After being hit by Churchill Downs Inc. suspended indefinitely last May after two of his horses mysteriously died while racing during Derby week, said trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who was cleared of wrongdoing after an investigation. investigation and reinstated last summer, has returned Churchill Downs. The Florida native is in for a long run Catalysis in the 150th Kentucky Derby (G1) on May 4.
His planned Derby entrant last year, Lord Miles didn’t get that chance, being raped by the manager after his students, Parental pride and Chasing Artie, were sudden deaths in the days before the classic’s release. Sudden deaths apply to incidents such as heart attacks and other non-serious musculoskeletal injuries that occur during or within two hours of exercise. Such deaths are not frequent, and even rarer when a trainer has to experience two in one week.
Such was the case with the two Joseph horses. Then, on June 30 last year, after investigations found that Joseph had not violated any rules, CDI reinstated Joseph’s indefinite suspension from the tracks it owned. A few weeks earlier, the New York Racing Association — which Joseph said at the time had been reluctant to let him compete at its tracks — had given him permission to run in New York.
Autopsies of two Joseph horses, both owned by Ken Ramsey, indicated that tests for banned substances and therapeutic drugs were negative above “regulatory threshold concentrations” and veterinary work was carried out. present in two horses in the 60 days before their death was “very minimal and routine.”
The cause of sudden death is often difficult to determine.
Although Joseph can still compete at his home base in Gulfstream Park Within these restrictions, he felt the impact of the investigation—not only on the starting bettors unable to run Derby Week but also in the transfer of his best horse, the winner 2022 Florida Derby (G1). White Abarrio , to another stable. The Race day colt had been one of Joseph’s intended starters in the Churchill Downs Stakes (G1) on the Kentucky Derby undercard.
White Abarrio in May 2022 with Saffie Joseph Jr. at Churchill Downs
White Abarrio, headed for the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Belmont Park early June of last year, sent by the owner to trainer Richard Duttrow Jr. in New York, to ensure the horse will have a chance to start in that prestigious race. White Abarrio would eventually finish third, and owners C2 Racing Stable and La Milagrosa Stable kept him at Dutrow. Months later, Gray/Roan would win the Whitney Stakes (G1) by a margin Saratoga Race Course and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita Park. White Abarrio finished 10th in the Saudi Cup (G1) in his only race this year.
Speaking April 26 at Churchill Downs to several reporters, including journalist Jennie Rees of the Kentucky Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, Joseph described his experience, saying he did not know will I “ever get over it, mentally, what you have to go through.” . It knocks you out.”
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He said he did not fault the owners of White Abarrio for transferring White Abarrio from him. He compared his experience watching White Abarrio’s accomplishments for Dutrow to a divorced father being able to watch his son compete in a sporting event when the young man lived with his stepfather.
“Are you upset with that? No,” he said. “I mean, at the end of the day, we couldn’t see him because of all this going on. The owners were very supportive of me. I have plenty of horses for them. …The fact that so. : That is not the right scenario for the horse to be punished. The Met Mile is his main goal.
In announcing Joseph’s suspension last May, Bill Mudd, CDI’s president and CEO, said in a statement: “With sudden unexplained deaths, we have are reasonably concerned about the state of his horses and have decided to suspend him indefinitely until further details are known.” analyze and understand.”
Similarly, a statement from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and its management said: “To improve the racing, health and welfare of our equine athletes and the safety of those our riders, all the horses trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. were scratched.” effective immediately and until further notice.”
The spring meet at Churchill Downs will eventually be moved to early next June Ellis Park after dozens of horse deaths occurred during the meeting and in the days before. Of the equine deaths involving several trainers, one occurred during training, another was due to an accident in the paddock, eight were due to musculoskeletal injuries, and two were due to Joseph’s case was due to sudden death. Investigations found no single explanation for the deaths.
Joseph told WDRB Television last spring that he felt like he was the “scapegoat” for the spike in deaths that occurred at Churchill Downs Derby week, which led to negative media attention. information and baseless calls of anti-horse racing groups mistreating horses.
When asked if he still feels like a scapegoat, Joseph said: “Last year is over. …You can sit down, make excuses, blame and seek sympathy, but in the end Ultimately, that won’t help you.” whatever. Last year was telling, the way things were handled. I think we did everything the right way and we’re grateful to be back.
He is back, not just at Churchill but in terms of the overall success of his stable. His stable flourished this winter at Gulfstream Park, where he topped the Championship Meet. It was his third straight coaching title for that meet following an 18-year stretch dominated by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher.
Now Joseph takes Florida Derby (G1) runner-up Catalytic to Churchill Downs in hopes of springing a Derby surprise. Joseph, 37, a native of Barbados, has previously run two Derby horses: New Traffic eighth in 2020 and White Abarrio, 16th in 2022.
A win from Catalytic would be a colossal defeat after the colt was beaten by the Pletcher-trained colt severity in the March 30 Florida Derby. Prior to that race, he had finished second in the March 8 optional allowance claiming race at Tampa Downs Bay and made its debut last fall before the girls at Gulfstream.
Cruiser Catalina colt racing for owners Tami Bobo, Julie Davies and George Isaacs. Jose Ortiz will have a mount for the Derby.
Asked to give his horse a reason to win the Derby, he chuckled and replied: “You dream. That’s all.”
