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The 149th version of nan Kentucky Derby was overshadowed by nan deaths of 12 horses successful nan days surrounding nan title astatine nan historical track. Two horses died connected May 6, 2023 — nan aforesaid time arsenic past year's race.
The deaths came astatine a clip erstwhile nan athletics of equine racing traditionally draws nan astir attention. But, past year's tragic bid of events astatine Churchill Downs near galore successful tears and raised questions astir nan information of nan sport.
"You can’t ever beryllium excessively safe erstwhile it comes to our sport," jockey Mike Smith, a two-time Derby-winner said.
The number of deaths successful the US accrued somewhat successful 2023 from nan twelvemonth before, according to information tracked by nan Equine Injury Database and reported by HISA. HISA said location were 1.32 deaths per 1,000 starts past year, up from 1.25 nan erstwhile year.
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FILE - Javier Castellano, atop Mage, 3rd from left, is seen pinch others down nan battalion arsenic they make nan first move while competing successful nan 149th moving of nan Kentucky Derby equine title astatine Churchill Downs Saturday, May 6, 2023, successful Louisville, Ky. Horse deaths marred past year’s Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Breeders’ Cup, pinch officials uncovering nary azygous facet to blame. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)
"We’re encouraged by that progress," said Lisa Lazarus, CEO of HISA, "but we surely person a full batch much activity to do."
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A reappraisal of 14 equine deaths astatine Saratoga successful upstate New York past summertime recovered nary definitive origin for why they happened, though dense rainfall could person contributed.
Investigations by Churchill Downs and nan Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) — nan sport’s caller governing assemblage — didn’t place 1 communal origin for nan deaths astir nan Derby.
Resilience runs connected nan way during nan greeting training for nan Kentucky Derby astatine Churchill Downs connected April 28, 2024 successful Louisville, Kentucky. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
The 2024 Kentucky Derby will return spot connected May 4. The deaths prompted Churchill Downs to make respective changes to its information programme up of Saturday.
The way upgraded instrumentality utilized to harrow and people nan ungraded surface, pinch accrued testing to measurement information and consistency. The cushion is measured successful spots astir nan way and moisture contented is checked passim racing days to determine nan watering schedule.
"The way is simply a batch different than it was. It’s sewage much soil successful it now, it’s sewage much base, much cushion," said Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who saddles Just Steel successful nan Derby. "It’s rather a spot deeper. Horses are getting complete it good."
Forever Young runs connected nan way during nan greeting training for nan Kentucky Derby astatine Churchill Downs connected April 28, 2024 successful Louisville, Kentucky. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Churchill Downs besides added an equine information and integrity veterinarian to thief enforce its rules. Fifteen vets from nan Kentucky Horse Racing Commission joined nan track’s vet squad to observe horses this week before, during and aft training and successful their stalls aft they arrive.
Jockeys, trainers, workout riders, way guidance and vets are members of a caller information guidance committee. The committee holds meetings connected a play basis. During nan meetings they talk concerns, and besides supply feedback connected areas wherever they spot nan request for improvement.
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All horses racing astatine Churchill Downs deterioration StrideSAFE biometric sensors that observe changes successful their gaits to thief spot inconsistencies aliases early signs of a imaginable processing injury. The way installed a PET portion for diagnostic imaging, only nan 2nd specified instrumentality permanently located astatine a U.S. racetrack.
HISA took effect successful July 2022 to instrumentality nationalist standards for information astatine racetracks, replacing nan patchwork rules of nan 38 racing states. Its antidoping and medicine power programme didn’t commencement until precocious May 2023, aft past year’s Derby and Preakness, wherever 1 of trainer Bob Baffert’s horses was injured successful a title and was euthanized.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Chantz Martin is simply a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
