8th horse dies at Churchill Downs after suffering an injury

Updated: 10:00 AM EDT May 15, 2023

Another horse has died at the home of the Kentucky Derby after suffering an injury.According to Churchill Downs spokesperson, Darren Rogers, Rio Moon broke his leg earlier on Sunday.The horse was at the finish line, in the sixth race of the day when the injury occurred and had to be euthanized.The horse was a 3-year-old colt, trained by Dale Romans of Louisville.This comes after seven horses died over 10 days during the Spring Meet at Churchill Downs, which is home to the Kentucky Derby.Two of those happened Saturday, on Derby Day. And two others were under the same trainer, prompting a suspension from the track. Churchill Downs released a statement after the Derby, saying they would continue to look into the deaths and what may have caused the injuries leading to them. Read that full statement here.The Associated Press reported that Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. was indefinitely suspended by Churchill Downs during Derby week after two of his horses collapsed on the track and died. Kentucky racing officials scratched his Derby entry, Lord Miles, too.The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Seven-time Kentucky Derby-winning Bob Baffert will be allowed to compete in the 2021 Breeders' Cup, but the horses will be under intense scrutiny.

All of Baffert's horses will be required to undergo enhanced out-of-competition testing as well as pre-race and post-race testing. This will be in addition to other protocols in order to participate.

This is all in an effort "to provide a more targeted layer of accountability," according to a statement from the Breeders' Cup.

Baffert trained the 2020 Kentucky Derby champion Medina Spirit, who failed a drug test.

Since then, Baffert has faced a roller coaster of consequences including being suspended from the New York Racing Association after which he sued to be reinstated. A New York federal judge eventually overturned the NYRA's ruling.

Then, on Sept. 10, the New York Racing Association charged Bob Baffert with detrimental conduct and scheduled a hearing for him to respond to those allegations.

More on that: NYRA charges Baffert with detrimental conduct

That all followed Churchill Downs suspending Baffert from competition at the home of the Derby for a period of two years.

"Mr. Baffert’s record of testing failures threatens public confidence in thoroughbred racing and the reputation of the Kentucky Derby," said Churchill Downs CEO Bill Carstanjen at the time. "Given these repeated failures over the last year, including the increasingly extraordinary explanations, we firmly believe that asserting our rights to impose these measures is our duty and responsibility."

More on the suspension: Churchill Downs suspends trainer Bob Baffert

The Breeder's Cup Championships will take place Nov. 5-6 at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California.

Related video above: Horseracing returns to Pimlico as crews prepare for Preakness

Rombauer romped to an 11-1 upset victory in the Preakness on Saturday, denying Bob Baffert-trained Kentucky Derby winner Medina Sprint the chance at a Triple Crown that would have come with a giant asterisk.

Medina Spirit finished third in the 1 3/16-mile race and was passed for the first time in his career after going off as the 2-1 favorite. All eyes were on Medina Spirit after he failed a post-Derby drug test for the presence of the steroid betamethasone.

Midnight Bourbon, who was 3-1, was second. Keepmeinmind was fourth and Baffert-trained Concert Tour ninth in the 10-horse field.

Rombauer busted the bias of horses hugging the rail, going past Midnight Bourbon and Medina Spirit down the stretch and winning by 3 1/2 lengths.

Jockey Flavien Prat won the Preakness two years after being elevated to the Derby winner aboard Country House when Maximum Security was disqualified.

Trainer Michael McCarthy won his first Triple Crown race and captured the Preakness before Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, for whom he worked as an assistant before opening his own barn.

Rombauer is owned by John and Diane Fradkin, a far cry from Medina Spirit's Zedan Racing Stables and other horse racing conglomerates. He won for the third time in seven starts.

McCarthy said this week Rombauer's best weapon was between his ears and that his colt was training well. But few picked the long shot to win the Preakness, which was run in front of 10,000 fans at Pimlico Race Course.

Baffert was not in attendance, staying away because of the controversy with Medina Spirit, who still could be disqualified from the Derby.