At the 149th Kentucky Derby there was an outsider victory with Mage and jockey Javier Castellano. The traditional race, part of the “Triple Crown” was overshadowed by a total of seven horse deaths.
15-1 underdog Mage with Venezuelan jockey Javier Castellano has won the 149th Kentucky Derby. The stallion trained by Gustavo Delgado prevailed in Louisville on Saturday (May 6th, 2023) thanks to a strong final sprint ahead of Two Phil’s, ridden by the American Jareth Loveberry, and Angel of Empire with jockey Flavien Prat (France).
Two horses euthanized at race, seven deaths in total
The brilliant run on the Churchill Downs Racetrack marked the end of an eventful week that was overshadowed by several fatalities. Within ten days, seven horses died. Among them were two animals from the Saturday program that had to be put down after racing injuries.
Kentucky favorite Forte retired on doctor’s orders
“The best thing to report about the 149th edition of the Kentucky Derby: All 18 horses that made it to the start on Saturday survived,” commented the New York Times bitterly. In addition to the fatalities, four other horses were retired, including Forte, who was considered the favorite to win the Kentucky Derby. As the New York Times reported, the veterinarians sent by the state of Kentucky decided shortly before the race that last year’s winner was not sufficiently fit due to a hoof injury.
As a precaution, a coach and another horse were suspended by the race supervisors, and nothing is known about the causes and exact circumstances of the deaths.
The Kentucky Derby was the start of the so-called “Triple Crown”, the second race of which is the Preakness Stakes on May 20th in Baltimore/Maryland. The three-way series will be concluded with the Belmont Stakes in New York in June.