Pimlico & Churchill Downs: 2 horses are euthanized Saturday

Baltimore

Havnameltdown broke down and was euthanized, and his rider Luis Sáez was taken to a nearby hospital after a spill Saturday in the Grade 3, $200,000 Chick Lang Stakes on the Preakness undercard at Pimlico.

Less than two hours later at Churchill Downs, 3-year-old filly Swanson Lake suffered a left-hind injury that led to her being euthanized. She was the ninth horse to die since April 27 after racing or training at the Kentucky track.

At Pimlico, a spokesperson for the Maryland Jockey Club said Sáez was complaining of leg pain, and he was stable and conscious. His agent Kiaran McLaughlin told Daily Racing Form that X-rays came back clean and that Sáez “says he wants to ride tomorrow.”

Medical personnel attended to Sáez for about 10 minutes before he was placed on a stretcher and taken by ambulance to Sinai Hospital.

A 3-year-old colt sired by Uncaptured and trained by Bob Baffert, Havnameltdown was sent off as the 4-5 favorite and was racing in second place in the six-furlong race on the fast, main track. Making the turn in the two path next to the leader and eventual winner Ryvit, his front-left leg appeared to buckle, and he ran on awkwardly before being captured by an outrider near the top of the stretch.

Track veterinarian Dr. Dionne Benson “observed a non-operable, left-fore fetlock injury,” according to a statement from the MJC. “Due to the severity and prognosis of the injury, Dr. Benson and her counterparts made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize Havnameltdown.”

As Sáez tumbled to the ground, he was passed by five other horses, but it was not clear whether he was struck by any of them. He had been named to ride in the Preakness on First Mission, but the colt was scratched Friday because of a minor injury. Sáez was replaced on his five other mounts Saturday.

“We never had an issue with him,” Baffert said. “We are so careful with all the horses, and it still happens. It is something that is disheartening. I feel so bad for that horse, and I just hope that Luis is OK.

“It’s the worst feeling, and we grieve. We do grieve when these things happen. There is nothing worse than coming back and the stall is empty. He is a nice horse. He could not have been doing any better. It’s sickening. I am in shock.”

In a subsequent post on Twitter, Baffert added, “Hanvameltdown was obviously hit pretty hard coming out of the gate. We don’t know if that contributed to the injury, but we will be fully transparent with those reviewing this terrible accident.”

The spill happened near the infield stage where live music continued without interruption. Performances were stopped during the next three races, but the music blared throughout the Jim McKay Turf Sprint without any incident on the track.

Owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, Havnameltdown was making his first start since he finished second to Commissioner King on Feb. 25 in the Saudi Derby (G3). He was a three-time graded-stakes winner in California and had a record of 7: 4-2-0 with earnings of $708,000.

In Kentucky, Swanson Lake had just crossed the finish line fourth in a 5 1/2-furlong, maiden race on the main track when she switched to an off-balance gait under jockey James Graham. The Equibase chart said she “failed to return to her connections after being pulled up in the vicinity of the thirteen-sixteenths pole in the gallop-out and was vanned off.”

In a texted statement to Horse Racing Nation, a Churchill Downs spokesperson said, “I just confirmed with (track veterinarian) Dr. Will Farmer (that) Swanson Lake was vanned off with a significant injury to the left hind. Upon further diagnostics, it was deemed inoperable, and the horse was humanely euthanized.”

Owned by BG Stables and trained by Michael McCarthy, the Constitution filly raced only twice, finishing fifth in her February debut at Aqueduct before coming back for the sixth race Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Swanson Lake was on the most recent Kentucky Horse Racing Commission veterinarian list posted Monday. Doctors had scratched her from the 13th race May 5, the day of the Kentucky Oaks. She did have an approved, half-mile workout last Saturday at Churchill Downs.

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