For an industry celebrating historic lows in horse fatalities, the relationship between trainers and regulators has never been more ‘toxic,’ according to Kentucky Derby winner Kenneth McPeek. The fatal injury rate for horses in 2009 was a shocking 2.00 per 1000 starters. That’s the year the Equine Injury Database (EID) was created, and thus the first year in which numbers could be tracked.

Fast forward to 2025, and the data has fallen to an all-time low of 1.11. It represents a shocking success for the industry ahead of the 2026 Kentucky Derby, and Professor Tim Parkin loved it.

“It is remarkable and indeed gratifying to see the sustained improvement in these figures,” Parkin said, as per Thoroughbred Daily News.

Because that number represents a nearly 50% drop in fatal injuries to horses. That is partly thanks to vet scratches, and yet there is still a lack of transparency in the industry, something that the White Abarrio case illustrates perfectly. And it’s also likely why 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Kenneth McPeek has called the relationship between authorities and horsemen ‘toxic’.

McPeek, who has won all three Triple Crown races in his career, was tweeting in the aftermath of the latest race at Keeneland. And the 63-year-old was very unhappy, retweeting a post about his appearance on C2 Racing Stable and calling out those in charge.

“Regulatory Vets and the Racing Commission don’t trust horsemen,” McPeek wrote on X. “The relationship is toxic and dysfunctional.”

That’s the same point he went on to make in the podcast episode, filmed just after the G2 Oaklawn Handicap. There he was, talking in the aftermath of White Abarrio winning the race, beating favorite Sovereignty and Journalism, in spite of being vet-scratched. That in spite of being vet-scratched for a limp ahead of the GI 2025 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in November 2025.

“This is the point,” McPeek said on the episode. “We’ve talked about it repeatedly on this show. I mean, these veterinarians are proving they don’t know what they’re doing.

“They don’t know. They, they wanna be these, these geniuses and all the science and all that stuff, and they’re really failing the industry.”

He added, “They’re failing the sport. Their, their idea is scratch more, scratch more. No, absolutely not. Trust horsemen. We know our horses. And if you don’t think we know our horses, you know, at some point in time we’ve got to draw the line.”

It marks yet another battle between horsemen and Regulatory Vets, who have been an integral part for over 60 years. However, proper rules and regulations came into effect in 2022 with the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA). Since then, vet scratch procedures have become commonplace across the United States.

However, it hasn’t always been clear-cut, with the 2023 Derby an obvious example. There, Forte was vet-scratched for a bruise on his right foot despite being cleared by three vets. However, on race day morning, state veterinarian Nick Smith scratched the better’s favorite. It led to serious controversies, echoing what happened to Grande two years later.

Once again, at the Kentucky Derby, despite clean X-rays and a PET scan, state vets scratched the horse 36 hours before the race. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher was flummoxed by the scratch and confused about which criteria were used to remove his horse. It also meant that his record streak of 21 consecutive Derbies with a starter was effectively over as well.

The same thing happened at Keeneland when Kenneth McPeek tweeted that there were more regulatory vet scratches. It didn’t make the 63-year-old happy as he lashed out at the authorities in charge.

“Another day @keenelandracing with 10 Regulatory Vet scratches,” McPeek wrote. “Embarrassing for the sport.  I brought 10 new fans today, and they’re shocked, asking me questions about how the sport is falling apart.  I’m going to continue to be vocal for all horsemen.”

He added in response to an X user asking if there was a trend, saying, “I’m not sure. Some seem retaliatory.”

And McPeek wasn’t the only one lashing out. Prior to the G2 Oaklawn Handicap, reports indicated that White Abarrio’s owners brought a lawsuit against Breeders’ Cup for the horse’s vet scratch at the 2025 Breeders’ Cup.

White Abarrio’s owners sue Breeders’ Cup, CHRB, and Del Mar

Despite being one of the best Breeders’ Cup races that fans had seen in years, the spotlight wasn’t on the race. Instead, it focused on former favorite White Abarrio, who scratched minutes before the bell rang. C2 Racing Stable, LLC, and Gary Barber were equally stunned and furious, claiming the horse was in perfect condition.

However, months later, reports revealed that White Abarrio had been scratched after state regulators noticed an issue with his left leg. That hasn’t gone down well with his owners, who have filed suit against Breeders’ Cup, CHRB, and Del Mar in the aftermath. The complaint, as per Blood Horse, asserts that the horse had a history of gait issues and that scratching him made no sense.

“Defendants’ conduct was not a mere exercise of reasonable veterinary judgement (sic),” the complaint says, as per Blood Horse.

“It had no rational basis and constituted multiple violations of the regulatory rules and written protocols—including those implemented by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority Rules, the California Horse Racing Board Rules, and Defendants’ own Veterinary and Horsemen’s Guides. By … relying instead on a last‑second, subjective impression, Defendants breached their legal obligations to Plaintiffs.”

The complaint went on to cite over 200 pages of documents, including scientific evidence and tests conducted on the thoroughbred. As per the report, all of those points point to there being no issue with White Abarrio, and the results were within the parameters for a “racehorse in training.” Furthermore, after being scratched, the complaint revealed that even the thoroughbred’s attending vet was stunned.

This could potentially mark a landmark case, especially as Blood Horse has further reported that the owners are seeking $10 million in damages. Their reasoning is that White Abarrio was a favorite to win the race, and the scratch not only hurt their revenue but also depreciated his value.

For all the progress shown by the Equine Injury Database, the standoff between regulators and horsemen continues to overshadow the sport. And until that “toxic” relationship is addressed, cases like White Abarrio will keep fueling the very mistrust trainers like Kenneth McPeek are calling out.