June 2023 Equine Times

Michigan Fox Trotter Association

Michigan Fox Trotter Association

Michigan Foxtrotting Horse Association

Hello December! Time is sure flying!!

Marilyn Mannino

is nothing like the expectation of a well-bred foal!

Marilyn Mannino

Hello April! Spring is upon us! People are out Fox Trotting and enjoying the weather. Many are accumulating points in the Versatility Challenges that we are offering.

At our November meeting we elected some new officers for 2021. Congratulations go out to Bob Howell elected as the new MFTA President, Kathy Kruch is now VP, Marilyn is still Secretary/Treasurer, Char Ostrom is the new 2-year Director and Miranda Mannino is now the 1-year Director.

We have resources and people available for you to learn from and breeders to refer you to if you want to buy a young one to train or if you want to further the training with your present horse.

We are accepting membership renewals and new memberships for 2021 now. Youth are encouraged to join too! Go to www.michiganfox trotters.com to print off the form. You will learn alot from our members about the history of Fox Trotters,their uses and availability and be able to network with those of us who camp,train and show them. Our association is blessed to have skilled trainers,breeders and a farrier to learn from. We love promoting this breed as they have great personalities,are so versatile and come in many sizes and different coat colors. A benefit to joining is that we can offer clinics at a reduced price to our members. Due to Covid we are meeting remotely each month. Michigan is a big state and this is a good way to easily see and talk with each other within and outside of MI. Come join the fun!

Sign up now for the popular Versatility Challenge for 2021. Print off the enrollment form from our website. There are may areas in which you can accumulate points-even in the non-rideable months.

Registration is still open for all three Versatility Challenges (Under Saddle Challenge, Not Under Saddle Challenge and Ultimate Horseman Challenge). This program is designed to show how versatile the Missouri Fox Trotter is. Registered and grade MFTs are allowed. All handicapped and regular youth through adults are welcome. Every imaginable activity and category is included from in hand work to Dressage, short distance trail riding to endurance competitions and everything in-between (cow work, driving, extreme trail, 4H and open showing, parades, reining, trail maintenance and more!). We also included a competition for the most ambitious member who demonstrates their horsemanship skills in a wide variety of categories. Quarterly and year-end awards will be given. Go to www.michiganfoxtrotters.com to read the rules and print off the forms to join in on the friendly competition and fun.

More Fox Trotters are slowly becoming available to purchase but they are selling fast. There is a good video on the correct Fox Trot gait posted on our Face Book site to refer to when you are considering an MFT to buy. Be sure to bring a knowledgeable person with you,too, when you narrow down your search. Breeders, Chuck Fanslow (riverflatranch.com) and Gale Gunders (989-534-1207), have well-gaited young stock available. They also have quality studs to breed to if you have a mare you want bred. Chuck has a Buckskin stallion and a palomino stallion(both sons of Cotton Eyed Joe). Gale has a spotted stallion who will throw color to your foal. Both are located in Gladwin,MI. Contact them if you want to have your mare bred. There

Dimensions: 72” x 78” x 76”

Weight: 230 lbs.

I have a good feeling about this year. Excited actually. I may finally get out on the trails again. Let me give you some back story. Our very first Fox Trotter gelding (Bud) who carried our son in 4-H proud equestrian classes and our daughter in her 4-H and Mason High School equestrian team classes passed away about six years ago. That was a major blow to our family. He was a beloved black gelding who would do anything that we asked of him with no complaints. He had a calm demeanor and the patience of a saint. His death left us with no trustworthy horse to ride and to spend lazy afternoons hanging out with. The young Fox Trotter mare that we were concur rently raising was not saddle trained yet. She has since been sent off to a trustworthy trainer to further her education. For the first time in over 20 years, we had no horses in our barn or grazing in our pasture. A very strange and empty feeling indeed. By chance, I visited a horsey neighbor who I had not seen in a number of years. She has a collection of equines of various breeds. This neighbor offered me a gelding (Sam) to keep my mare company when she returns. She had saved this gelding from euthanasia and worked on improving his quality of life. Sam is an older foundation bred registered Missouri Fox Trotter with lots of trail experience who didn't mind carrying around timid riders. Jackpot! Of course, I couldn't pass him up! So, now I have one seasoned Missouri Fox Trotter to share with my family. I needed another one already trained. I spent the next two and a half years searching for just the right one to add to our family. Reasonably priced Missouri Fox Trotters are hard to come by in Michigan. Everybody hangs on to their good ones. Earlier this spring I came across a registered 17-year-old Fox Trotter mare (registered name Little Billie) also with trail experience whose owners were not able to continue caring for her. She was located a couple of hours away. My trainer and I made an appointment to go check her out. She was pleasant, gaited well and had the trail experience that I needed. The transaction was made, I was handed her registration papers and she willingly loaded into my trailer. Hallelujah! My search was over! Now I have my small band of Fox Trotters. We have been doing groundwork with them and some riding in my arena since the weather has warmed up. We can once again join our friends on the trails. Reasonably priced Fox Trotters are out there. It takes patience and dedicated searching to find them.

