There were a pair of fatalities early on Saturday's GI Preakness S. undercard at Pimlico, and the incidents received widespread publicity from mainstream media outlets. Homeboykris, winner of the first race–a 1 1/16-mile starter allowance for horses who had raced for a claiming price of $5,000 or less in 2015 or 2016–collapsed and died while walking back to his barn. The 9-year-old gelding won the 2009 GI Champagne S. Three races later, 4-year-old filly Pramedya broke through the starting gate before her race, a 1 1/16-mile optional claimer on grass rated “good.” Allowed to run, she broke down around the far turn and was euthanized. Pramedya was owned by her breeders Roy and Gretchen Jackson, whose GI Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro tragically broke down in the Preakness 10 years ago. Barbaro's trainer Michael Matz conditions the winner of the fourth race for a different owner.
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