LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Amid the festivities of the Kentucky Derby and week of racing at Churchill Downs, seven horses died after incidents at Churchill Downs.
Five horses, including a Kentucky Derby contender, suffered racing-related injuries and were later euthanized.
Two horses dropped dead while racing; they were trained under Saffie Joseph Jr.
Churchill Down suspended Joseph indefinitely in response to the deaths while they investigate the circumstances.
Is this normal?
Upon taking a closer look, there have been series of horse deaths in recent years.
Most notably back in 2019, around 30 horses died at Santa Anita Park in California.
But while California and New York have databases that catalog equine injuries, Kentucky doesn't.
According to a database kept by the Jockey Club, more than 7,000 horses have died from 2009 through 2021.
Horses are euthanized after limb injuries because they can lead to health complications for the animal.
Horse legs tend to shatter when they break, making it extremely difficult to repair or restore them to their original form.
Horses also cannot be put on bed rest since they sleep standing up and are meant to spend most of their time moving.
There are ways to treat horses who break their legs but it's extremely expensive, and the chances of recovery are slim.
So what's being done to keep horses safe?
After the deaths at Santa Anita, safety reforms spread nationally.
Horses competing in both everyday races and big ones like the Derby have comprehensive vet exams and observations to make sure they are fit to race.
That's the reason Derby favorite Forte was scratched.
Researchers at the University of Kentucky hope to develop a screening tool to figure out the horses at risk of injury before the race begins.
In late May, the Horse Racing Safety and Integrity Authority is launching new anti-doping rules which will give the sport uniformity across the country.
Churchill Downs called the deaths tragic, and while they said it is continually improving industry standards at Churchill, they said there is more work to be done.
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