Veteran horse trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. was suspended indefinitely from Churchill Downs Thursday after two of his horses suddenly died within days of each other.
Joseph Jr., 36, is prohibited from entering his horses in races and applying for stall occupancy at all Churchill Downs Incorporated racetracks under the punishment, the company announced.
“Given the unexplained sudden deaths, we have reasonable concerns about the condition of his horses, and decided to suspend him indefinitely until details are analyzed and understood,” said Bill Mudd, President and Chief Operating Officer of Churchill Downs Incorporated.
“The safety of our equine and human athletes and integrity of our sport is our highest priority. We feel these measures are our duty and responsibility.”
Parents Pride, 4, and Chasing Artie, 5, collapsed and died following their races at Churchill Downs last Saturday and Tuesday, respectively.
In a statement, Churchill Downs said the sudden deaths were “highly unusual.”
Owner Ken Ramsay described the two horses as “fit and healthy” and said officials “couldn’t find anything wrong” following an autopsy.
“We’ve got the preliminary autopsy back on Parents Pride, and the blood was good,” Ramsey told Horse Racing Nation. “They couldn’t find anything wrong. And also the preliminary report on Chasing Artie was similar. So I don’t know what happened to them, but it’s very perplexing that the two deaths were so similar, and that both of them were fit and healthy before the race.”
Joseph Jr.’s horse Lord Miles was scheduled to run in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, but has since been scratched from the race.
The third-generation horseman said he was “shattered” following both horses’ deaths.
“This is something that doesn’t happen,” Joseph said, according to USA Today.
“I’m shattered, basically, because I know it can’t happen. The odds of it happening twice is in the trillions. I run almost 4,000 horses and it never happened. It doesn’t make sense.”
In March, Joseph Jr. was suspended for 15 days by the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission when his horse tested positive for gabapentin, an illegal nerve pain drug.
Four horses — including Joseph’s two — died at Churchill Downs last week.
Kentucky Derby entrant Wild on Ice and Take Charge Briana were euthanized due to injuries.