Similar to the horrific but more shocking Maple Leaf Mill injury, the death of the New York Thunder at Saratoga Racetrack puts an intense strain on the American horse racing industry. [Image: Shutterstock.com]
industry under the microscope
Since last May, the US horse racing industry has been plagued by a wide range of what officials call unexplained horse deaths, putting the sector under intense scrutiny. This was exacerbated over the weekend when the New York Thunder suffered a fatal, traumatic fracture of his left frontal fender at Saratoga Raceway in New York.
close it now
On Sunday, calls for officials to “shut it down now” came from US animal rights giant PETA. The body shared a video via the X of New York Thunder’s nightmarish injury at the Saratoga course:
Officials euthanized the previously undefeated three-year-old on track, adding more tragedy to the race day that had already led to Noble’s death in a separate race. As a result, the death toll since the start of the Saratoga meet on July 13 has risen to 14. There are two weeks left in the racing season.
Darkness over the festivities
The $1.25 million Travers Stakes, held on Saturday, was an opportunity for Saratoga Springs to host the racing community for what is informally known as the New York City Midsummer Derby.
They are still in shock from what they saw earlier.”
Although celebrated in the Travers Stakes winner Arcangelo’s circle and his leading trainer Gina Antonucci, Los Angeles Times She reported that the people at Saratoga Race Course were “still in shock from what they saw earlier.”
The Thunder’s injury triggered memories of falling the Maple Leaf Mill just three weeks earlier while with a long run ahead of him and only yards from the finish line. The three-year-old filly Gray was dethroned.
Saratoga isn’t the only course that has seen a spate of deaths lately. Racing is set to resume at Churchill Downs, Kentucky, next month after an investigation into the deaths of several horses. 12 horses have died in just one month on the track in preparation for the 2023 Kentucky Derby.
HISA gets involved
Not only are animal rights activists like PETA attacking the New York Racing Association-owned Saratoga Racecourse, HISA has also launched an investigation into the track. After public outrage over Mel, HISA launched an investigation in Saratoga on August 7.
He reaches the track to investigate.
According to the timesHowever, one day later, a spokesperson for HISA gave conflicting responses to the publication’s questions about the MIL probe. the The spokesperson did not refer to the HISA investigation in The Death of a Horse, while also noting that “it is up to the track to be investigated”.
