As spectators cheered on their favorites during the first races at Pimlico Race Course on Saturday, Chester County horse breeders Roy and Gretchen Jackson were forced to relive a tragedy that befell them a decade ago. That was when their Kentucky Derby winner, Barbaro, shattered his leg during the Preakness Stakes, writes Dick Jerardi for Philly.com.  

While two of their horses ended their races safely in second and third places, Jacksons’ young filly Pramedya, suffered a horrendous leg injury which caused her to crash to the turf at the far turn. The injuries to the 4-year-old horse were so severe that she had to be put down on the course.

The crushed owners then had to drive back to their Lael Farm in Chester County, located just a few miles from the Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center where their prized horse Barbaro underwent surgery the day after his tragic race. Barbaro survived for eight months before he had to be put down after developing laminitis, a painful hoof disease that spread from his rear left leg to his front legs.

“You ask yourself, ‘What are we doing in the game?’ ” wondered Roy Jackson after the race. “It’s so ironic. We both have not really taken it all in. We’re still in shock.”

According to the Wall Street Journal, Pramedya was the second horse to die on the course that day, as Homeboykris collapsed and died after winning the first race of the day. The 9-year-old gelding was taken to New Bolton Center for an autopsy, and it is expected that Pramedya will also be taken there.

Read more about these sad developments at Philly.com here, and check out previous VISTA Today coverage of Penn Vet here.