Baffert’s Two Horses Dead in April and Churchill Downs’ 15 Dead Horses in 2024 Warrant Strong Action, Says PETA

For Immediate Release:
April 28, 2025

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Today, PETA urged Churchill Downs CEO William Carstanjen to implement increased scrutiny of all horses trained by Bob Baffert, considering that only weeks before Baffert’s return to Churchill Downs following a three-year ban from the track, two horses he trained sustained fractures and had to be euthanized in California. At least 75 horses in training with Baffert have died.

PETA is also calling for the release of measures taken by the track to protect all horses, following fatalities of at least 15 horses in 2024 and the death of Thoroughbred Valley of Fire just last week. Valley of Fire fractured both front legs on April 24 while training at Churchill Downs.

“Bob Baffert’s two dead horses only a month before the Kentucky Derby should be a red flag for Churchill Downs,” says PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo. “In addition, the track must account for its own appalling record as dead horses are turning it into a graveyard.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

PETA’s letter to Carstanjen follows.

April 29, 2025

Mr. William Carstanjen

CEO

Churchill Downs Inc.

Dear Mr. Carstanjen,

As you prepare for the Kentucky Derby on May 3, I ask that you institute increased scrutiny for all horses trained by Bob Baffert. You are aware of concerns surrounding Mr. Baffert’s record; Churchill Downs banned him for the last three years after Medina Spirit failed a drug test following the 2021 Derby. You may not know, however, that two of Mr. Baffert’s horses were euthanized after sustaining catastrophic injuries in the last month. According to the California Horse Racing Board’s Equine Fatalities database, the first, on April 3, was a Thoroughbred named Willy. Just two weeks later, on April 17, a three-year-old filly named Non Compliant died.

Mr. Baffert has been implicated in drugging scandals and in the deaths of at least 75 other horses in his care, including Medina Spirit in late 2021. In 2023, when Mr. Baffert was still barred from racing at Churchill Downs, another horse he trained, Havnameltdown, was catastrophically injured and euthanized at Pimlico Race Course on Preakness Stakes Day.

We further ask that you release the measures implemented to protect all horses during Derby week. At least 15 horses died at Churchill Downs while racing or training in 2024, according to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (two of the 15 were on the training track). Just last week, three-year-old Valley of Fire broke both legs during training and was euthanized. The horse was last ridden in a race by Brian Hernandez, Jr., the winning jockey of last year’s Kentucky Derby. While some protections were added following the numerous fatalities in the days surrounding the 2023 Kentucky Derby, it appears that you have not addressed the more recent fatalities.

May we hear from you regarding these urgent issues? Thank you.

Sincerely,

Kathy Guillermo

Senior Vice President

Equine Matters