Kentucky Derby, Preakness glamour obscure horse racing deaths
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Michael A. Fletcher, ESPN
This year’s Kentucky Derby featured elegant hats, natty suits and bourbon-soaked soirees as usual, but a series of deaths, injuries and a drug scandal cast a pall over the nation’s most famous horse race.
Eight thoroughbreds died and five more, including early favorite Forte, were scratched from the race because of injuries. Churchill Downs suspended trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. days before the event after two of his horses suddenly died, and after the race, Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher was suspended and fined because of a positive drug test involving Forte that dates back to 2022.
The controversies have reignited concerns among animal rights activists who say the glitz of horse racing’s biggest events — including Saturday’s Preakness Stakes — obscures the grisly reality that the sport is routinely deadly for horses. The fatalities at Churchill Downs might have captured national attention, but they are not out of the norm, according to Patrick Battuello, founder and president of Horseracing Wrongs, a nonprofit that condemns racing as animal exploitation.
“The cluster of deaths of Churchill Downs is unusual,” Battuello told ESPN. “But death itself is not unusual. Over the past five years, Churchill Downs has 126 kills on its ledger. That is an average of 25 deaths annually. So, they are right on course to hit their historical average.”
An average of more than six thoroughbreds a week — 328 overall — died at American racetracks in 2022, according to the Equine Injury Database, which was established by the Jockey Club after the thoroughbred Eight Belles was euthanized after suffering a serious injury in the 2008 Derby.
The official industry tally captures only a portion of the carnage, racing abolition activists note. According to Horseracing Wrongs, 901 racehorses — more than 17 a week — were killed in 2022. The group’s database, which Battuello maintains, includes all racehorses — not only thoroughbreds — as well as many stall deaths and training breakdowns not reflected in the Jockey Club statistics.
The circumstances surrounding the deaths at Churchill Downs are varied. Four horses were put down after sustaining injuries in races preceding the Derby. One suffered a broken neck after apparently being startled and flipping in a saddling paddock. Two others inexplicably collapsed and died after participating in races shortly before the Derby, despite showing no visible signs of injury. An eighth horse was euthanized when it suffered a catastrophic leg injury during a race at the track just over a week after the Derby.
Churchill Downs officials announced investigations even as they cast the deaths as tragedies that eluded their best efforts to make the sport safer.
“While each incident reported has been unique, it is important to note that there has been no discernible pattern detected in the injuries sustained,” Churchill Downs said in a statement, noting that track surfaces are closely monitored and horses are thoroughly examined before races. “While we believe the incidents leading to this year’s Derby are anomalies, they are unacceptable, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to safety and integrity.”
Both the Kentucky Horseracing Commission and the congressionally mandated Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, a newly formed regulatory body that oversees horse racing safety nationally, have launched probes that are still ongoing.
“HISA officials will review data on track conditions and maintenance and each horse’s veterinary and training records, as well as final necropsy reports, when available,” the authority said in a statement to ESPN. “In addition, HISA officials will review the data collection and review processes utilized by the KHRC and Churchill Downs in the course of their investigations.”
The deaths at Churchill Downs were just the latest in a litany of horse death clusters at the nation’s racetracks.
At Parx Racing outside Philadelphia, state officials reported that 31 horses died during the first six months of 2021. Two years earlier, 59 horses died at that racetrack. Late last month in Maryland, five horses suffered fatal injuries at Laurel Park, forcing a temporary shutdown of the track.
The highly publicized deaths of 49 horses at California’s storied Santa Anita Park between July 2018 and June 2019 prompted investigations by state racing officials and the Los Angeles County prosecutor’s office.
The California Horse Racing Board’s inquiry into the Santa Anita deaths found that many of the horses suffered from preexisting injuries that had gone undetected. But the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office found no evidence of criminal wrongdoing, and its report called death a tragic reality of the sport.
“Horse racing has inherent risks but is a legally sanctioned sport in California,” then-District Attorney Jackie Lacey said. “Greater precautions are needed to enhance safety and protect both horses and their riders.”
The crisis at Santa Anita prompted officials to shut the track for almost a month. It reopened with stronger regulations for practices including medication for horses, track safety and the use of riding crops.
