Horse dies from training injury on last day of racing season at Santa Anita

ARCADIA — Star of Africa, a 4-year-old filly, died from a grooming wounded suffered astatine Santa Anita Park connected the past time of the autumn racing season, officials announced.

Star of Africa had 16 starts and 3 first-place finishes successful her career. She was owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and trained by Patrick Gallagher. The jockey arsenic of her past commencement was Abel Cedillo.

She died Sunday, according to the California Horse Racing Board.

Star of Africa was the 4th equine to dice from a racing oregon grooming wounded during the autumn play astatine Santa Anita. Additionally, Seven Summers, a 2-year-old unraced filly, died from a grooming wounded connected Sept. 30, 1 time earlier the play began. And Electric Ride, a 2-year-old filly whose 2 vocation starts included 1 triumph and 1 second-place finish, died Oct. 16. Her origin of decease is listed arsenic non-musculoskeletal abrupt death, with the CHRB besides noting anaphylactic shock.

In the calendar twelvemonth 2021, 19 racehorses astatine Santa Anita person died from racing oregon grooming injuries oregon different causes. The way reported 20 specified deaths successful 2020.

Those numbers correspond an betterment implicit erstwhile years. The parkland endured a tempest of contention successful 2018-19, arsenic 37 horses died successful racing oregon grooming incidents during 1 racing season, prompting immoderate carnal rights activists to renew their calls for a prohibition connected the sport.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office investigated the deaths, and concluded determination was nary transgression wrongdoing but made a bid of recommendations aimed astatine improving information astatine California contention tracks.

A months-long probe by authorities regulators successful 2019 recovered nary grounds of amerciable medications oregon procedures, but determined astir of the horses had “pre-existing pathology,” according to a study by the CHRB.

Officials with the CHRB and Santa Anita proprietor The Stronach Group enacted a bid of caller rules aft those deaths, and Santa Anita officials accidental they person 1 of the champion information records successful the industry.