Two horses die on Kentucky Derby day as iconic racecourse Churchill Downs comes under renewed fire

After seven deaths raised questions about the future of horse racing, Mage earned a surprising Kentucky Derby victory on Saturday, capping a nerve-rattling day that included two more fatalities ahead of the 149th edition of the world’s most famous race.

Mage, a 15-1 shot, had only one win in three previous races, giving little indication that he could triumph against 17 rivals in a race that is not kind to the inexperienced.

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Still, he made a gutsy stretch run, overtaking Two Phil’s to his inside and winning by a length. Mage, who didn’t race as a two-year-old, ran 2km in 2:01.57.

The colt was in the skilled hands of Javier Castellano, a Hall of Fame jockey who hasn’t been as in-demand lately. The 45-year-old Castellano snapped an 0-for-15 skid in the Derby.

“I never give up, I always try hard to do the right thing. It took me a little while to get there. I finally got it,” Castellano said after the $US1,860,000 ($A2.75m) victory in front of 150,335 at Churchill Downs.

Castellano and trainer Gustavo Delgado are from Venezuela. Mage joined Canonero II as Derby winners with Venezuelan ties. Canonero II won the Derby and Preakness in 1971.

“Turning for home, he had a lot of heart. He’s a little horse with a big heart,” Castellano said.

Forte, the early favorite, was scratched in the morning with a bruised foot, one of five horses that dropped out in the run-up to the race.

Earlier in the day, Chloe’s Dream, a three-year-old gelding, and Freezing Point, a three-year-old colt, were euthanised after being injured in their races, becoming the sixth and seventh horses to have died at the track in the past 10 days.

Chloe’s Dream injured his right front knee, trainer Jeff Hiles told The Associated Press.

“He just took a bad step out there,” Hiles said.

“They could do the same thing running in the field as they could on the track. So it’s very unfortunate. That’s what we deal with.”

Freezing Point suffered a left ankle injury in the Pat Day Mile, trainer Joe Lejzerowicz told the AP.

“He just got bumped in the backstretch,” Lejzerowicz said.

“He never took a bad step or bobble. He had a big heart.”

Churchill Downs has confirmed investigations are continuing into the deaths, with the cause of two earlier fatalities - Parents Pride and Chasing Artie - yet to be identified.

“Transparency is an important component of our commitment to safety and accountability in horse racing,” the track said.

“We share the concern of our fans who have questions about the recent equine fatalities at Churchill Downs Racetrack and we extend our sincere condolences to those who loved and cared for these horses.

“While a series of events like this is highly unusual, it is completely unacceptable.

“We take this very seriously and acknowledge that these troubling incidents are alarming and must be addressed.

“We feel a tremendous responsibility to our fans, the participants in our sport and the entire industry to be a leader in safety and continue to make significant investments to eliminate risk to our athletes.

“We have full confidence in our racing surfaces and have been assured by our riders and horsemen that they do as well.

“The safety and wellbeing of horses is a critical issue for which everyone in the industry shares responsibility. However, we will continue to take every measure to ensure that we are providing the safest possible environment for horses on our property.”

New antidoping and medication rules enforced by a central governing body of the sport are scheduled to take effect May 22.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, a two-time Triple Crown winner, is nearing the end of a two-year ban issued by Churchill Downs Inc.

One of his horses, Medina Spirit, crossed the finish line first in the 2021 Derby and failed a post-race drug test. The horse was disqualified and Baffert was punished.

In 2019, over 30 horse deaths occurred at California’s Santa Anita racetrack, rattling the industry and leading to safety reforms. Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Rick Dutrow had his license revoked in 2011 for 10 years by New York officials. Regulators found syringes loaded with unauthorized medication in a desk in his barn. Dutrow re-opened his stable last month.

The horse deaths included Derby contender Wild On Ice. Two of the horses were trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. He was indefinitely suspended by the track, although investigators have yet to determine a cause for the deaths of his horses.

Four horses were scratched - Practical Move, Lord Miles, Continuar and Skinner - in recent days. Practical Move and Skinner had fevers, while Continuar wasn’t in peak condition, according to his Japanese trainer. Lord Miles was Joseph’s Derby horse.

- with 7NEWS