2 more horses die after injuries at Santa Anita
Jockey is hospitalized after tumble; 6 animals in all have been euthanized this year at racetrack where 12 died last year
Two horses have been euthanized after suffering racing injuries at Santa Anita Park, state officials confirmed to City News Service.
The 3-year-old filly Decorated My Life was injured during Saturday's ninth race on the turf, requiring euthanasia, according to Mike Marten, public information officer for the California Horse Racing Board.
Also Saturday, the 3-yearold gelding Merit Song was injured during the fourth race on the main track at Santa Anita, requiring euthanasia.
Decorated My Life died on her third birthday. She had seven races and one first-place finish in her career.
Merit Song had nine races and one first-place finish in his career.
Decorated My Life's jockey, Joe Bravo, was taken to a hospital Saturday after he was unseated from the horse.
“He's in good spirits.
He underwent some tests. Waiting for the results,” his agent Matt Nakatan said, according to racing journalist Ray Paulick.
It's been a tough year for horses at the Arcadia track. Counting Saturday's deaths, six have died from racing or training injuries at Santa Anita in 2023.
Twelve racehorses died at Santa Anita in 2022, according to the state board.
Santa Anita officials have said they've made major improvements in horse safety after 2019, when 42 died at the track, sparking widespread debate about safety issues at Santa Anita and about horse racing in general. The uproar led to procedural and veterinary oversight changes at the track.
After the completion of Santa Anita's winter-spring season in June, track officials hailed what they called major improvements in horse safety, and called the facility the safest track in North America compared with those with similar racing and training activity.