2 Horses Die at Belmont Park Less Than 24 Hours After the Belmont Stakes

Belmont Park races.Photo:Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty

Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty

Two horses died after the Belmont Stakes during consecutive races at Belmont Park in New York over the weekend

One horse, named Excursionniste, was euthanized on Saturday after suffering a “fatal injury to its left front leg” in the 13th race at Belmont Park, theAssociated Pressreported.

Little Blue Bird Stables, who owned the horse,wrote on Twitterthat they are “devastated” over the loss. “There’s just no other word. He was our big, goofy, talented, crazy, 1 for 16 NYB superstar. We do everything as a team and will console as one for quite a while,” the stables shared.

A second horse, named Mashnee Girl, sustained similar injuries as Excursionniste in a Sunday race at Belmont Park — located in Elmont, New York — and was also euthanized, a New York Racing Association officialconfirmed on Twitter.

“Per NYRA’s Sr. Examining Veterinarian, Mashnee Girl sustained a catastrophic injury to her left front leg in R1 on Sunday and was humanely euthanized on track,” the official wrote. “Jockey Jose Lezcano visited first aid and is cleared to ride.”

Both horses had the same trainer, Mark Henning. Speaking on the sad turn of events, Henning toldNBC Newsthe deaths were “horrible, horrible luck,” as both horses were in “good, sound racing condition.”

“Neither one of them has been on a vet’s list. They’re clean-legged horses,” Hennig said. “These horses were in good, sound racing condition. These two horses never had issues with these ankles, the same ankles that fractured.”

The horse trainer added, “It’s been very emotional. I just can’t fathom this ever happening, two horses you run in a row. I mean, I’ve run over 10,000 horses and have never had anything close to this.”

Keith Dane, senior director of equine protection for the Humane Society (US), said in a statement that “systemic change is direly needed” to prevent more horse deaths in races.

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source: people.com