Churchill Downs horse death toll reaches 12

For the second day in a row, and the twelfth time since April 27, a horse is lifeless at Churchill Downs in Louisville.

Kimberley Dream, operating in her 61st race, was euthanized after she pulled up within the higher stretch. She was operating within the first race of the day Saturday on the well-known racetrack.

She suffered an “inoperable … ligament rupture to her left entrance leg,” the observe introduced.

Her loss of life comes lower than 24 hours after Lost in Limbo tumbled into the dust throughout the seventh race on the observe Friday and was unable to stand up.

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The 149th operating of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs Might 6, 2023, in Louisville, Ky. (Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos)

Video obtained by Fox News Digital from PETA exhibits an ambulance driving as much as the horse and workers placing up a curtain to cover him, presumably so docs may put him down. He was 7 years previous in his thirty fifth race.

In her final 5 races, Kimberley Dream had misplaced by 19, 32½, 14½, 31 and 33 lengths, the Los Angeles Instances notes.

From April 27 to the Kentucky Derby Might 6, seven horses died from both accidents or collapsing on the observe. Two of these horses died within the undercard of the Derby, and one other, Wild on Ice, was imagined to run within the race that was won by Mage. 5 have died after runs on the observe since then.

“It’s with absolute dismay and sorrow that we report this extremely uncommon statistic,” Churchill Downs said in a statement Saturday. “Our workforce members mourn the lack of these animals as we proceed to work collectively to find a trigger and decide acceptable investments to reduce, to the diploma potential, any avoidable danger on this sport and on our property. 

“We don’t settle for this as appropriate or tolerable and share the frustrations of the general public and, in some instances, the inquiries to which we don’t but have solutions. We’ve got been rigorously working … to grasp what has led to this spike and have but to discover a conclusive [discernible] sample as we await the findings of ongoing investigations into these accidents and fatalities.

Churchill Downs forward of the 149th operating of the Kentucky Derby Might 6, 2023, in Louisville, Ky.  (Michael Reaves/Getty Photos)

“As with all matter beneath investigation, justice or solutions are usually not all the time swift, however the dedication to being thorough is extremely essential. We perceive the justified need for solutions but additionally respect the method and authority of the Kentucky Horse Racing Fee (KHRC) and the Horseracing Integrity and Security Authority (HISA) when managing these essential investigations. We’re actively working in cooperation with these regulatory authorities and share their aim to enhance the protection of this sport.”

KENTUCKY DERBY-WINNING HORSE FUSAICHI PEGASUS DEAD AT 26

Coach Bob Baffert returned from his two-year suspension Saturday. He had been barred from the game following a optimistic drug take a look at for the unique winner of the 2021 Derby, Medina Spirit. The horse was disqualified from the race and died that December.

In his return, one among his horses died throughout the Preakness Stakes undercard.

Havnameltdown sustained a “non-operable left fore fetlock” injury at Pimlico, and docs made the choice to place the horse down.

Mage, left, ridden by jockey Javier Castellano takes the surface of flip 4 throughout the 149th operating of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs Might 6, 2023, in Louisville, Ky.  (Andy Lyons/Getty Photos)

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PETA beforehand known as Churchill Downs a “killing discipline” and known as for the banning of Baffert previous to the Preakness.

Greater than 30 horses died in 2019 on the Santa Anita racetrack in California. The observe closed down racing when the toll reached 21, and it revamped its security protocols. Since then, horse fatalities have decreased by 55% within the state.

Churchill Downs stated it’s “centered on our accountability to supply the most secure racing atmosphere potential on our property” in current weeks.

“We merely won’t permit these equine fatalities to be in useless …,” the observe added. “We’re dedicated to doing this essential work and updating the general public with our developments.”