a Regional hosted by Amber

passionate Missouri Fox Trotting Horse owners seeking a posi

Don't forget to transfer your newly-bought horse's registration papers into your name with the MFTHBA,too. We are growing! New member welcomes go out to Naomi Haas, equine dentist Kris Modreske and Harry Struble all of MI. Naomi rides a sorrel sabino gelding (Dexter) and a black mare (Hank's Serenity Liberty Bell B). Kris rides a black and white gelding (Radar's Spotted Prior). And congratulations go out to Harry Struble on his purchase of Joe's Golden Chip, a handsome buckskin gelding, from Chuck Fanslow. All these members are riding quality Fox Trotters!!!

The MFTHBA needs registered members to fill their committees for 2021. I just agreed to help out on the Trail Committee again. Surely you can,too! Various committees need members(younger ones too) for their input and advice to increase affiliate numbers,think of ways to make the shows better,to improve and okay National Trail Ride applications,give ideas on clinics (let's get more closer to our state),getting more versatility riders interested,give ideas on training and picking judges, plus more. Many positions can be supported remotely. Also, this is a great way to meet those from other areas of the USA who raise,train and ride MFTs. I have made new friends this way who I would not have otherwise. Contact the MO Fox Trotting Horse Breeding Association via www.mfthba.com to become a member and for more information

tive impact on the growth and sustainability of our beloved breed. Each board member is a Missouri Fox Trotting horse owner or rider. Their personal enjoyment of the breed varies, but their passion is the same. The RFTHF, a 501c3 charity organization, was started “for the love of our breed.” Amber will interview Susan Williams, Chuck Fanslow and myself. We will discuss Fox Trotters in Michigan, our association and the different activities that we offer. The Zoom link will be posted on our website for interested viewers to click on so that comments and questions can be posted in the chat section during the session.

New members are always welcome! Go to www.michiganfoxtrotters.com to print off the membership form. We meet virtually so all members are able to meet without having to drive long distances.

Also, PLEASE send in your MFTA dues and your MFTHBA dues

Wishing everyone a blessed and safe Christmas!

I invite you to come ride with us July 7 through July 9 on the Great Lakes National Trail Ride which will start out from the Horsemen's Camp at Waterloo Recreation Area led by two of our members. Camping is available at the Horseman's Equestrian Campground if you reserve your spot via www.dnrreservations.com. You may also trailer in for the day and park in the day use area. There is a $10 MFTHBA ride fee. Bring a dish to pass for the popular ing with you! A point will be awarded to those enrolled in the

Our Event Committee is busy planning the next clinic. It will be a Gaited Western Dressage Clinic at the end of May. More details will be available next month. The clinician is top-notch!

Respectfully submitted, Marilyn Mannino

A little history on our breed: The present-day Missouri Fox Trotter evolved from Morgans in New England being crossed with Arabians, Plantation Horses, American Saddlebreds, TWHs and pacing Standardbreds. The genetic mix of square-trotting horses and pacing horses created the comfortable fox trot gait! Missouri Fox Trotting horses have been used by farmers in Missouri and surrounding states to ride long distances to check their fencing and work cows, pull buggies, by US Forest Service workers, by mounted police and now people across the United States and Europe use them for recreation (showing, trail riding, Dressage,reining, 4H and Equestrian Team, Hippotherapy,etc.). They are truly versatile and also can be found in all colors and sizes! Try one out and find out why everyone loves them so!

Some lucky members found new Fox Trotters. Marilyn now old gelding Ramblin' Racy's Shotgun (Chinook), Bonnie Lane bought spotted Pippin from Nancy, Chuck Fanslow bought a mare called Misty Royale Sensation. Congratulations on your

We have a couple of new members. Tim Marshall and Julia Blair are from Ionia, Michigan and Dawn Mannor is from Jonesville, Michigan. Dawn is a renewing member from many come. Go to michiganfoxtrottinghorse.com to print off the ber of the Michigan Foxtrotting Horse Association and join our versatility program. You can earn points by completing many different activities. Go to the activities page on our website to read the rules and find the registration form. Prizes are awarded periodically and at year end. Learn how versatile your Missouri Fox Trotter is! We also offer a number of different clinics and

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“Hay Huts save and preserve the hay They keep the hay weather protected and are horse friendly.” -CHRIS COX

YOUR LARGE BALE

Kentucky Derby favorite Forte scratched in stunning turn of events

Dan Wolken

Forte, who was slated to be the favorite for the Kentucky Derby, was scratched on the morning of the race.

