The owners of Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro got a grim reminder of their beloved horse’s tragic run at the Preakness 10 years ago when their filly Pramedya broke down Saturday at Pimlico Race Course. ADVERTISING The owners of Kentucky Derby
The owners of Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro got a grim reminder of their beloved horse’s tragic run at the Preakness 10 years ago when their filly Pramedya broke down Saturday at Pimlico Race Course.
Barbaro shattered bones in his right hind leg in the 2006 Preakness. The horse made it through surgery but was euthanized in January 2007 after developing laminitis, a painful hoof condition.
Pramedya, owned by Roy and Gretchen Jackson’s Lael Stables, was injured during the fourth race and was one of two horses to die on the Preakness undercard.
Homeboykris won the first race, then collapsed and died after having his picture taken in the winner’s circle. Track officials said they believe cardiovascular collapse caused the 9-year-old gelding’s death.
Euthanizing horses at tracks around the country is not uncommon. The fatality rate was 1.62 deaths per 1,000 starts across all surfaces, ages and distances, according to 2015 statistics released by the Jockey Club.
But with the fatalities at Pimlico on Saturday, one of horse racing’s biggest days of the year, and Pramedya’s connections to Barbaro, the deaths recalled memories of high-profile tragedies on the track.
Some notable horse racing deaths over the years:
RUFFIAN: After capturing the nation’s attention with dominant wins in her first 10 races, Ruffian shattered her right front ankle in a 1975 match race with Kentucky Derby winner Foolish Pleasure at Belmont Park. She continued running on the injured leg and even made it through surgery, but she thrashed upon awakening and shattered her leg cast. That caused her to be euthanized.
GO FOR WAND: She was dueling with Bayakoa down the stretch of the Distaff in the 1990 Breeders’ Cup when she broke the bone in her right front ankle, a fatal injury.
EIGHT BELLES: After finishing second to Big Brown in the 2008 Kentucky Derby, Eight Belles collapsed with two broken front ankles. She was euthanized by injection. Trainer Larry Jones said Eight Belles “ran the race of her life” and added that “there was no way to save her” and that “she couldn’t stand.”
UNION CITY: This 3-year-old broke down in the 1993 Preakness and was euthanized, one of two horses to die in a Triple Crown race that year.
PRAIRIE BAYOU: After winning the 1993 Preakness and finishing second in that year’s Kentucky Derby, Prairie Bayou broke his left front leg while running down the backstretch of the Belmont Stakes.
