The glitz and glamor of Kentucky's 149th running of the Derby has been overshadowed by the death of four horses in the days leading up to the race.
Wild on Ice as well as Take Charge Briana were euthanized for humane reasons, after suffering what officials described as musculoskeletal injuries.
Then two of trainer Saffie Joseph Jr's horses, Parents Pride and Chasing Artie suffered "highly unusual sudden deaths," last Saturday and this past Tuesday.
After all this, the well-being of the horses has been on the minds of many. Animal Wellness Action's President Wayne Pacelle said there have been over 7,200 horse deaths nationwide due to race injuries between 2009 and 2021.
"That is an unusual cluster of deaths," Pacelle said, referring to the four most recent deaths. "And we were deeply concerned because we work to pass federal law to create race day doping prohibitions in thoroughbred racing."
Necropsies for the two horses are pending and the causes of their deaths remain unknown.
Joseph Jr himself expressed disbelief.
"I'm shattered basically, I know it can't happen-- it is mind-boggling," he said. "The odds of it happening-- it is a trillion. I run almost 4,000 horses and it never happened like that."
Despite the unknown cause of death, Pacelle said the industry cannot ignore the prevalence of doping.
"Doping has been deep in the marrow of the bones of this industry for a long time, and it's not going to be voluntarily extracted or taken out," he said.
Pacelle added there could be other factors outside of doping that may contribute to the fragility of the horses.
"So these animals are hurtling at 45 mph, they're beautiful, incredible, powerful," he said. "The problem is if they're running on champagne glass legs, and if they have thin tendons, and if they're built for speed and not endurance and strength and fortitude, then that may contribute to the breakdowns."
Ultimately, Pacelle said his organization is not against horse racing itself. However, his organization emphasizes a message.
"To say that horses should be the center of the thinking of people involved in the industry's our point," Pacelle said. "Again these are the animals that make the entire enterprise possible."
Churchill Downs announced just yesterday that trainer Saffie Joseph Jr and any other trainer directly or indirectly employed by Joseph are indefinitely suspended.
Lord Miles, another horse that Joseph Jr owned has been scratched from the Derby.
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