Another horse suffered a fatal injury this weekend at Los Alamitos Race Course, the latest blow for the track, which is under increased scrutiny from state officials for its high number of equine deaths.
Stanley Cartel, a 4-year-old colt with nine first-place finishes in his 12 career races, collapsed to the ground shortly after finishing Saturday’s 8th race, requiring euthanasia, California Horse Racing Board spokesman Mike Marten told City News Service on Sunday.
The official race chart says Stanley Cartel “was unable to keep up with a sixteenth to go, drifted inward and weakened, shortly after the wire he took a bad step with what appears to be his right front, lost his balance and fell while also losing the rider and was transported by equine ambulance.”
He is the 19th horse to die from a racing or training injury at the Cypress track this year.
“Los Alamitos is becoming a horse graveyard as the number of animals fatally injured on its tracks keeps climbing,” PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo said Sunday. “PETA urges the CHRB to immediately halt racing at Los Alamitos, thoroughly review its safety protocols, and protect the surviving horses trained by Ramiro Castillo by pulling them from upcoming races and conducting thorough veterinary exams, including CT scans.”
On Dec. 8, Los Alamitos officials announced that they had banned trainer Castillo from operating a stable at the track following the deaths of five of his horses over the past six months. Track officials said in a statement that two of his horses died racing, while three others died from illnesses.
Castillo could not be reached for comment.
In late November, after three horses died at Los Alamitos on the same day, the CHRB laid out a series of reforms for track officials to implement to avoid having their license suspended.
Los Alamitos officials said they would comply with the CHRB’s safety overhauls, which include holding weekly meetings with state regulators, adding more veterinarians, exams and ambulances, and further restricting the use of IA injections, especially those that are close in time to racing and workouts.
“Los Alamitos Race Course management takes the safety and welfare of our equine athletes and humans with paramount urgency and will be implementing every measure listed on the California Horse Racing Board letter received on November 25,” the track said in a statement last month.
“As early as Sunday night, November 23, Los Alamitos Race Course management began working with our medical and racing teams on installing even more strict measures and enhanced safety protocols to decrease equine injuries. Animal safety has always been our top priority, and it has become an even greater priority today.
“Track President Cathy Allred has been in contact with CHRB Executive Director C. Scott Chaney and will be part of the weekly meetings with the CHRB staff and Commissioners,” the statement continued.
“Changes have been made, and further changes will be made to improve the safety of horses training and racing at Los Alamitos. We thank the California Horse Racing Board for its leadership, and we are prepared to work with their staff as we face this very important moment at Los Alamitos Race Course.”
24 horses were killed racing or training at Los Al this year, not 19.