A horse died Saturday when it was euthanized due to injuries suffered in the final race at Belmont Park in New York, according to the Equibase race chart, marring a day in which Arcangelo won the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the Triple Crown.
Arcangelo’s victory came the race before Excursionniste was euthanized, meaning at least one horse died on race day at each of the three legs of the Triple Crown.
Two horses died on the day of the Kentucky Derby (May 6) and a horse trained by Bob Baffert died at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore (May 20), the same day Baffert won the Preakness Stakes at the track with another one of his horses.
Excursionniste, ridden by Flavien Prat during the final race Saturday, led at the quarter-mile pole by a head and was second by a length at the half-mile before suffering a catastrophic injury during the 1 1/16-mile race on turf.
The death comes at a time when the industry is facing scrutiny over horse deaths, which exceeded 300 in 2022 according to a non-profit that tracks only deaths that occur as a result of racing.
What's going on?:Recent surge in horse deaths takes spotlight ahead of Belmont Stakes
Activist Patrick Battuelo, who tracks deaths that occur in racing, training and stalls, says the death toll is about 2,000 annually.
"If they cannot prevent death with all this national heat, they simply cannot prevent death," Battuelo wrote in a text message.
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