Horse Euthanized Two Days Before New Season Starts at Santa Anita

Another horse died during training. – File photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News

Santa Anita’s opening weekend reportedly was tarnished once again by the death of racehorse. The latest fatality happened on Thursday, two days before Saturday’s rescheduled opening day.

Truest Reward, a 3-year-old gelding, died during a period when the track was closed to workouts but open for jogging and galloping. The horse broke his left front leg on the training track, which is considered the safest surface.

This is the 38^th horse to die at the track since December 2018.

Thursday was supposed to be Santa Anita’s opening day, but forecasts of rain postponed the first day of its 83rd winter meeting until Saturday, when 11 races were run without incident.

However, there were animal-rights activists outside the park hosting a “funeral and vigil” with a bagpiper for the horses that have died in the last year.

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