Eurton mourns loss of two stakes runners

An understandably downcast Peter Eurton was accepting condolences on Sunday morning at Santa Anita, the day after the trainer lost two of his horses following stakes races, one at Oaklawn, one at Santa Anita.

Kyriaki died after running in the Azeri at Oaklawn. Eurton said that the leading theory on her death is that she suffered a severed femoral artery during the race – possibly from a fracture to her pelvis -- and died from internal bleeding later while in her stall.

Eurton said he was in touch with a veterinarian at Oaklawn after the race who observed Kyriaki in her stall and who initially thought she was having the thumps, which is usually caused by an electrolyte imbalance.

“Ten minutes later, she was dead,” Eurton said. “There was nothing that could have saved her.”

Only hours earlier at Santa Anita, Eurton lost Demonica when she collapsed and died after the Irish O’Brien, likely from a cardiac episode.

“Tough, tough game,” Eurton said.

In both cases, necropsies will be performed, Eurton said.