Veteran horse coach Saffie Joseph Jr. was suspended indefinitely from Churchill Downs Thursday after two of his horses abruptly died inside days of one another.
Joseph Jr., 36, is prohibited from getting into his horses in races and making use of for stall occupancy in any respect Churchill Downs Integrated racetracks below the punishment, the company announced.
“Given the unexplained sudden deaths, now we have cheap issues in regards to the situation of his horses, and determined to droop him indefinitely till particulars are analyzed and understood,” stated Invoice Mudd, President and Chief Working Officer of Churchill Downs Integrated.
“The security of our equine and human athletes and integrity of our sport is our highest precedence. We really feel these measures are our responsibility and duty.”
Dad and mom Delight, 4, and Chasing Artie, 5, collapsed and died following their races at Churchill Downs final Saturday and Tuesday, respectively.
In a press release, Churchill Downs stated the sudden deaths have been “extremely uncommon.”
Proprietor Ken Ramsay described the 2 horses as “match and wholesome” and stated officers “couldn’t discover something mistaken” following an post-mortem.
“We’ve received the preliminary post-mortem again on Dad and mom Delight, and the blood was good,” Ramsey told Horse Racing Nation. “They couldn’t discover something mistaken. And in addition the preliminary report on Chasing Artie was comparable. So I don’t know what occurred to them, but it surely’s very perplexing that the 2 deaths have been so comparable, and that each of them have been match and wholesome earlier than the race.”
Joseph Jr.’s horse Lord Miles was scheduled to run within the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, however has since been scratched from the race.
The third-generation horseman said he was “shattered” following each horses’ deaths.
“That is one thing that doesn’t occur,” Joseph stated, according to USA Today.
“I’m shattered, mainly, as a result of I do know it may well’t occur. The percentages of it taking place twice is within the trillions. I run virtually 4,000 horses and it by no means occurred. It doesn’t make sense.”
In March, Joseph Jr. was suspended for 15 days by the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Fee when his horse examined optimistic for gabapentin, an unlawful nerve ache drug.
4 horses — together with Joseph’s two — died at Churchill Downs final week.
Kentucky Derby entrant Wild on Ice and Take Cost Briana have been euthanized because of accidents.
