Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup horse races.Seven Horses Euthanized at Del Mar
Posted on Monday, July 31st, 2006
DEL MAR, Calif. (AP) — Seven horses were euthanized after being injured in competition or training during the first week of Del Mar’s summer meeting, prompting track officials to seek answers.
Horses named Esroh and Bonus Pack were injured racing Wednesday and were put down. Six of the fatal breakdowns occurred in races and one in training.
During its 43-day meeting in 2005, Del Mar had seven horses die in races and 11 others die in workouts. As a result of the breakdowns, Del Mar announced it was adding sand to the composition of its main track.
There is speculation that the racing surface has been affected by increased morning workout traffic caused by the temporary unavailability of Hollywood Park and Santa Anita for training.
"We can’t put our finger on any one thing," Joe Harper, Del Mar’s president, CEO and general manager, told the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Harper said an X-ray and sonar examination of the main track’s base found no unevenness that could explain horses taking bad steps.
Harper said the injuries have been varied, although there seems to be a number of front leg sesamoid bone fractures, according to the newspaper.
Last week, the California Horse Racing Board’s medication committee discussed ways to help reduce injuries.
Dr. Rick Arthur, the racing board’s incoming equine medical director, said he wants to develop a better system of reporting injuries and identifying horses that are at risk, including making surprise barn visits.
In an effort to provide better footing, the racing board has ordered that California’s six major thoroughbred racetracks install synthetic surfaces by Jan. 1, 2008, at a cost of about $8 million per track.
Hollywood Park will be the first to do so, replacing its main dirt track in time for its autumn meeting that begins Nov. 1.
Synthetic surfaces are made of mostly fiber, recycled rubber and wax-coated sand.
At Chicago’s Arlington Park, 17 horses have sustained fatal breakdowns in the first half of the track’s four-month racing season. An independent consultant found no common cause.
"Seven Horses Euthanized at Del Mar" was posted on Monday, July 31st, 2006 at 9:41 am and is filed under Del Mar Race Track, Hollywood Park, Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Race Tracks News, Santa Anita Track, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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Saturday, September 16th, 2006 4:21 am By Joyce Olson
Why not make it mandatory to have each race horse have a physical the day before they race, to make sure the horse is fit and stable to race.