Redondo
The horse finished his race in 10th place and required the assistance of the vets and the horse ambulance.
After being evaluated the horse was transported to a Lexington clinic for further diagnostics where it was later reported that he was euthanized due to his injuries and poor prognosis for recovery.
May 14, Rio Moon
The horse was at the finish line in the sixth race of the day when he suffered a catastrophic injury to his left foreleg and had to be euthanized. More about Rio Moon here.
May 20, Swanson Lake
The horse's injury occurred during the day's sixth race, and he had to be vanned off about 100 yards past the finish line. After a vet evaluated him, he was deemed inoperable, and he was euthanized.
May 26, Lost In Limbo
The horse suffered a significant injury to his left front leg near the finish the day's seventh race. A vet determined that the injury was unrecoverable, and the horse was euthanized.
May 27, Kimberly Dream
The filly sustained a significant injury during the day's first race. She suffered from an injury to her left front leg, similar to Lost in Limbo's injury. She was then euthanized.
There are 26 full days of racing left during the Churchill Downs 2023 Spring Meet.
Track officials brought in a doctor from the University of Kentucky to examine the conditions of the track to see if it is affecting the thoroughbreds while racing.
So far, nothing has been found unusual about the track.
"We are troubled by this recent string of fatalities," Churchill Downs said in a statement on Saturday. "It is extremely inconsistent with the outcomes we have experienced over the years, with the reputation we have developed over the decades, and with the expectations we set for ourselves and owe our fans. We are committed to doing this important work and updating the public with our developments."
The last day of races during the spring meet is July 3.