The decision was made by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission after Forte went through his routine gallop Saturday morning and a veterinary inspection.

Speculation about Forte’s status began to bubble up after video hit social media Friday that seemed to show the horse taking an awkward step during his Thursday morning gallop. Trainer Todd Pletcher brushed off the concern initially, but Saturday told a different story.

After Forte was examined, owner Mike Repole huddled with Pletcher and had a lengthy conversation with a Kentucky Horse Racing Commission veterinarian. Forte was then taken back to the racetrack, suggesting that Repole wanted to exhaust every option before deciding to scratch the horse.

Repole said Saturday morning that he was “shocked, sad and devastated” after the state vet scratched Forte because he “seemed off a tick.” The owner said Forte had a bruise earlier in the week but that multiple vets had taken a look and said the horse was fine. Repole said Kentucky Horse Racing Commission veterinarians had concerns about a bruised right front foot.

Repole, a self-made billionaire who co-founded the company that made Vitaminwater, had to scratch Derby favorite Uncle Mo the day before the 2011 race due to an illness.

Forte’s defection adds to a strange and tragic week at Churchill Downs that began with the death of Wild On Ice, who was euthanized after a training injury. Two other horses were euthanized after suffering on-track injuries.

Two more horses, both from the barn of trainer Saffie Joseph, collapsed and died on the track after races during the week. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission scratched all of Joseph’s subsequent entries, including Derby contender Lord Miles. Churchill suspended the trainer until more information was gleaned about the nature of the deaths.

Forte’s defection adds to a strange and tragic week at Churchill Downs that began with the death of Wild On Ice, who was euthanized after a training injury. Two other horses were euthanized after suffering on-track injuries.

Two more horses, both from the barn of trainer Saffie Joseph, collapsed and died on the track after races during the week. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission scratched all of Joseph’s subsequent entries, including Derby contender Lord Miles. Churchill suspended the trainer until more information was gleaned about the nature of the deaths.

On Thursday morning, Derby contender Verifying dumped his exercise rider and was loose on the track for a moment but was deemed to be fit to run.

Then, Santa Anita Derby winner Practical Move was scratched after spiking a temperature after his Thursday workout. Skinner and Continuar were also scratched.

The defection of Forte left 18 horses remaining.

Forte during a workout at Churchill Downs the day before the Kentucky Derby. Matt Stone

Mage, left, with jockey Javier Castellano, wins the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Michael Clevenger and Christopher Granger

Gabriela Szymanowska

Mage won the Kentucky Derby, surging late to beat out Two Phil's at Churchill Downs.

He won with a time of 2:01 with veteran jockey Javier Castellano and trainer Gustavo Delgado, who are both Venezuelan.

"Never give up, always try hard, do the right thing," Castellano said of winning his first Kentucky Derby.

Mage came from behind as Kingsbarns took an early lead and Two Phil's was winning midway through the race.

"It’s a little horse, but a big heart," Castellano said.

Delgado reflected on his journey after participating in two previous Kentucky Derbies and getting his first win.

"When I came to the United States, my first dream is, ‘Go to Kentucky Derby. Go to the Derby,’" he said. "When I ran two times, you remember, those horses very bad. But this time, I sure that the horse very, very good."

Mage is owned by a group of 382 people, headed by Cincinnati businessman Chase Chamberlin. He dedicated the race to his friend and fellow shareholder who died from breast cancer two weeks ago at the age of 38.

“The dream is alive. This is what horse racing’s all about," he said. "It’s the only animal in the world that

could take a million people for a ride all along or in our case, 382.”

This was the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby, but this year's event was marred by the deaths of seven horses in the lead-up to the race.

Hours before the Derby, favorite Forte was scratched, becoming the fifth horse scratched from the race. That opened the door for the other contenders with the field down to 18 horses.

It's been a tumultuous week at Churchill Downs. Two of the horses who died had the same trainer, Saffie Joseph Jr. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and the Board of Stewards suspended Joseph indefinitely and scratched his Derby horse, Lord Miles, in the wake of the deaths.

The sixth horse to die this week, Chloe's Dream, was euthanized Saturday after an injury in Race 2, and Freezing Point died after the eighth race of the day. He was euthanized following an ankle injury.

The second leg of the Triple Crown is the Preakness Stakes, ran on May 20 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. The last horse to win the Preakness after a Derby victory was Justify in 2018, who went on to take the Belmont Stakes and become the 13th Triple Crown winner.

Jockey Javier Castellano raises his fist in celebration after he and Mage won the Kentucky Derby. Matt Stone

Stench of death overwhelms Kentucky Derby

Paul Newberry and Beth Harris

They came 150,000 strong for the party of the year, adorned in the gaudiest of hats and sipping on mint juleps, witnesses to what, at its best, is the most thrilling two minutes in sports.

