California racetrack Santa Anita Park euthanizes second horse of the weekend, the 36th since December
A horse that was racing at California’s Santa Anita Park had to be euthanized on Sunday — the second horse to be put down at the track this weekend, and the 36th since December.
Bye Bye Beautiful was evaluated by on-track veterinarians after pulling up past the half-mile pole, according to Mike Willman, a spokesman for Santa Anita Park.
The track veterinarian observed “the filly had suffered a right forelimb lateral condylar fracture with medical sesamoid involvement and, because of the severity of the injury, made the decision to humanely euthanize the horse,” Santa Anita Park said in a statement.
The 2-year-old filly was making her second start for owners Grenier, Lawless or Lewkowitz, et al. She finished fourth in her first start on September 13 at Los Alamitos, according to a statement from the track.
On Friday, 6-year-old mare GQ Covergirl was euthanized after injuring her front two legs while running on the training track.
Santa Anita Park closed for evaluation in March after more than 20 horses died in the span of three months.
When it reopened later that month, there were numerous changes: Trainers had to apply two days in advance before working out a horse; jockeys had to replace whips with softer “cushion crops,” and restrictions on steroids, anti-inflammation drugs and race-day medications were instituted.
The two deaths occur just a week before Santa Anita hosts the Breeders’ Cup, thoroughbred racing’s year-end championship. That event is scheduled for November 1-2.
