Turf runner adds to meet's fatality count
DEL MAR, Calif. – All the Marbles, a promising turf runner trained by Marty Jones, had to be euthanized Sunday morning shortly after suffering a catastrophic ankle fracture just as he was completing a workout on the turf course, becoming the 16th equine fatality, either racing or training, since the meet began July 15. There were nine such fatalities at last year’s summer meet.
All the Marbles was a 3-year-old colt by Lonhro and out of the Belong to Me mare Miss Houdini, who won the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante in 2002. He had won once in three starts and earlier this meet was second by a nose in an allowance race on turf going 1 1/16 miles. He was bred and was owned by Bo Hirsch.
Of the 16 fatalities, 13 have occurred on dirt, three on turf. The two prior grass fatalities came in races. Of the 13 dirt fatalities, nine were during morning training, four in races. At least two of the fatalities were from suspected sudden heart or lung ailments, not fractures. All horses euthanized undergo necropsies at the University of California at Davis.
◗ American Cleopatra, the full sister to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, worked six furlongs from the gate in 1:12.80 on Monday for trainer Bob Baffert. She is pointing to the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 3.