UPDATE: Kentucky Derby contender euthanized after suffering leg injury in training

Kentucky Derby 149 contender Wild On Ice was euthanized after suffering a leg injury during training at Churchill Downs on Thursday morning.

Owned by Frank Sumpter, the Grade 3 Sunland Derby winner injured his left hind leg while breezing 5 furlongs in 1:01.40. He was vanned off and transported from Louisville to a Lexington equine surgical facility where he was euthanized, according to the El Paso Times.

Skinner is now eligible to be in the Kentucky Derby field, which is limited to the highest-ranked 20 horses in qualifying points. In his most recent start, Skinner finished third in the Santa Anita Derby on April 8. He also finished third in the San Felipe on March 4. He is trained by John Shirreffs, who trained Giacomo, winner of the 2005 Kentucky Derby.

A Texas-bred gelding, Wild On Ice was trained by Joel Marr and was to be ridden by 60-year-old Ken Tohill, which would have made Tohill the oldest rider in the history of the 149-year-old race.

A 35-1 shot in the Sunland Derby, Wild On Ice had won three of his five career races. His connections were hoping to repeat the path followed by 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, who also trained at Sunland Park. Mine That Bird was also a gelding.

“Wild On Ice gave us so many great moments,” owner Sumpter told Felix Chavez of the El Paso Times. “He’ll forever be remembered. It’s a sad situation. My heart goes out to the team, trainer Joel Marr and everyone who helped us get to this point. These horses give us so many great moments in life and our team puts in so many hours taking care of the horses. He had a fracture in his hind leg and it was determined he couldn’t be saved. Wild On Ice had so much heart.”

A Texas-bred has not won the Kentucky Derby since Middleground in 1950.

PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo issued the following statement:

“The 2023 Kentucky Derby has killed its first horse, even before the starting gate has opened. Kentucky officials must conduct a thorough investigation into Wild On Ice’s death and must scrutinize all medication and veterinary records for evidence of injury or soreness. The owner’s comment last week that Wild On Ice may not belong in the Derby raises doubt about what part the trainer, the veterinarian, and others may have played in a decision to push the colt beyond his capability. Horse deaths at what is considered the highest level of racing is a condemnation of all horse racing.”

This story was originally published April 27, 2023 at 8:13 AM.

John Clay

Lexington Herald-Leader

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John Clay is a sports columnist for the Lexington Herald-Leader. A native of Central Kentucky, he covered UK football from 1987 until being named sports columnist in 2000. He has covered 20 Final Fours and 42 consecutive Kentucky Derbys. Support my work with a digital subscription