Swanson Lake: Ninth horse death at Churchill Downs since late April

Another horse has died at Churchill Downs, the ninth at Louisville's famed home of the Kentucky Derby since late April.

Swanson Lake, a 3-year-old filly trained by Michael McCarthy, was euthanized Saturday after being vanned off with a "significant injury to the left hind leg" about 100 yards after the finish of the sixth race, according to track spokesperson Darren Rogers. The injury was deemed inoperable after further diagnostics, he said.

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Earlier Saturday in Baltimore, trainer Bob Baffert's 3-year-old colt Havnameltdown was euthanized on the track at Pimlico Race Course in a Preakness Stakes undercard. Also, jockey Luis Saez suffered leg pain and was brought to a local hospital.

Five horses had to be euthanized in Louisville after incidents during racing and training in the leadup to the Kentucky Derby. Two more died in May 6 undercard races under similar circumstances.

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An eighth horse was euthanized Sunday after Rio Moon suffered a "catastrophic injury to his left foreleg" after the sixth race, continuing a dark trend of the track's 2023 spring meet.

Churchill Downs released a statement after the Derby acknowledging that day's two deaths and the "need to mobilize our industry in order to explore every avenue possible and effectively minimize any avoidable risk in the sport."

Reach reporter Caleb Wiegandt at cwiegandt@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @CalebWiegandt.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Swanson Lake, trained by Michael McCarthy, dies at Churchill Downs