A 3-year-old filly with one career race has died after suffering a training injury at Los Alamitos in the latest fatality to plague the troubled Cypress track, state horse racing officials reported.
Kavorka died Sunday, according to the California Horse Racing Board, which listed her death as “musculoskeletal.” Her only career race was a ninth place finish at Los Alamitos on June 29. Her last official workout was Oct. 12, according to the industry website Equibase.
It’s been a tough year at Los Alamitos, where 15 horses have died from racing or training injuries and another nine have died from “other” causes, according to CHRB data.
The track has also dealt with an outbreak of Equine Infectious Anemia, a potentially fatal infectious disease. Twelve horses have been euthanized since Sept. 24 after they tested positive for EIA, the CHRB said.
Biosecurity measures were put in place at the track, and the California Department of Food and Agriculture began overseeing the situation.
All 12 horses euthanized at Los Alamitos due to EIA were trained by Heath Taylor, according to the CHRB. The Daily Racing Form reported that Taylor also trained six horses who were euthanized with EIA in Texas.
“I’ve done above and beyond my due diligence to ensure safety. We’re working in every facet to find an origin,” Taylor told Daily Racing Form earlier this month. “This is my 29th year of training. I’ve never had one of these ever. It’s pretty painful. It affects multiple owners.”
Los Alamitos had 13 horses die from racing or training injuries in 2023.
Track officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.