Two Horses Die at Churchill Downs Just Days Before Kentucky Derby

Two horses from the same barn died this week at Churchill Downs, just days ahead of the Kentucky Derby, which is set to take place at the historic track this Saturday. A trainer for both the animals, Saffie Joseph, told USA Today he was “shattered” by the incidents. “The odds of it happening twice is in the trillions, he said. “I run almost 4,000 horses and it never happened. It doesn’t make sense.” He added: “I’m shattered, basically.” The first horse, a 4-year-old filly named Parents Pride, collapsed and died Saturday night following a race. Then it happened again Tuesday to 5-year-old Chasing Artie. Both horses were owned by Ken Ramsey. “While a series of events like this is highly unusual, it is completely unacceptable,” Churchill Downs said in a statement Wednesday. “We take this very seriously and acknowledge that these troubling incidents are alarming and must be addressed … We continue to press for answers and are working with regulators to conduct swift and thorough investigations.”