Horses die on consecutive days following racing incidents at Keeneland
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Two horses died as the result of racing incidents at Keeneland.
- Gotta Lotta Tempo died on Friday, and Cielo died on Saturday.
- Keeneland’s annual Fall Meet runs until Oct. 25.
Multiple horse deaths from racing incidents occurred over the weekend at Keeneland during the track’s Fall Meet.
One horse died Friday and Saturday at the Lexington track.
In the sixth race of Friday’s 10-race card, an on-track incident led to the death of 2-year-old filly Gotta Lotta Tempo, a first-time starter.
According to the Equibase race chart, Gotta Lotta Tempo raced near the front of the pack on the inside, before later moving out during the stretch run. She then sustained an injury and fell. Gotta Lotta Tempo was transported off the track in an equine ambulance.
Gotta Lotta Tempo was one of 11 runners in the maiden special weight race, which featured a purse of $85,000. The horse suffered the catastrophic injury during a 6 1/2-furlong race on Keeneland’s main dirt track. The racing surface was listed as fast.
The horse’s jockey, 31-year-old Tyler Gaffalione, was evaluated by UK HealthCare medical staff and cleared to ride.
“There was an incident in Race 6 involving Gotta Lotta Tempo and jockey Tyler Gaffalione. Both were immediately attended to on-track,” Keeneland’s safety report read. “Due to the severity of the injury, humane euthanasia was elected in the best interest of the horse. Tyler Gaffalione was evaluated by UKHC medical staff and cleared to ride. We express our sincere condolences to the connections of Gotta Lotta Tempo.”
The horse was trained by Robert Medina and owned by V12 Racing and Westlake Racing Stable. Her sire was Maclean’s Music and her mare was Bartoletta, who was by Arch.
In the first race of Saturday’s 10-race card, another incident led to the death of Cielo, also a 2-year-old that was making its racing debut.
According to the Equibase race chart, Cielo broke slowly out of the starting gate before making its way to a midpack position near the inside rail as the horses raced on the backstretch. Then, Cielo fell. The horse was transported off the track in an equine ambulance.
Cielo was part of a 12-horse field in a maiden special weight race, which carried a purse of $85,000. This race also went 6 1/2-furlongs in a sprint on Keeneland’s main dirt track, which was also listed as fast.
The horse’s jockey, 33-year-old Frenchman and Triple Crown race winner Flavien Prat, also received medical attention following the incident. He was evaluated by UK HealthCare medical teams at the track and was cleared to resume riding.
“Following an incident in Race 1 involving Cielo and jockey Flavien Prat, both were promptly attended to on-track by Keeneland’s equine safety and UK HealthCare medical teams,”Keeneland’s safety report read. Due to the severity of the injury, humane euthanasia was elected in the best interest of the horse. Our heartfelt condolences go out to Cielo’s connections. Jockey Flavien Prat was evaluated by UK HealthCare and cleared to ride.”
Cielo was trained by Lexington native Kenny McPeek. Cielo’s owners were Chester Prince and Baccari Racing Stable.
The horse’s sire was Maclean’s Music, also the sire of Gotta Lotta Tempo. Cielo’s mare was Seacrettina, who was by Sea of Secrets.
According to the Equine Injury Database — a national database of horse racing injuries that was started by The Jockey Club in July 2008 — there were four horse deaths at Keeneland in 2023 and three horse deaths at the track last year. In both 2020 and 2022, one horse died from racing incidents at Keeneland. In 2021, two horses died as the result of racing incidents at the track.
In 2019, nine horses died following racing incidents at Keeneland. In 2016, 2017 and 2018, five horses died each year due to racing incidents at the track.
According to Horse Racing Nation, Keeneland reported five horse deaths during this year’s Spring Meet. Three of these were deaths from racing incidents, and two were the result of training incidents.
This means at least five horses have died at Keeneland this year from racing incidents, which would make 2025 the deadliest year at the track since 2019.
The 17-day Fall Meet at Keeneland resumes Wednesday and runs until Oct. 25.
