Churchill Downs investigates 4 horse deaths ahead of Derby

The death of four horses at Churchill Downs has overshadowed preparations for the Kentucky Derby

The death of four horses at Churchill Downs over a span of five days has overshadowed preparations for the Kentucky Derby.

Two horses trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. collapsed on the track and died over the past week. Two other horses also died as either a result of racing or training, including Derby entrant Wild On Ice.

Joseph is set to saddle Lord Miles in the first jewel of the Triple Crown on Saturday. But he has said he’s unsure of plans after the two deaths from his barn.

Churchill Downs Racetrack, in a statement Wednesday, expressed concern over the deaths and said officials would press for answers.

“While a series of events like this is highly unusual, it is completely unacceptable,” Churchill Downs said. “We take this very seriously and acknowledge that these troubling incidents are alarming and must be addressed. We feel a tremendous responsibility to our fans, the participants in our sport and the entire industry to be a leader in safety and continue to make significant investments to eliminate risk to our athletes.”

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