The new policies coincided with a sharp decline in fatalities, as reported by industry officials. Last year, the California Horse Racing Board reported that the number of deaths at Santa Anita had fallen to 12. Nationwide, according to the Jockey Club, the rate of thoroughbred deaths is down sharply, from two fatal injuries per 1,000 starts in 2009, to 1.25 per 1,000 starts in 2022 — a 37.5% decline. The industry credits closer attention to the safety of track surfaces and the medical care of horses for the drop. Horseracing Wrongs’ database, however, reflects a more modest decline in horse deaths since Battuello began documenting them in 2014.
Still, horse safety advocates say more needs to be done, particularly to better regulate the use of diuretics, anti-inflammatories and other drugs that are regularly administered to help horses run and recover faster. In 2020, federal prosecutors indicted 27 people in a widespread horse doping scheme that safety advocates say is typical of the illegal activity that swirls around horse racing.
“There is a cloud over the sport because we’ve not been able to put in place all the safety devices and the drug testing that we need,” Arthur B. Hancock III, a breeder and longtime horse safety advocate told ESPN. “Until we get rid of the drugs and thugs, it’s going to continue. And if we don’t get rid of them, horse racing could go the same way as dog racing, the circus and Sea World.”
Hancock hopes a new nationwide anti-doping and medication program will go a long way toward bringing American racing in line with its counterparts in other countries, which he said suffer fewer horse racing fatalities because regulation is more uniform. The HISA program, which will replace the current patchwork of state regulation, is set to launch Monday.
“Hopefully, once everything is in place you won’t see much of this anymore,” he said.
Yet racing abolitionists are skeptical of reform because they see the sport as inherently deadly for horses. They note that because thoroughbreds have been bred for speed, they are particularly susceptible to breakdowns. They weigh well over 1,000 pounds and run on spindly legs and human-sized ankles at speeds that often top 40 mph.
Beyond their breeding, Battuello said the biggest culprit is “the incessant training and grind” that frequently leaves 2- or 3-year old horses, who are still developing physically, damaged and prone to fatal injury.
“A certain amount of killing is inevitable in horse racing,” he said. “The breakneck speed is not something that horses do in the wild. Plus, there is a perched, whip-wielding jockey. All these factors lead to what I call this inevitability of death at the track.”
The 2025 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby is fast approaching — and the field is set.
Braves hometown hero Ronald Acuna Jr. became the first player to commit to the event, which will be held at Truist Park in Atlanta on July 14 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN). He was followed by MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, James Wood of the Washington Nationals, Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins, Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays, Brent Rooker of the Athletics and Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees.
On Friday, however, Acuna was replaced by teammate Matt Olson.
With all the entrants announced, let’s break down their chances at taking home this year’s Derby prize.
Full All-Star Game coverage: How to watch, schedule, rosters, more
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 434 feet
Why he could win: Olson is a late replacement for Acuna as the home team’s representative at this year’s Derby. Apart from being the Braves’ first baseman, however, Olson also was born in Atlanta and grew up a Braves fan, giving him some extra motivation. The left-handed slugger led the majors in home runs in 2023 — his 54 round-trippers that season also set a franchise record — and he remains among the best in the game when it comes to exit velo and hard-hit rate.
Why he might not: The home-field advantage can also be a detriment if a player gets too hyped up in the first round. See Julio Rodriguez in Seattle in 2023, when he had a monster first round, with 41 home runs, but then tired out in the second round.
2025 home runs: 36 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: It’s the season of Cal! The Mariners’ catcher is having one of the greatest slugging first halves in MLB history, as he’s been crushing mistakes all season . His easy raw power might be tailor-made for the Derby — he ranks in the 87th percentile in average exit velocity and delivers the ball, on average, at the optimal home run launch angle of 23 degrees. His calm demeanor might also be perfect for the contest as he won’t get too amped up.
Why he might not: He’s a catcher — and one who has carried a heavy workload, playing in all but one game this season. This contest is as much about stamina as anything, and whether Raleigh can carry his power through three rounds would be a concern. No catcher has ever won the Derby, with only Ivan Rodriguez back in 2005 even reaching the finals.
