The grim specter that has hung over horse racing has claimed another victim.
Another horse had to be euthanized Sunday at Belmont Park, the site of the Belmont Stakes where Arcangelo won Saturday after it suffered an injury during a race. According to Equibase, a 5-year old mare named Mashnee Girl fell near the quarter pole of the first race of the day, forcing three other horses to alter their paths. Mashnee Girl was then euthanized on the track.
This marked the second horse death in 24 hours at the track in Elmont, New York. New York Racing Association spokesman Pat McKenna said Saturday that the horse Excursionniste suffered a “catastrophic injury to its left front leg” on the 13th and final race on the Belmont Stakes card and was euthanized.
Both Mashnee Girl and Excursionniste were trained by Mark Hennig, who has won more than $81 million in his career, which spans more than 10,000 starts over three decades.
Mashnee Girl had three wins in 19 career starts and earnings of $194,065, according to Equibase, the industry database. The death is the fourth to come at Belmont Park in 2023.
Horse deaths resulting from injuries sustained on prominent tracks have cast a pall over the sport. At Churchill Downs, the site of the Kentucky Derby, there had been 12 horse deaths during a stretch of several weeks. The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority opened an investigation into the matter and Churchill Downs moved its operations for the remainder of its spring meet to Ellis Park, a track in nearby Henderson, Kentucky.
Contributing: Associated Press
