Makes my head hurt and sad - 2 fatalities at Del Mar this morning

[Where_sMyWhite]

You can plan and put all the safety protocols in place and bad sh*t happens

Two unraced horses died this morning and one rider injured in freak head-on collision during morning training.

3 horses, two trained by Baffert and one by Sadler were working in company with one of Carla Gaines’ horses wheeled or propped, lost his rider and began running the wrong way.

The loose horse, Charge a Bunch, collided head on with middle horse, the Baffert trained Carson Valley, ridden by Assael Espinoza. Both Charge A Bunch and Carson Valley died from the impact.

Assael Espinoza was taken to a medical facility complaining of lower back pain.

Victor Espinoza on the Sadler horse closest to the rail escaped the collision as did Joe Talamo who was on the outside and steered his horse to the outside.

:eek:

I agree, try to make racing as safe as possible but it is still fraught with risk.

So glad Victor narrowly escaped this one!

https://www.paulickreport.com/news/the-biz/two-horses-die-one-rider-injured-in-head-on-training-collision-at-del-mar/

[crosscreeksh]

Sad for all concerned…but “shit happens” when you are dealing with live animals!! No one is to blame, but still a tragedy.

[dressagetraks]

What a freak accident. Agreed, that’s just horrible luck. Fortunate that the rider was only injured, not killed himself.

[merrygoround]

Horses! This is why a riderless horse is a jockey’s nightmare in a track or race course.