2025 home runs: 24 | Longest: 451 feet
Why he could win: He’s big, he’s strong, he’s young, he’s awesome, he might or might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This is the perfect opportunity for Wood to show his talent on the national stage, and he wouldn’t be the first young player to star in the Derby. He ranks in the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and 99th percentile in hard-hit rate, so he can still muscle the ball out in BP even if he slightly mishits it. His long arms might be viewed as a detriment, but remember the similarly tall Aaron Judge won in 2017.
Why he might not: His natural swing isn’t a pure uppercut — he has a pretty low average launch angle of just 6.2 degrees — so we’ll see how that plays in a rapid-fire session. In real games, his power is primarily to the opposite field, but in a Home Run Derby you can get more cheapies pulling the ball down the line.
2025 home runs: 20 | Longest: 479 feet
Why he could win: Buxton’s raw power remains as impressive as nearly any hitter in the game. He crushed a 479-foot home run earlier this season and has four others of at least 425 feet. Indeed, his “no doubter” percentage — home runs that would be out of all 30 parks based on distance — is 75%, the highest in the majors among players with more than a dozen home runs. His bat speed ranks in the 89th percentile. In other words, two tools that could translate to a BP lightning show.
Why he might not: Buxton is 31 and the Home Run Derby feels a little more like a younger man’s competition. Teoscar Hernandez did win last year at age 31, but before that, the last winner older than 29 was David Ortiz in 2010, and that was under much different rules than are used now.
2025 home runs: 16 | Longest: 463 feet
Why he could win: If you drew up a short list of players everyone wants to see in the Home Run Derby, Cruz would be near the top. He has the hardest-hit ball of the 2025 season, and the hardest ever tracked by Statcast, a 432-foot missile of a home run with an exit velocity of 122.9 mph. He also crushed a 463-foot home run in Anaheim that soared way beyond the trees in center field. With his elite bat speed — 100th percentile — Cruz has the ability to awe the crowd with a potentially all-time performance.
Why he might not: Like all first-time contestants, can he stay within himself and not get too caught up in the moment? He has a long swing, which will result in some huge blasts, but might not be the most efficient for a contest like this one, where the more swings a hitter can get in before the clock expires, the better.
2025 home runs: 23 | Longest: 425 feet
Why he could win: Although Caminero was one of the most hyped prospects entering 2024, everyone kind of forgot about him heading into this season since he didn’t immediately rip apart the majors as a rookie. In his first full season, however, he has showed off his big-time raw power — giving him a chance to become just the third player to reach 40 home runs in his age-21 season. He has perhaps the quickest bat in the majors, ranking in the 100th percentile in bat speed, and his top exit velocity ranks in the top 15. That could translate to a barrage of home runs.
Why he might not: In game action, Caminero does hit the ball on the ground quite often — in fact, he’s on pace to break Jim Rice’s record for double plays grounded into in a season. If he gets out of rhythm, that could lead to a lot of low line drives during the Derby instead of fly balls that clear the fences.
2025 home runs: 19 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: The Athletics slugger has been one of the top power hitters in the majors for three seasons now and is on his way to a third straight 30-homer season. Rooker has plus bat speed and raw power, but his biggest strength is an optimal average launch angle (19 degrees in 2024, 15 degrees this season) that translates to home runs in game action. That natural swing could be picture perfect for the Home Run Derby. He also wasn’t shy about saying he wanted to participate — and maybe that bodes well for his chances.
Why he might not: Rooker might not have quite the same raw power as some of the other competitors, as he has just one home run longer than 425 feet in 2025. But that’s a little nitpicky, as 11 of his home runs have still gone 400-plus feet. He competed in the college home run derby in Omaha while at Mississippi State in 2016 and finished fourth.
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 442 feet
Why he could win: Chisholm might not be the most obvious name to participate, given his career high of 24 home runs, but he has belted 17 already in 2025 in his first 61 games after missing some time with an injury. He ranks among the MLB leaders in a couple of home run-related categories, ranking in the 96th percentile in expected slugging percentage and 98th percentile in barrel rate. His raw power might not match that of the other participants, but he’s a dead-pull hitter who has increased his launch angle this season, which might translate well to the Derby, even if he won’t be the guy hitting the longest home runs.
Why he might not: Most of the guys who have won this have been big, powerful sluggers. Chisholm is listed at 5-foot-11, 184 pounds, and you have to go back to Miguel Tejada in 2004 to find the last player under 6 foot to win.
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