Churchill Downs Says Death of 4 Horses Is 'Unacceptable' Ahead of Kentucky Derby

Churchill Downs issued a statement Wednesday, calling the deaths of four horses at the track "completely unacceptable."

"While a series of events like this is highly unusual, it is completely unacceptable," the statement read. "We take this very seriously and acknowledge that these troubling incidents are alarming and must be addressed.

"We feel a tremendous responsibility to our fans, the participants in our sport and the entire industry to be a leader in safety and continue to make significant investments to eliminate risk to our athletes. We have full confidence in our racing surfaces and have been assured by our riders and horsemen that they do as well."

Parents Pride and Chasing Artie, two horses trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., died of undisclosed causes this week. Wild on Ice and Take Charge Briana were euthanized after suffering injuries in training.

Churchill Downs called the safety of horses a "critical issue for which everyone in the industry shares responsibility."

The track plans to work with regulators on an investigation to determine if an underlying cause led to the uptick in deaths.

The controversy has marred the lead-up to Saturday's Kentucky Derby, casting a shadow over horse racing's biggest event.