Sadly, the stench of death overwhelmed the Kentucky Derby and its magnificent athletes again raising troubling questions about the sport of kings even before the 149th run for the roses.

Five horses perished in the past week at Churchill Downs, again raising troubling questions about the sport of kings even before the 149th run for the roses.

Then, on the Derby undercard, two more died.

Seven horses gone.

Just like that.

“There's something going on,” said Derby spectator Pat Murtha, who was attending the race for the first time. “They need to find out, and set some rules and regulations to protect these animals.”

Seriously, if this can happen at Churchill Downs, with the eyes of the world focused on its biggest race, what's

happening when no one is looking?

Is enough being done to make this sport as safe as possible for 1,200-pound thoroughbreds that can reach top speeds of 45 mph?

“I don't think we're close to that right now,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and a long-time advocate for greater regulation of the racing industry. “When you're in competition, there are risks. I don't think a zero-injury or zero-death standard is achievable. But we can do so much better than the present circumstances.”

It's hard to argue with that point.

Especially after Derby week.

According to a database kept by the Jockey Club, which oversees the breed registry for thoroughbreds in the United States and Canada, more than 7,200 horses died in races from 2009-21.

“There's a lot less injuries here with legs than there are in other sports, but here it means your life is over,” said Mike Repole, co-owner of early Derby favorite Forte, who was among five horses scratched before the race. Four were due to injuries; another trainer didn't think his horse

Here Mi Song is taken to the equine ambulance after the 10th horse race at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 6, 2023 in Louisville, Kentucky. Julio Cortez

was fit enough.

“God, it’s depressing as you can get,” Repole said. There's no getting around that some horses will break down on the track, and many of those will be catastrophic injuries that require them to be euthanized. The risk of paying the ultimate price can never be removed from such a perilous sport.

But five deaths so close to the Derby — and two more on Derby day — have rocked the industry, much like more than 40 deaths during the 2019 racing season at California’s Santa Anita track forced a reckoning over health and safety issues.

Churchill Downs indefinitely suspended trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who worked with two horses that collapsed on the track and died after races held before the Derby. Lord Miles, who was trained by Joseph, was scratched from the big race.

Kudos for that decision, even though Joseph insisted he had done nothing wrong, and there hasn't been a finding on why either of his horses died.

“It shatters you,” Joseph said, his voice breaking. “Anyone around me knows how much I care about my horses. Whether it just be a small issue, I care. When you care, it hurts.”

Pacelle said it was highly unusual for two horses from the same stable to die under such mysterious circumstances.

“The sort of people who know something about the sport find it incredibly unusual that 4-year-old and 5-yearold horses dropped dead after their races,” he said. “It wasn't like they broke a leg and had to be euthanized. It's just a sudden-death circumstance — and two horses with that end-of-life circumstance. It's so incredibly unusual that it speaks to something the trainer did to put them at some risk.”

In the wake of the Santa Anita deaths, new rules were written to address track safety, the health of the horses, and a hodge-podge of doping rules that varied from state to state. Part of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) took effect last summer, but new antidoping rules have been delayed by court challenges that seemed largely designed to maintain the status quo.

Sadly, those regulations won't be implemented until after the first two legs of this year's Triple Crown.

“We should have had federal authority in place by now for testing horses and making sure the race day anti-doping provisions and other provisions of the law were being enforced,” Pacelle said. “It's like the Miami Dolphins having different rules in Florida for football compared to the Detroit Lions. It doesn't make sense."

Horse racing, by its very nature, will always have a bit of a PR problem compared to other sports.

“If every athlete, when they break their leg they have

to be put down, you’d stop sports. You’d have to,” Repole said. “You see a football player carried out. Unfortunately, if that happened to a horse, he gets more than carried out. That’s the reality of it.”

Horse racing needs to demonstrate once and for all that it truly cares about the athletes at the heart of its sport. The safety rules are a good start. Doping guidelines that apply across the nation will help even more. But that won't be the end of it.

Breeding practices that produce faster horses but perhaps increase the risk of other health problems is the next big frontier that needs to be addressed. That's going to be the most perplexing issue of all.

“No one has moved into this area,” Pacelle said. “The industry needs to pick it up, but the problem is — just like getting trainers to stop doping voluntarily — are you going to do something that might make your horses a tad bit slower? You're worried that a competitor is not going to do this and you're going to lose the race.”

There were some encouraging signs at Churchill Downs.

Bob Baffert, the sport’s most famous — or should we say, infamous — trainer, wasn’t at the track Saturday. He’s still serving a two-year ban that was imposed after his 2021 Derby winner, Medina Spirit, failed a post-race drug test and was disqualified.Joseph wasn't there, either.

