Racing Community Mourns Loss of Exercise Rider in Training Accident On Friday Morning

By Amy Gregory —-

LEXINGTON, KY (April 29, 2022) – Callie Witt, 20, an exercise rider for trainer Joe Sharp, died Friday morning following a training accident on the Keeneland training track.

The incident occurred shortly after 8 a.m. when Witt was thrown from a 2-year-old horse.

Alpha Event Medicine, the track’s on-site medical team, immediately attended to her life-threatening injuries. Lexington Fire and Emergency arrived at the scene within 6 minutes and transported Witt to the University of Kentucky Emergency Department, where she was pronounced dead from blunt force injuries.

“We are heartbroken by this tragic loss,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. “Our hearts and prayers go out to Callie’s family, friends and our collective racing community at this difficult time.”

Witt, a native of Nebraska, was studying at Bluegrass Community and Technical College. More information will be shared as it becomes available.

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Since its first race meet more than 85 years ago, the Keeneland Association has devoted itself to the health and vibrancy of the Thoroughbred industry. The world’s largest Thoroughbred auction house, Keeneland conducts four sales a year, in January, April, September and November. Graduates of Keeneland sales dominate racing across the globe at every level. In April and October, Keeneland offers some of the highest caliber and richest Thoroughbred racing in the world. Keeneland hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships in 2015 and 2020 and is holding the event again on Nov. 4-5, 2022. Uniquely structured, Keeneland is a privately held company with a not-for-profit mission that returns its earnings to the industry and the community in the form of higher purses and millions of dollars donated in support of horse industry initiatives and charitable contributions for education, research, and health and human services throughout Central Kentucky. Keeneland also maintains the Keeneland Library, a world-renowned public research institution with the mission of preserving information about the Thoroughbred industry. To learn more, visit Keeneland.com.