Kentucky Derby runs despite 6th death, scratched favorite

The Kentucky Derby, one of the biggest H events in the world, was hit with a series of unfortunate events on Saturday. Forte, the early favorite, was scratched from the race after being diagnosed with a bruised foot. Additionally, Chloe’s Dream, a 3-year-old gelding that ran on the Derby undercard, became the sixth horse to die at Churchill Downs in recent days.

Mike Repole, co-owner of Forte, spoke to FanDuel TV about the disappointing news, stating that “this is part of racing and it’s the cruel part.” Forte’s absence from the race reduced the field to 18 horses for the 1 1/4-mile race.

The string of horse deaths has cast a pall over the event for some Derby-goers, who are concerned about the welfare of the horses. “It’s concerning, and I hope they’re quickly trying the best they can to correct whatever’s going on,” said Michael Freeze, a racegoer who dressed up as a jockey. “They need to do whatever is best for the horses, and the sport in general.”

Chloe’s Dream ran in the second race on Saturday, taking a bad step on the first turn. The horse was taken off in an equine ambulance with a right front knee injury and was euthanized. Trainer Jeff Hiles confirmed the news to The Associated Press, stating that “he just took a bad step out there.”

The new antidoping and medication rules enforced by a central governing body of the sport are scheduled to take effect May 22. Pat Murtha, a first-time Derby attendee, believes that “there’s something going on…they need to find out, and set some rules and regulations to protect these animals.”

In addition to Forte’s absence, four other horses were scratched from the race in the days leading up to the event. Practical Move, Lord Miles, Continuar, and Skinner were all forced to withdraw due to various health issues. Lord Miles was a Derby contender trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., who was indefinitely suspended by the track after two of his horses died. Investigators have yet to determine a cause for the deaths.

Despite the unfortunate events, a crowd of about 150,000 was expected to jam Churchill Downs to wager and watch the Derby. The race ultimately took place with a reduced field and without the early favorite. Pletcher still had two horses in the race: Tapit Trice and Kingsbarns. Post time was 6:57 p.m. EDT.