The crowd at Churchill Downs reveled in a tradition that has survived world wars and worldwide pandemics. Maybe it's time for some of the many celebrities who came to be seen to speak out more forcefully on behalf of those who can't speak for themselves.

Pacelle, unlike some animal-rights activists, is not calling for horse racing to be eliminated. He knows that sort of stance is unrealistic, and only provides fuel to those who resist any meaningful change.

“The industry is here and will be here for decades,” he said. “Horse racing is a big industry in the United States. A lot of jobs are tied to it. The fan base is passionate about this enterprise.”

This isn’t greyhound racing, which has largely been wiped out in the U.S. This isn’t one of those animal acts in the circus or an amusement park, which have come under increasing scrutiny.Despite the challenges posed by other forms of legalized gambling, horse racing still holds a significant niche in our sporting world.

"Horse racing is in a different political, economic and cultural position," Pacelle conceded. “It's going to be around. We just hope we can have safe competition for the horses in racing.”

Thankfully, the 18 horses that burst from the starting gate at the Kentucky Derby all made it to the finish line safely.

Mage was the winner, but it didn't really matter. The roses were red, but they should've been black.

Kentucky Derby results: Complete finish order behind winner Mage

Brent Schrotenboer

Chestnut colt Mage overcame a slow start, charged to the front down the stretch and then held on to claim a surprise victory at the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday at Churchill Downs in Louisville.

Trained by Gustavo Delgado and jockeyed by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, Mage raced on 15-1 odds and beat Two Phil’s by a length to win with a time of 2:01.57. The 3-year-old thoroughbred emerged from an 18-horse field after Florida Derby winner Forte, a favorite for Saturday's Run for the Roses, was scratched earlier in the day.

Angel of Empire started with the best odds (4-1) but finished third, a length-and-a-half back.

Here is the finishing order, as shown on the NBC telecast:

Mage, 2:01.57, $1.86 million.

Two Phil's, (one length behind), $600,000

Angel of Empire, (1½), $300,000

Disarm, (4½), $150,000

Hit Show, (6¼), $90,000

Derma Sotogake, (8)

Tapit Trice, (9¼)

Raise Cain, (10)

Rocket Can, (11)

Confidence Game, (14½)

Sun Thunder, (16¾)

Mandarin Hero, (20¼)

Reincarnate, (24½)

Kingsbarns, (25¼)

King Russell, (25½)

Verifying, (54¾)

Jace's Road, (55¼)

Cyclone Mischief, (55½)

Kentucky Derby finishing time, race chart and purse

The field of horses rounds the final turn in the 149th Kentucky Derby. Mage would go on to win. Grace Hollars

Kentucky Derby payouts: Complete betting results after Mage's win

Jace Evans

Mage won the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, earning a hefty $1.86 million prize for the owners — and maybe a little spending money for anyone lucky enough to bet on the horse that went off at 15-1 odds.

Mage, which crossed first under the wire in 2:01.57, finished ahead of Two Phil's and Angel of Empire, which went off as 9-1 and 4-1 shots, respectively. Disarm (27-1 odds) and Hit Show (24-1) rounded out the top five.

Here is a full breakdown of the all the winning payouts and what the top five horses took home for their owners:

Mage

(Based on a $2 bet)

Win: $32.42

Place: $14.58

Show: $9.08 Two Phil's

(Based on a $2 bet)

Place: $10.44

Show: $6.52

Angel of Empire

(Based on a $2 bet)

Show: $4.70

Payouts on the finishing combos

Exacta: $330.44 ($2 bet)

Trifecta: $491.18 ($.50 bet)

Superfecta: $15,643.65 ($1 bet)

Top 5 Kentucky Derby winners payouts

Winner: $1.86 million, Mage

2nd: $600,000, Two Phil's

3rd: $300,000, Angel of Empire

4th: $150,000, Disarm

5th: $90,000, Hit Show

Here are the rest of Saturday's payouts based on wager type

$491.18

Jockey Javier Castellano celebrates after Mage won the Kentucky Derby. Sam Upshaw Jr.

What is horse racing doing to prevent catastrophic injuries?

Beth Harris

The deaths of seven horses at the home of the Kentucky Derby has intensified the debate over the safety of horse racing.

Two of the deaths occurred as the result of race injuries on Derby day, when more than 150,000 people jammed Churchill Downs.

“While each incident reported has been unique, it is

important to note that there has been no discernible pattern detected in the injuries sustained,” the track said in a statement that called the incidents “unacceptable.”

In recent years, the industry has instituted a series of veterinary and medication reforms, which led to the fatality rate dropping.

Here’s a look at what horse racing is doing to try to prevent injuries and deaths.

Horses come through the first turn during the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs. Julio Cortez

HOW COMMON ARE INJURIES AND DEATHS?

The deaths at Churchill Downs gained greater attention because they occurred in the week leading up to the Kentucky Derby.

