PETA urge horseracing chiefs to ban Bob Baffert, claiming '75 horses in his care have died' 

PETA has slammed trainer Bob Baffert and wants him out of the sport, claiming that '75 horses in his care have died' following news of yet another of his horses being euthanized on the track during the Preakness undercard on Saturday.

Kathy Guillermo - Senior Vice President of the animals right advocacy group - hit out at organizers of the triple crown race for providing Baffert with access to the track. 

The latest controversy surrounding the 75-year-old comes barely two months after a federal judge denied Baffert's request to lift his two-year ban by coordinators of the Kentucky Derby, which the Hall of Fame trainer described as a 'cancel culture kind of thing' in 2021.

'Pimlico should have followed Churchill Downs' example and barred Bob Baffert from the track,' Guillermo exclusively told DailyMail.com. 'Baffert has been implicated in drugging scandals, the deaths of seven horses who collapsed in California, and at least 75 horses in his care have died. 

'The tragic death of Havnameltdown is the latest in a long line of fatalities. The racing industry must kick out the bad guys or it will have blood on its hands as well as blood on its tracks.' 

Havnameltdown's death comes weeks after the Kentucky Derby was overshadowed by eight fatalities over a span of 10 days prior to the race on May 6. 

PETA want Bob Baffert banned after the trainer was linked to the total deaths of 75 horses

Havnameltdown, owned by Baffet, died at Preakness after the undercard race on Saturday

Baffert has horses running on Preakness weekend for the first time in two years after returning from a suspension stemming from 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit's failed drug test. 

He was not able to enter horses in the Derby either of the past two years as part of a decision by Churchill Downs and couldn't have any in the 2022 Preakness or Belmont because of a 90-day ban in Kentucky respected by Maryland and New York.

One of his horses, Arabian Lion, won an earlier race. Baffert is also set to saddle National Treasure in the Preakness.

On Saturday, after sharing the announcement of Havnameltdown's death, the seven-time Preakness winner said he and his team were devastated by the thoroughbred's passing.

Havnameltdown's death came after Churchill Downs had eight horses die in a span of 10 days

'This is a shock to everyone at our barn who love and care for these horses every day,' Baffert wrote on Twitter. 'Hanvameltdown was obviously hit pretty hard coming out of the gate. We don't know if that contributed to the injury, but we will be fully transparent with those reviewing this terrible accident.'

While horse racing deaths in the U.S. are at their lowest level since they began being tracked in 2009, adding another at the track hosting a Triple Crown race will only intensify the internal and external scrutiny of the industry. 

Those inside it have said they accept the realities of on-track deaths of horses while also acknowledging more work needs to be done to prevent as many as possible. 

In that vein, new national medication and doping rules are set to go into effect on Monday. The federally mandated Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, which already regulated racetrack safety and other measures, will oversee drug testing requirements for horses that should standardize the sport nationwide.

Before that, Mage has the chance with a Preakness win to become the first horse to go to the Belmont Stakes with a chance at a Triple Crown since Baffert's Justify in 2018.