A 4-year-old filly has died after suffering an injury at this weekend’s Breeders’ Cup at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, the track’s second fatality in the last week.
Officials announced Sunday that She’s Quality was injured in Saturday’s fifth race. According to the official race chart, she started slow and “dropped back, pulled up at the half- mile pole and was transported off the track via equine ambulance.”
Trainer Jack Davison said she suffered a pelvic fracture and was taken to San Luis Rey Equine Hospital, where she “received the best possible care and appeared to be stable in the initial hours after. However, her condition declined overnight, and the difficult decision was made to humanely euthanize her.”
The filly had 24 career races and four first-place finishes.
“The loss of She’s Quality is deeply felt by all who love and care for equine athletes. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to her connections,” Breeders’ Cup officials said in a statement Sunday.
A small group of animal advocates were already holding demonstrations against the sport at this weekend’s Breeders’ Cup due to the high number of horse deaths that continue to occur annually at tracks in California and elsewhere.
On Thursday, the 5-year-old mare Esmeray died from an injury suffered in Del Mar’s fifth race. Esmeray had 17 races in her career and four first- place finishes, according to Equibase.
Counting She’s Quality, Del Mar has had four racehorses die this year from racing or training injuries, a number that’s considerably lower than other California tracks.