There have been spates of deaths in recent years, most notably 30 at Santa Anita in California in 2019. Those led to a series of safety reforms that spread nationally.

Protocol requires a necropsy when a horse dies on-track, and a review of contributing factors, vet records and interviews with stakeholders to learn the cause and what, if anything, could have been done to prevent it.

“It’s hard to explain and say it’s going to happen once in a while,” said Mike Repole, co-owner of scratched early Kentucky Derby favorite Forte, “but the reality is, unfortunately, it’s going to happen once in a while.”

California and New York have public databases that catalogue equine injuries and fatalities; Kentucky does not. According to a database kept by the Jockey Club, which oversees the breed registry for thoroughbreds in the United States and Canada, more than 7,200 horses died in races from 2009-21.

A potentially catastrophic injury can occur anytime a horse is racing or even running in a paddock on the farm. The large animals’ spindly legs take a lot of concussive force.

WHY ARE HORSES EUTHANIZED AFTER A LIMB INJURY?

A leg injury in a horse can lead to complications as the other legs try to bear the pressure of an animal that weighs about 1,100 pounds. The bones in the leg don't just break, they often shatter completely, making it extremely difficult to repair or restore to their original form.

Unlike humans who can be put on bedrest, horses are meant to spend most of their time moving. Horses at the track are brought out of their stalls daily to either race, do a timed workout or simply walk several laps around the inside of their barn. They're also bathed and groomed.

Besides being resistant to having their legs restricted, horses can develop pressure ulcers if they lie down too long. Horses sleep standing up and don't worry about falling because of a system of tendons and ligaments that allow them to lock the major joints in their legs. If a horse cannot move its legs, the animal's blood circulation diminishes. Being confined to one place for an extended period of time can affect a horse's mental health as well.

ARE THERE TREATMENT ALTERNATIVES?

Costs for surgery or other treatments can be considerably high, although deep-pocketed owners of expensive thoroughbreds will often go to extreme lengths to preserve their investment.

Even with treatment, a horse's chances of complete recovery can be slim. In order to spare the animal additional pain and stress, it is usually euthanized.

WHAT IS RACING DOING TO ADDRESS INJURIES?

Whether it’s everyday races or the Triple Crown series — Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont — horses undergo multiple, comprehensive vet exams and observations to ensure their fitness to run.

Researchers at the University of Kentucky are working to identify a screening tool that can be used before races to identify horses at increased risk of injury. Funding for the study was provided by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission’s Equine Drug Research Council.

The research involves analyzing blood samples from racehorses — both injured and non-injured — at tracks nationwide to see if there are changes in messenger RNA and whether there’s anything that consistently differentiates horses that suffer a catastrophic injury, according to a 2021 article in Trainer magazine.

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act — the sport’s new national governing body — launched its racetrack safety program last year. Starting May 22, its antidoping and medication control rules take effect, giving the sport uniformity in post-race and out-of-competition testing, rulings and penalties. The new rules replace the patchwork system of standards in the 38 U.S. racing states that can vary by racetrack and location.

WHO WAS BARBARO AND WHY DID HE MATTER?

The colt won the 2006 Kentucky Derby and horrifyingly shattered his leg two weeks later in the Preakness, which ended his career.

He had surgery for three broken bones in and around the fetlock of his right rear leg. Two months later, Barbaro developed laminitis in his left rear foot. He had five more operations during an extended stay at an equine hospital. Laminitis is common in horses who shift weight to one foot for extended periods to take pressure off an injured foot.

Barbaro’s initial injury and subsequent health battle endeared him to the public, which sent get-well cards to the hospital. His right leg eventually healed, but he developed laminitis in both front feet. Veterinarians and his owners, Roy and Gretchen Jackson, decided he could not be saved, and he was euthanized in January 2007.

His plight led the Jacksons to endow a chair for equine disease research at the University of Pennsylvania's veterinary school, where the Barbaro Fund also was set up to help the treatment and care of large animals. College scholarships were created for students studying veterinary medicine and equine research.

Churchill Downs suspended trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. indefinitely and Lord Miles, who is trained by Joseph, was scratched from the Kentucky Derby, days after the sudden death of two of his horses at the track.

The suspension prohibits Joseph, or any

Churchill Downs suspends trainer Joseph after two horse deaths

trainer directly or indirectly employed by him, from entering horses in races or applying for stalls at all Churchill Downs Inc. owned tracks.

The decision comes after the deaths of Parents Pride on Saturday and Chasing Artie on Tuesday. Both collapsed on the track and died after races.

“Given the unexplained sudden deaths,

we have reasonable concerns about the condition of his horses and decided to suspend him indefinitely until details are analyzed and understood,” Bill Mudd, CDI president and chief operating officer, said in a statement. “The safety of our equine and human athletes and integrity of our sport is our highest priority. We feel these measures are our duty and responsibility.”

