Los Angeles

4-Year-Old Horse Euthanized At Santa Anita Park After Fracturing Ankle During Workout

February 8, 2021 / 12:26 PM PST / CBS LA

ARCADIA (CBSLA) — A 4-year-old gelding who fractured an ankle during a workout at Santa Anita Park is the fourth racehorse to die during the track's winter/spring meeting.

Natural History fractured his left front ankle during a workout Saturday. He had 13 starts, two victories, and most recently finished third in a claiming race on Dec. 27.

"Horse was transported for diagnostic examination and it was determined by the attending veterinarian to be an unrecoverable injury," a statement on the track's website said. The horse's trainer was identified as Bob Hess Jr.

Sixteen horses died in racing or raining-related incidents during Santa Anita's 2019-20 winter/spring meet, which ended June 21, 2020. There were no horse deaths or injuries during the track's autumn meet, which ended on Oct. 25.