ELMONT, NEW YORK – JUNE 10: Arcangelo joins Javier Castellano to win the 155th Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on June 10, 2023 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
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Horses die in back-to-back races at Belmont Park, dealing yet another ill-timed blow to a besieged sport that has little time to celebrate the most uplifting events of the year.
mashnee girl, Trained by Mark Hennigbroke down in Sunday’s first race, sustaining a severe injury to her left front leg at the floored track just outside New York City before she was knocked down.
New York Racing Association vice president Patrick McKenna said in a statement Sunday: “Despite the immediate response and best efforts of the veterinarians on site, the horse was euthanized. humanely due to the severity of the injury”.
About 17 hours earlier, in Ho Chi Minh City. 13th race on Saturdaya similar fate befell Hennig-trained excursionAlso suffered a fatal wound to his left front ankle.
Both tragedies hit Belmont’s field as it neared its end.
“I didn’t hold up very well,” Hennig emotional told NBC News, sniffling throughout the conversation. “It’s so emotional. I can’t imagine this has ever happened, two horses you run in a row. I mean I’ve run over 10,000 horses and never had anything quite like this. .”
That tragedy happened right after the 12th race, when Arcangelo Wins Belmont Stakes and turned Jena Antonucci into first female coach ARRIVE win the Triple Crown jewel.
Animal rights group PETA was quick to blame Belmont for the two tragedies.
PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo said in a statement: “Two Purebreds dying in two days with the same trainer on the same track means one thing: Belmont Park is failing to preserve horse guard. “Like Churchill Downs, Belmont must suspend the race immediately to avoid a similar bloodbath. Anything less makes Belmont complicit in the deaths.”
According to McKenna, including Mashnee Girl and Excursionniste, four horses died in races at Belmont Park’s spring/summer meetup, which began May 4 and included 1,670 horses starting in 214. race.
“The NYRA’s comprehensive safety strategy is informed by cutting-edge research and science in consultation with independent experts, veterinarians and horsemen,” the NYRA representative said. “The health and safety of the horses and jockeys competing at the NYRA track is our highest priority and top of all other considerations.”
Their coach said Mashnee Girl and Excursionnist were both in good health and had no interest in racing.
“None of them are on the vet’s list, they’re clean horses,” says Hennig. “It’s horrible, it’s horrible, it’s horrible. These horses are in good condition, racing well. These two horses have never had this problem with this ankle, the same ankle is broken. broken.”
Belmont Stakes on Saturday wrapped up five tumultuous racing weeks that often shine a bright light on the king sport. Instead, a series of deaths immediately raised questions about the sport’s viability.
ONE last week fridayChurchill Downs, the host of the Kentucky Derby, announced they have temporarily stopped racing there to investigate the recent deaths.
And right before that National Treasure has won PreaknessThe party-filled day at the Pimlico Speedway in Baltimore was overshadowed by tragedy when Havnameltdown crashed at the start of the track. $200,000 Class IIII Chick Lang Shares and had to put down.