Investigators have yet to find any cause in the deaths of Joseph's two horses in a 72-hour span, along with two others over the past week, which has cast a pall over Churchill Downs in the final preparations for the Kentucky Derby on Saturday.

“This is the worst part of the game,” said Mike Repole, co-owner of early Derby favorite Forte. “It’s very sad.”

Joseph said he was questioned by investigators from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and Churchill Downs.

“They found no wrongdoing on our part,” he said.

Joseph received permission from the KHRC to scratch five horses from races on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, according to the Daily Racing Form. He already had scratched one on Wednesday. He told reporters earlier in the day that he scratched any horse that had been in contact with the two

Beth Harris

Kentucky Derby contender Lord Miles outside his barn at Churchill Downs. Matt Stone

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. has been suspended indefinitely at Churchill Downs after the deaths of two of his horses at the track. Matt Stone

that died out of an abundance of caution.

Despite the deaths, Joseph had planned to run Lord Miles in the Derby. The colt arrived from Florida; the two dead horses had been at Keeneland in Lexington.

Joseph, a 36-year-old third-generation trainer, said earlier Thursday that investigators examined his barn, checked the horses' veterinary records and took blood samples from each of his horses, which showed nothing abnormal. The feed, hay, straw and supplements used by the horses were checked, too.

The deaths are the first for Joseph, who came to Florida in 2011 after training in his native Barbados.

“It crushes you. It knocks your confidence, it makes you doubt everything,” he said.

At the same time, he added, “There’s two ways: You can run away from it and pretend it didn’t happen or you could face it and find out what we can do.”

Meanwhile, two horses dumped their exercise riders during on-track training Thursday, including Derby entrant Verifying. Neither rider was injured.

Besides Joseph's horses, Derby long shot Wild On Ice and 3-year-old filly Take Charge Briana broke down with musculoskeletal injuries during training or racing at Churchill Downs. Both were euthanized.

Joseph said the first necropsy done on his horse didn't reveal a cause of death.

“We're living on unknown terms right now, so that's the uneasy part,” he said.

Spectators at morning training were startled when Verifying, one of trainer Brad Cox's four Derby runners, got loose on the track, triggering a warning siren. The colt was caught by an outrider and turned over to Cox, who led him back to the barn. The exercise rider dislocated his right shoulder.

“He was galloping by and looked great. Next thing I know the rider was on the ground,” Cox said. "We got lucky, we dodged a bullet.”

Cox said he had “no concern” about any issues with the track as a result of the horse deaths.

Not long after, And Tell Me Nolies reared and dumped her rider before tearing off the track at full speed and rampaging through the stable area in search of her barn. Trainer Peter Miller said the filly appeared to be fine and is scheduled to start in the Kentucky Oaks on Friday.

“Luckily, she didn’t go down or anything, so she’s OK,” he said.

Repole believes it would help if the sport did more to reassure the public how seriously it takes safety.

“People will understand injuries," he

said. "People won’t understand injuries with death.”

The industry was rocked in 2019, when in California. As a result, a raft of safety reforms were enacted that have spread around the country.

“The horses get great care and we do our best to prevent these kind of things, but they still happen,” Joseph said. “A lot of times in those sudden deaths you never get answers.”

Protesters try to disrupt Scottish Grand National horse race

AP

Animal rights protesters attempted to disrupt another big horse race in Britain when several people broke onto the track before the Scottish Grand National at Ayr.

As soon as they were on the track, the protesters — some sporting pink Animal Rising T-shirts — were tackled by security staff and police, and the problem was soon brought under control.

There was an increased security presence due to the event at Aintree, where 118 arrests were made by Merseyside Police and

Animal Rising protesters were also involved.

David Brown, managing director of the Ayr racecourse, praised the swift action of the police and security teams on course.

“The police and security dealt with it like the consummate professionals that they are," Brown said. “The race went off to time, there was no notable delay and the professionalism of the team up here in Scotland was a credit to them. They dealt with it in a very efficient manner."

Police Scotland said on Twitter “a number of arrests have been made.”

Lord Miles, now a Kentucky Derby scratch, trains at Churchill Downs in Louisville. Matt Stone

Detroit Mounted Police honor life of fallen horse

Chandra Fleming

The Detroit Mounted Police took to their Facebook page to announce the death of Remi, one of their six-year veteran horses.

Remi was a 14-year-old Percheron Morgan cross and his rider was Officer Mathew Miller. Remi was often at Greektown, Mexican Town, leading parades throughout Detroit or visiting kids at schools and football games,

according to the Facebook post.

The horse stood at 17 hands and weighed over 1,800 pounds. Remi's statue was a good fit for controlling crowds and his gentle demeanor was often perfect for photos and for folks who wanted to pet him, according to the group.

