Preakness Horse Deaths Investigated by The Animal Legal Defense Fund

Nonprofit Seeks Necropsy Results and Medical Records Via Maryland Public Information Act

For immediate release:

Contact:
media@aldf.org

BALTIMORE, Md. — The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), the nation’s preeminent legal advocacy organization for animals, filed a request under Maryland’s Public Information Act seeking release of veterinary records held by the Maryland Racing Commission concerning the medical condition of two horses who died during Preakness Day racing on May 21, 2016.

The first horse to die, Homeboykris, won the initial race of the day, only to collapse and die immediately after having his post-win photo taken at the track. The other horse, Pramedya, went down with a fractured leg during her race, and was euthanized where she lay, never leaving the track alive. Homeboykris was nine years old, and Pramedya four. Thoroughbreds, such as Homeboykris and Pramedya, have a natural lifespan of roughly twenty five years.

“It’s vital that these horses are not forgotten—and that their deaths are investigated and explained,” says Animal Legal Defense Fund Executive Director Stephen Wells. “Horses used for ‘sport,’ such as racing, undergo tremendous stress and hardship—and it’s necessary to rule out any type of abuse that may have contributed to their death.”

In its public information request, the Animal Legal Defense Fund calls on the Maryland Racing Commission to disclose details regarding Homeboykris and Pramedya’s health prior to their deaths, as well as the results of any necropsies conducted on the two horses. Such transparency is in the public’s interest, as it enables a more accurate understanding of the circumstances giving rise to each animal’s death—as well as ways to promote the health and safety of horses in the future.

Letter to Maryland Racing Commission available upon request.