Santa Anita owner probing if protocol followed

Associated Press

ARCADIA, Calif.

The owner of Santa Anita is investigating whether new rules were followed before the 26th horse death at the Southern California racetrack.

Kochees, a 9-year-old gelding, was euthanized Sunday after injuring his left front leg in a race a day earlier. It was the third horse death in nine days and the 26th overall since the season began Dec. 26.

Stefan Friedman, a spokesman for The Stronach Group, told The Associated Press on Monday that the track’s owner is looking into whether protocols were followed leading up to the gelding being euthanized.

“If those rules were not followed, consequences will be swift,” he said. “I’m not going to get into specifics of that incident, but anybody who thinks they can sort of skirt the rules and perhaps there was an old way of doing things, it’s not going to fly anymore.”

Among the rules put in place since March, a trainer’s veterinarian must sign off on a horse’s fitness before the track’s veterinarian also takes a look at the animal ahead of its training or racing.

Trained by Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, Kochees was pulled up by jockey Mario Gutierrez entering the top of the stretch in the 51/2-furlong race Saturday. The gelding was taken off the track via van and had a splint applied to his leg.

The injury appeared to be correctable through surgery. However, when doctors realized the horse had lost blood flow to the leg, he was euthanized.

There were three Grade 1 races worth $500,000 each Monday:

New York-based Vino Rosso defeated 3-5 favorite Gift Box by three-quarters of a length to win The Gold Cup. Ridden by John Velazquez and trained by Todd Pletcher, Vino Rosso ran 11/4 miles in 2:03.00 and paid $10.20 to win at 4-1 odds in the seven-horse field.

Gift Box had his three-race winning streak snapped on his home course.

Bolo, a 30-1 shot, led all the way to win the Shoemaker Mile by 11/4 lengths under Florent Geroux. Trained by Carla Gaines, the 7-year-old dark brown gelding ran one mile on turf in 1:34.07. The victory gives Bolo an automatic entry to the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita in November. Bolo paid $67.80 to win.

Delta Prince, the 9-5 favorite, finished eighth in the nine-horse field.

In the $500,000 Gamely Stakes, Hollendorfer saddled Vasilika to a one-length victory as the even-money favorite. The 5-year-old mare co-owned by Hollendorfer ran 11/8 miles on turf in 1:48.07 and paid $4.20 to win under Flavien Prat, who won three races on the card. Vasilika has won 13 out of 14 starts for Hollendorfer.