The track was in the midst a fatality crisis in which 37 horses died during its two meetings. It’s happened 14 times in the 37 previous runnings, but few as high profile as 2019 when Mongolian Groom was fatally injured while running in the Classic at Santa Anita in 2019. The Breeders’ Cup, which will be run Friday and Saturday, brings an army of veterinarians and safety experts to its annual event all in the hope of not having a death occur before a national television audience. Record number of entries, from Japan to South Africa, add spice to richest horse-racing eventīefore Wednesday’s fifth race, Charge Cash dumped his rider and ran unattended down the backstretch around the far turn and through the front stretch before an outrider corralled him as he was getting perilously close to a car that was parked near the finish line. Sports Columnists Del Mar-bound Breeders’ Cup more international than ever She was not entered in any Breeders’ Cup races. The filly, trained by Bob Hess, had run three times, finishing second twice. She was immediately attended to by veterinarians and the decision was made to euthanize her. As she tried to exit the track, she hit a pole on a fence causing a wound and an unrepairable shoulder injury. Set the Tone, a 2-year-old filly, lost her rider during training, the bridle came loose and the saddle slipped underneath her. But the EID does not count training deaths, which made up four of Del Mar’s five this year.

According to the Equine Injury Database, Del Mar has the lowest percentage of racing fatalities at a major track. It was the fifth racing or training fatality at the track this year, which is well below most major tracks.

The irony was palpable when Josh Rubinstein, chief operating officer at Del Mar, opened up a Breeders’ Cup panel on health and safety protocols with news of a horse death Wednesday morning at a facility that is considered the safest big track in America.

Del mar race track