Another horse has died at Los Alamitos Race Course – the 25th equine fatality from a racing or training injury at the Cypress track this year.
Bob E McGee, a 2-year-old gelding, crossed the finish line in fourth place in Sunday night’s fourth race. The horse, though, suffered a catastrophic injury in the cool-down and did a full somersault, throwing jockey Jairo Rangel.
The California Horse Racing Board later confirmed his death.
Bob E McGee had run four races, all at Los Alamitos. He was owned by Bobby Simmons and trained by Paul C. Jones.
Los Alamitos Race Course was placed on probation by the board in July in response to this year’s spate of horse deaths. The move essentially put the facility at risk of having its racing permits suspended.
The board later signed off on a plan aimed at bolstering safety and equine oversight at the facility.
The plan included adding another veterinarian to be a “roving observer of horses in training, while entering, exiting, or on the track,” as well as a “security steward” to oversee veterinary and barn practices.
The new plan also included an “entry review panel” of experts with authority to scratch horses from races.
Since the probation, seven more horses at Los Alamitos have died, five from racing injures and two from causes listed by the board as “other.”
Nighttime quarter horse racing continues at Los Alamitos without fans due to the coronavirus.
Race tracks have endured criticism in the last two years after several deaths, at Los Alamitos and Santa Anita. A filly died earlier this month at the summer meet in Del Mar, along with a gelding in August.
– City News Service