You've probably seen the headlines from a few years ago. In 2023, the news was horrific. Twelve horses died at Churchill Downs in a single month. It was a PR nightmare and, more importantly, a tragedy for the animals involved. Naturally, as the 150th "Run for the Roses" approached, everyone was asking the same grim question: how many horses died in the Kentucky Derby 2024?
The short answer is zero.
None.
Basically, the 2024 Kentucky Derby itself—and the entire week leading up to it—passed without a single equine fatality. For a sport that has been under the microscope for its "bloodiest year" just twelve months prior, this was more than a relief. It was a necessity.
The Reality of 2024 vs. the 2023 Shadow
People often get the years mixed up because the 2023 season was so uniquely bad. If you are looking for a list of names like Wild On Ice or Chloe’s Dream, those belong to the 2023 tragedy. Honestly, the 2024 season felt different from the jump.
Churchill Downs was desperate to avoid a repeat. They spent millions. They brought in new dirt. They hired new vets.
During the actual Derby race on May 4, 2024, which was won by Mystik Dan in a heart-pounding photo finish, every horse that started the race finished it. There were no catastrophic breakdowns on the track. No screens were brought out to hide a horse being euthanized in front of thousands of people.
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However, it wasn't a "perfect" week. It's important to be real about what happened on the undercard. A horse named Sorcerer’s Silver sustained a bone fracture during the third race on Derby Day. He didn't die, though. He was ambulanced off and sent for surgery. Another horse, Military Cruiser, also left in an ambulance after trailing in the final race of the day.
While the "death count" for the 2024 Kentucky Derby was zero, the injuries remind us that this is still a high-stakes, high-impact sport.
Why the Deaths Stopped (For a While)
So, why did the numbers change? It wasn't just luck.
Churchill Downs implemented a "Safety from Start to Finish" program that sounded like corporate speak but actually had some teeth. They started using something called StrideSAFE sensors. These are little biometric devices tucked into the saddle cloths. They track the horse's gait. If a horse’s stride changes by even a few millimeters—something a human eye might miss—the system flags it.
They also installed a permanent PET scan machine on-site. This is huge. Usually, you’d have to van a horse across the state for that kind of imaging. Now, if a trainer thinks a horse is "kinda off," they can get a high-res look at the bone density right there.
Key Safety Changes in 2024:
- Surface Overhaul: They brought in new tractors and "smart grade" technology to ensure the dirt was consistent. No "soft spots" that cause a horse to take a bad step.
- Veterinary Oversight: 15 additional state veterinarians were brought in to watch the horses not just on race day, but in their stalls and during morning gallops.
- The Baffert Factor: Bob Baffert, arguably the most famous trainer in the world, was still serving the tail end of a suspension from Churchill Downs in 2024. While his absence is controversial, the track was clearly trying to distance itself from any past doping scandals during this specific window.
The 15 Fatality Statistic: Clearing Up the Confusion
If you dig deep into reports from PETA or the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA), you might see a scary number: "15 fatalities at Churchill Downs in 2024."
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This is where the math gets tricky.
That number doesn't refer to the Kentucky Derby. It refers to the entire calendar year of training and racing at that specific track. For instance, a horse named Valley of Fire died in late April 2024 during a morning workout. Because it happened just a week before the Derby, it gets lumped into the "Derby season" statistics by activists.
When people ask how many horses died in the Kentucky Derby 2024, they are usually asking about the big race or the big weekend. For those specific events, the answer remains zero. But if you look at the track as a year-round workplace, the danger is ever-present.
Is Horse Racing Finally Safe?
"Safe" is a relative term.
The industry average is roughly 1.32 deaths per 1,000 starts. It sounds low until you realize that's a lot of dead animals over a full year of racing across the US. The 2024 Derby was a success because the industry was terrified of being shut down.
HISA, the federal oversight body, finally has the power to enforce uniform rules across different states. Before this, every state basically did whatever it wanted. Now, there are stricter rules on what kind of medications a horse can have in its system on race day.
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What This Means for Future Fans
If you're planning on watching or betting on future Derbys, you should know that the scrutiny isn't going away. The 2024 results proved that when you throw enough money and technology at the problem, you can significantly reduce fatalities.
But the "zero" of 2024 was an outlier in many ways. It was the result of an unprecedented "all hands on deck" safety push.
What to Look for Moving Forward:
- Check the Scratches: In 2023, five horses were scratched (removed) from the race for health reasons. In 2024, only one was. A "clean" Derby often starts with a strict vet check days before the gates open.
- Watch the Surface: If it's a "sloppy" track (heavy rain), the risk changes. Sorcerer’s Silver was injured on a rain-drenched track in 2024.
- Follow HISA Reports: Don't just rely on the TV broadcast. HISA publishes data on injuries that don't result in death, which is a better metric for the overall health of the sport.
The fact that no horses died in the 2024 Kentucky Derby is a win for the sport, but it's a fragile one. The pressure from the public and the government is the only thing keeping those sensors on the saddles and those vets in the stalls.
Next Steps for the Informed Fan
To keep track of equine welfare beyond the headlines, you should regularly check the HISA Weekly Integrity Reports and the Equine Injury Database. These sources provide the most accurate, unfiltered data on horse health across all major US tracks. If you are attending a race, pay attention to the "scratches" list—a high number of vet-ordered scratches is actually a good sign that the safety protocols are working and at-risk horses are being kept off the track.