Two horses died in races on Preakness Day at Pimlico Race Course, casting a shadow over the anti-climatic second leg of the Triple Crown. PETA quickly responded that all bets are off if the deaths involved suspected pre-race medications.
Nine-year-old Homeboykris, an entry in the Kentucky Derby in 2010, collapsed after winning the first race of the day at the track in Baltimore, Maryland, noted the
Washington Post. Homeboykris, a 9-1 underdog, died after leaving the winner's circle and on the way back to the barn.
Pramedya, a 4-year-old, broke its left front leg during the fourth race and collapsed, said the Post. The horse was euthanized on the track. Jockey Daniel Centeno suffered a broken right collarbone when the horse threw him and was transported to a local hospital.
In the Preakness itself on Saturday, Exaggerator beat Nyquist to end any chance of another Triple Crown, reported
The Associated Press.
Exaggerator splashed past the tiring Kentucky Derby winner and went on for a 3 1/2-length victory over Cherry Wine on the rain-drenched Pimlico Race Course, noted the AP. Exaggerator finished second to Nyquist in the Derby. Nyquist finished third in the Preakness.
The race came on the 10th anniversary of Barbaro breaking down during the Preakness, noted the
Baltimore Sun. Pramedya was owned by Barbaro's owners Roy and Gretchen Jackson.
Former New York Yankees manager Joe Torre co-owned Homeboykris, which had won 14 races in 63 starts, said the
Louisville Courier-Journal.
"The foolish use of muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatory drugs, and other medications must end now," said PETA, calling on the owners to release veterinary records and a list of medications that the horses were given in the weeks leading to the races.
"Studies — and our own investigations — have shown that most breakdowns and deaths occur because horses have pre-existing injuries that are masked by the excessive use of legal medications," said the
PETA statement.
"We want to know if that is what happened in the cases of Pramedya and Homeboykris. We have been advocating for no medications to be administered to horses in the two weeks before a race so that if a horse is sore or ill, the track veterinarian will be able to detect it."
PETA said at least three horses are dying every day on U.S. tracks.
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