By ESPN News Services
Two more horses died in races at Churchill Downs on Saturday — making it seven in all in recent days — and early Kentucky Derby favorite Forte was scratched with an injury in another series of blows to a sport already reeling from doping suspensions and breakdowns.
Chloe’s Dream, a 3-year-old gelding, and Freezing Point, a 3-year-old colt, were injured in their races on the Derby undercard, becoming the sixth and seventh horses to have died at Churchill Downs in recent days.
Chloe’s Dream was injured leaving the first turn during Saturday’s second race, and Freezing Point pulled up inside the 6-furlong marker with an ankle injury during the eighth race — the Pat Day Mile.
Chloe’s Dream was taken off in an equine ambulance with a right front knee injury and was euthanized, trainer Jeff Hiles confirmed to 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 and was euthanized, trainer Joe Lejzerowicz told the AP. He said Fort Bragg, who finished third, slammed into Freezing Point during the race.
“He just got bumped in the backstretch,” Lejzerowicz said. “He never took a bad step or bobble. He had a big heart.”
Two of the horses that died earlier this week were trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. He was indefinitely suspended by the track, although investigators have yet to determine causes for the deaths of his horses…
