ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) — A 30th horse has died at Santa Anita on the last weekend of racing before the Southern California track closes for the season.
Mike Marten, a spokesman for the California Horse Racing Board, says a 4-year-old gelding named American Currency was injured Saturday while exercising on the training track and was euthanized.
The board had recommended that Santa Anita suspend the current meet following a string of deaths since Dec. 26, but management chose to continue until the last day of the meet on Sunday.
Track owner, The Stronach Group, formed a panel to review horses' medical, training and racing history for the final six racing days.
But Marten says American Currency wasn't entered to run in any race and thus wasn't subject to review by the panel.
The horse is the fourth from the stable of Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer to die at the track. Hollendorfer was banned from Santa Anita following the latest death.
The Stronch Group said in a statement that Hollendorfer "is no longer welcome to stable, race or train his horses at any of our facilities."
On the recommendation of the special panel, the track's stewards scratched four horses trained by Hollendorfer that were to run Saturday and Sunday.
