12th horse dies at Saratoga Race Course this year

A horse in the seventh race at Saratoga suffered a fatal cardiac event on Wednesday and died.

This was the 12th horse death at Saratoga in 2023. It came just after NYRA said Wednesday that they’re taking new steps to improve safety for horses.

The new requirements apply to both racing and training, on-site.

This come less than a week after PETA called on NYRA and the New York State Gaming Commission to stop all racing at Saratoga Race Course to look into the deaths of horses this year.

There will be more veterinary scrutiny of all horses before races and before workouts, starting August 30.

Vets must examine horses within a 72-hour window before any race or workout and attest that the horse is sound and fit.

PETA released this statement about the 12th horse death:

“It’s sickening that NYRA announced a new safety protocol on the very day when yet another horse has died at Saratoga Race Course, bringing the fatality count to 42 on NYRA tracks so far this year. Now that the heat’s on, NYRA—which did little to protect the horses—is trying to placate the public with a ‘safety’ measure that won’t even be in place until the last week of the Saratoga season, after the Travers Stakes weekend. PETA denounces the new protocol as public relations drivel and renews its call for Saratoga to suspend racing until NYRA puts a serious safety plan in place.”