Detroit Mounted Police ended the post with "Thank you Remi for your dedicated service. Rest in peace big boy".

Members of the Detroit Mounted Police Department, including Remi and his rider Officer Matthew Miller, in the middle, stand in front of Huntington Place during the 2022 North American International Auto Show outside the Huntington Place convention center in Detroit on Wednesday, September 14, 2022. Remi, a 14 year old Percheron Morgan cross and a six year veteran of the Detroit Mounted Police Department passed away. Remi and his rider Officer Matthew Miller were seen frequently visiting kids at schools, football games and leading parades with their assigned beat downtown. David Rodriguez

One Baffert horse euthanized on track on undercard before another Baffert entry wins Preakness

Stephen Whyno, Howard Fendrich and Noah Trister

A horse trained by Bob Baffert was euthanized on the track because of a leg injury during the undercard at Pimlico Race Course, several hours before another one of the Hall of Famer's 3-year-old colts, National Treasure, won the Preakness Stakes.

On the same dirt course that staged the second leg of the Triple Crown, favorite Havnameltdown buckled forward and threw jockey Luis Saez off his back during the day's sixth race, then continued running around the final turn in some distress.

Havnameltdown was looked at by chief veterinary officer Dr. Dionne Benson and others, who determined the injury to his left front leg was inoperable so the horse should be put down, according to a statement from 1/ST Racing, which owns and operates the track.

Saez was conscious and taken to Sinai Hospital for evaluation, complaining of leg pain, track officials announced. He was attended to by medical personnel on the track for several minutes before being put on a stretcher and into an ambulance.

Havnameltdown's death comes on another major race day, in the aftermath of the Kentucky Derby being overshadowed by seven fatalities at Churchill Downs over a span of 10 days.

“It’s the worst feeling. And we grieve. We do grieve when these things happen. There is nothing worse than coming back and the stall is empty,” Baffert said. “He is a nice horse. He could not have been doing any better. It’s sickening. I am in shock.”

Later in the day, Baffert's voice cracked as he spoke about “the emotions of this game” after seeing National Treasure edge Blazing Sevens by a head in the Preakness to end Derby champion Mage's bid for a Triple Crown. Mage was third.

National Treasure gave Baffert his record eighth victory in the Preakness and 17th Triple Crown win overall, another mark.

Havnameltdown was the favorite at 4-5 for the $200,000 dirt race. Breaking from the inside No. 1 post, he was bumped

out of the gate by No. 2 Ryvit but continued running in the 6-furlong race. Havnameltdown and Ryvit, the eventual race winner, were out in front of the pack coming around the second turn.

Fans in the crowd at Pimlico Race Course gasped when the horse stumbled before the final turn and tossed Saez. While the jockey was being checked by medical personnel as he remained on the dirt, the horse was brought under control by track staff on the homestretch, then led behind some black barriers.

In an incongruous scene, 2Pac’s “California Love” continued blaring from infield speakers set up right near where it all happened.

“Very unfortunate,” said Tyler Gaffalione, Ryvit’s jockey. “Hopefully Luis is OK. We were kind of heads-up and he just kind of disappeared. I looked back and saw Luis coming off the side.”

Baffert pointed out that his horse “was obviously hit pretty hard coming out of the gate.”

“We don’t know if that contributed to the injury, but we will be fully transparent with those reviewing this terrible accident,” he posted on Twitter.

Baffert had horses running on Preakness weekend for the first time in two years after returning from a suspension stemming from 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit's failed drug test. He was not able to enter horses in the Derby either of the past two years as part of a decision by Churchill Downs. And he could

not have any in the 2022 Preakness or Belmont because of a 90-day ban in Kentucky respected by Maryland and New York.

Yet another one of his horses, Arabian Lion, won an earlier race Saturday.

Saez, a Panamanian who turned 31 on Friday, originally was supposed to ride top contender First Mission in the Preakness. But that horse was scratched on the advice of veterinarians because of an issue with his left hind ankle.

At the 2019 Kentucky Derby, Saez rode Maximum Security across the line first, but stewards revoked the victory and dropped the colt to 17th for impeding the paths of several horses. Saez then was suspended, accused of causing the interference.

Earlier this year, he was aboard Kentucky Derby champion Mage for a runner-up finish at the Florida Derby. At Churchill Downs two weeks ago, Saez’s horse, Tapit Trice, came in seventh in the Derby.

Havnameltdown, owned by Michael Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, had won four of his six career starts prior to this race. He had most recently finished second in the Saudi Derby in February.

“We never had an issue with him," Baffert said. “We are so careful with all these horses, and it still happens. It is something that is disheartening. I feel so bad for that horse. And I just hope that Luis is OK.”

Medical personal tend to jockey Luis Saez after falling off Havnameltdown. Tommy Gilligan