Two horses die "within minutes of each other" at the Meadows harness track

[ex-racer_owner]

How unusual is it really for this to happen?

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/washington/pennsylvania-agency-looking-into-unusual-horse-deaths-at-meadows-racetrack-and-casino-673607/

February 6, 2013 11:31 am
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inShare. By Molly Born / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
A division of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is asking questions about an “unprecedented” event Tuesday when two horses died within minutes of each other at the Meadows Racetrack and Casino.

Department spokeswoman Samantha Krepps said one horse died during a live race at the popular Washington County attraction and the second was euthanized after breaking its leg.

Mike Jeannot, president of Meadows Racing, said three or four horses die each year of various causes, sometimes heart attacks.

“So two in one day is way out of the ordinary,” he said. “It’s not only unusual, it’s unprecedented.”

The Harness Racing Commission, which initiates investigations at the racetrack, will take action if evidence emerges showing the trainer violated any rules, Ms. Krepps said.

Mr. Jeannot said the first horse, a 7-year-old named Little Bit Tricky, died just before the start of the 14th race, as it and its driver were getting ready behind the starting gate. A necropsy is expected to take between a month and 45 days, Ms. Krepps said, but Mr. Jeannot said early reports show the horse died while it was “choked down” – a condition that makes the animal unable to breathe.

About 15 minutes later, toward the end of the 15th race, 8-year-old Lislea Isabella went down on a stretch of track. Her fall didn’t interfere with any other horses, Mr. Jeannot said.

There were no other injuries reported.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/washington/pennsylvania-agency-looking-into-unusual-horse-deaths-at-meadows-racetrack-and-casino-673607/#ixzz2KB0Iz46N

[summerhorse]

Maybe in h arness reacing but certainly not that unusual in flat racing. Even more common is a dead horse and several injured horses.

[Big_Tag]

[QUOTE=ex-racer owner;6821264]
How unusual is it really for this to happen? [/QUOTE]

Extremely so.

This article is incorrect: The first mare was Lislea Isabella. The second mare was Little Bit Tricky. They canceled the last race, after LBT’s injury. The track was not good that day; it was very cold and snowing heavily.
My understanding was Lislea Isabella was more or less dead before she hit the ground. One of those freak things. Harness-racing injuries severe enough to warrant euthanasia are very rare.

[ptownevt]

Choked down? When is it a good idea to shut off a horse’s breathing? Doesn’t really sound like a coincidence when the horse drops dead while being choked down.

[Lynnwood]

[QUOTE=Big_Tag;6826656]
Extremely so.

This article is incorrect: The first mare was Lislea Isabella. The second mare was Little Bit Tricky. They canceled the last race, after LBT’s injury. The track was not good that day; it was very cold and snowing heavily.
My understanding was Lislea Isabella was more or less dead before she hit the ground. One of those freak things. Harness-racing injuries severe enough to warrant euthanasia are very rare.[/QUOTE]

I heard similar that the track perhaps was slick or not groomed again after the delay in dealing with the first death and that the 2nd mare slipped and fell causing the break.

[Idrivetrotters]

Catastrophic injuries in harness racing is very rare and this was a horrific fluke accident. I’ve never seen a horse die from choking down, but I can see where it can happen. I had a horse that would get rank behind the gate and we had to do a combination of “timing the gate” and a can under his neck to prevent the driver from hurting his breathing. Crazy that the driver didn’t feel the horse laboring or the horse had another issue and just happened while being choked down.

I will blame the track for the leg injury, a slick spot can wreck havoc.

[Big_Tag]

I heard it was a heart attack, not choking down, FWIW.