What we know about the 12 horses that have died at Churchill Downs this year
Twelve horses have died at Churchill Downs since just before the start of the 2023 Spring Meet. Multiple emergency meetings in early June between track officials and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) led to the announcement of the remainder of the Spring Meet moving to Ellis Park in Henderson, Kentucky.
Although racing has stopped at the famed home of the Kentucky Derby, training continues at Churchill where 1,400 horses live and train in addition to 600 at the Trackside Training Center just a few miles away.
Here's what we know about the 12 horses who have died at Churchill in 2023:
Kimberley Dream
Died: May 27
Owner: Freddie Winston
Trainer: Freddie Winston
What happened: In a 1 1/16-mile dirt race, Kimberley Dream pulled up just past the 3/16 pole and was vanned off. The 7-year-old mare was euthanized after her injury was deemed "unrecoverable."
Lost in Limbo
Died: May 26
Owners: Penny Lauer and Warren Griffin
Trainer: Michael Lauer
What happened: A 7-year-old gelding, Lost in Limbo fell and "significantly injured his left front leg near the finish" in a 6-furlong dirt race. He was later euthanized.
Swanson Lake
Died: May 20
Owner: BG Stables
Trainer: Michael McCarthy
What happened: Swanson Lake was vanned off after suffering a "significant injury to the left hind leg" about 100 yards after the finish of a 5 1/2-furlong dirt race. The 3-year-old filly's injury was later deemed "inoperable" after further diagnostics, and she was euthanized.
Bosque Redondo
Died: May 15
Owner: Jason Ash
Trainer: Alexis Claire
What happened: A 4-year-old colt, Bosque Redondo was brought to Lexington for observation after he suffered an injury in a 1 3/8-mile turf race. He was later euthanized there.
Rio Moon
Died: May 14
Owner: Kyle W. Nagel
Trainer: Dale Romans
What happened: In a 1 1/16-mile dirt race, Rio Moon suffered a "catastrophic injury to his left foreleg" after finishing the sixth race of the day, and the 3-year-old colt was euthanized.
Freezing Point
Died: May 6
Owner: Randy Jill Gootzeit
Trainer: Joe Lejzerowicz
What happened: In the 3-year-old colt's sixth career start, Freezing Point pulled up at the 5-furlong pole with a left forelimb injury in a 1-mile dirt track race. He was sedated and a splint was affixed to the area before he was taken via ambulance to a medical center. He was later euthanized.
Chloe's Dream
Died: May 6
Owner: Rocket Ship Racing, LLC
Trainer: Jeff Hiles
What happened: In a Derby Day 1 1/16-mile dirt race, Chloe's Dream pulled up at the 3/4 pole with an injured right-front leg. The 3-year-old gelding in his second-career start was sedated and transported by an ambulance to his barn where radiographs revealed multiple fractures in the carpus (knee). He was later euthanized.
Chasing Artie
Died: May 2
Owner: Kenneth Ramsey
Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr.
What happened: Chasing Artie collapsed and died after a 5 1/2-furlong turf race. The 5-year-old gelding became the second Saffie Joseph, Jr.-trained horse to collapse and die.
Take Charge Briana
Died: May 2
Owner: Willis Horton Racing LLC
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
What happened: Take Charge Briana fell and unseated jockey Luis Saez in a 1 1/16-mile turf race near the 3/16 pole. The 3-year-old filly's fetlock, a joint between the cannon bone and the pastern, of her right front leg was separated. Due to the injury's severity, the decision was made to euthanize her.
Churchill Downs horse deaths: KHRC releases first five reports, including Parents Pride
Parents Pride
Died: April 29
Owner: Kenneth Ramsey
Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr.
What happened: Parents Pride collapsed during a 5 1/2-furlong turf race in the filly's sixth career start. The 4-year-old fell to her side near the 3/16 pole with labored breathing and died on the track, suffering from severe weakness in her hind limbs.
Code of Kings
Died: April 29
Owner: Ironhorse Racing Stable LLC
Trainer: Tim Glyshaw
What happened: In the paddock, Code of Kings, a 3-year-old gelding, became fixated on party lights at a nearby DJ booth near the Churchill Downs paddock and flipped multiple times, breaking his neck. He was rushed to an equine clinic and eventually euthanized.
Wild on Ice
Died: April 27
Owner: Frank Sumpter
Trainer: Joel Marr
What happened: Wild On Ice suffered a left hind leg fracture in a five-furlong morning training session, and he pulled up while galloping down the backstretch. The 3-year-old, Texas-bred gelding was evaluated at Churchill Downs Equine Medical Center and later transported to a Lexington equine surgical facility to be further evaluated before he was euthanized.
C.L. Brown: Ellis Park’s long history of resiliency puts it in position to help Churchill Downs
Reach reporter Caleb Wiegandt at cwiegandt@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @CalebWiegandt.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Churchill Downs 2023: What we know about the horses that have died