Mage took home the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday at Churchill Downs in Louisville.
The race did not come without some controversy, as seven horses died in the past week leading up to the race, two of them in the Derby undercard. One of the horses who died, Wild on Ice, was set to run in the Derby.
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Churchill Downs Incorporated suspended trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. indefinitely after two of his horses died in recent days at the track.
A general view of roses in the winner’s circle with the Twin Spires in the background before the148th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 7th, 2022, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. (Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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On top of that, five thoroughbreds were scratched from the big race, including the morning-line favorite Forte just hours before the race. It was the first time since 1936 that five horses were scratched from the Kentucky Derby.
“This is part of racing, and it’s the cruel part,” Mike Repole, co-owner of Forte, said in an interview with FanDuel TV.
General view prior to the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 06, 2023 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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The next leg of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes, will be on May 20 in Baltimore.
