Two horses die in early Preakness day races
BALTIMORE — Two horses died Saturday after undercard races of the Preakness Stakes in a grim start to a cold, overcast and rainy day at Pimlico.
Homeboykris, a former Kentucky Derby runner, won the first race of the day, but the 9-year-old gelding collapsed and died shortly after scoring the 1/2-length victory.
A son of Roman Ruler, he visited the winner's circle before the incident on his way back to the barn.
Francis Campitelli trained Homeboykris for owner Stirrup Trouble, LLC, at the time of his death. Campitelli's son, Chris, tweeted that the horse suffered an "apparent" heart attack and will undergo a necropsy to further explore the cause.
Another horse died at Pimlico Race Course on Saturday, and a jockey broke a collarbone after a spill on the muddy track.
Pramedya broke down and was euthanized on the track after a catastrophic injury suffered in Race 4, an allowance optional claimer on the turf. The 4-year-old filly broke her left-front cannon bone and tossed her jockey, Daniel Centeno. A track spokesman said a medical staff transported Centeno to a local hospital with a break in his right clavicle.
Gretchen and Roy Jackson, who also owned 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro – an unbeaten horse injured in the Preakness 10 years ago – also bred and campaigned Pramedya. Arnaud Delacour trained the daughter of Harlan's Holiday. Pramedya won two of her four career starts entering Saturday.
Homeboykris was a hard-knocking former graded stakes winner known for his longevity. "Homeboykris hasn't taken a bad step since we've had him," Chris Campitelli tweeted. "Owner claimed him to assure he went to good home after race career. Freak accident."
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The Maryland-bred won 14 of 63 starts, including the Grade I Champagne in 2009 for then-trainer Rick Dutrow. The next year, he ran 16th in the Derby won by Super Saver with MLB manager Joe Torre a co-owner.
Saturday's win came in a starter allowance race on the slop. Homeboykris saved ground before swinging three-wide in the stretch on his way to topping Golden Rings and Double Whammy at Pimlico.
Homeboykris' death will again spark conversation about the appropriate point to retire a racehorse. His win was his fourth in six races. And on Friday at Pimlico, 10-year-old Ben's Cat captured the Jim McKay Turf Sprint for the fifth time in six tries for Hall of Fame trainer King Leatherbury.
PETA tweeted that it was "calling on owners to release veterinary records and complete list of medications that horses were administered before Preakness races." The organization followed up by saying that its research has shown “most breakdowns and deaths occur because horses have pre-existing injuries masked by excessive use of medications.