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A horse trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert was euthanized and its jockey was injured after an accident during the sixth race at Pimlico Race Course on Preakness Day Saturday (May 20), the Baltimore Banner reports.
Havnameltdown, favored to win the Chick Lang Stakes, suffered an injury and threw its jockey, Luis Saez, during the far turn of the race. Saez, a leading American jockey, was transported via ambulance to Sinai Hospital and was reported to be conscious, but complained of leg pain, Pimlico officials confirmed to the Baltimore Banner.
The incident took place amid scrutiny for horse racing after eight horses died at Churchill Downs in the days leading up to and following the Kentucky Derby. Saturday also marked Baffert's return to horse racing after the Hall of Fame trainer was banned for two years following his Kentucky Derby winning horse, Medina Spirit, testing positive for a steroid for the second time on June 2, 2021.
Baffert, 70, has trained horses to win 16 American Classics races, which includes two Triple Crown winners in American Pharoah in 2015 -- who also won the Breeders' Cup Classic that same year, becoming the first horse to win the Grand Slam of Thoroughbred racing -- and Justify in 2018.