Two horses had to be taken by van from the track at Del Mar Racetrack, Friday but officials expect both to recover.
They transported 5-year-old mare Magnolia’s Hope after she was eased in the stretch of the fourth race, 6 1/2-furlong on the dirt track for certain fillies and mares.
“Though it is never good to be given a van ride, this does not appear to be a case of a life-threatening injury,” Mac McBride, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club’s director of media, said. “We should know more about her condition tomorrow.”
Magnolia’s Hope, fourth at the start of the race, took the lead a quarter-mile in. She dropped to fourth in the field of seven through a half-mile.
The mare has one victory in nine career starts. She also has two second-place finishes and one third-place finish while earning $32,260 in her career.
Officials also transported the 4-year-old filly Velvet Queen after she finished third in the eighth race, a mile-long on the dirt track,
The race was for fillies and mares 3 years old and up which have never won $15,000 once other than maiden. Velvet Queen injured a tendon, which McBride described as “not a major injury, one that equine (and human) athletes suffer in competition.”
“She’ll need some time off to recover, but should be fine,” McBride said.
Velvet Queen has three victories, four second-place finishes and three third-place finishes in 16 career starts. She has earned $148,382 in her career.
Del Mar’s Bing Crosby meet, which opened Oct. 31, ends Sunday.
– City News Service