Death Toll Rises to 14 Horses at Del Mar Races Amid Protests

Two horses have died at the Del Mar Races since the beginning of August, bringing the summer’s racing death toll to a total of 14 animals, according to the California Horse Racing Board.

The latest Del Mar Stewards Minutes report two fatalities between Aug. 1 to Aug. 17, and one fatality between July 25 to July 31. This shows a slight reduction in the number of horses dying at the races since the opening weeks in mid July.

There were a total of six horse deaths between July 18 and July 24, along with five fatalities between July 11 and July 17 this year.

According to the blog Horse Racing Wrongs, some names of the fallen horses include Presidential Air, Dynamite Charge, Pacific Swell, Whisky and Wine, Big Book, Dutchessa and Fasnacloich.

Presidential Air died in the middle of Race 6. Two of the horses, Dutchessa and Fasnacloich, died in Race 2, and one horse, Pacific Swell, died in Race 5. Several other horses, including Dynamite Charge, Whisky and Wine, and Big Book, died during training sessions.

Regular protests have been ongoing at the Del Mar Races. Animal activists are holding back-to-back protests this weekend from noon to 2 p.m. On the protest’s Facebook event page, organizer Ellen Ericksen said they plan to wear dark clothes, veils and hats, to mourn the fallen horses.