3 Horses Dead in 2 Weeks Racing at Del Mar

The San Diego Union Tribune confirmed that Three-year-old Thoroughbred filly Valentina Jan was euthanized after injury to her right front fetlock in Thursday's Race 8 at Del Mar Racetrack making her Second racing start; she is the Third Racing Death in Two weeks there.
https://enewspaper.sandiegouniontribune.com/infinity/article_popover_share.aspx?guid=ed1b6db6-b4de-4b9b-9f25-ee7df980eed1&share=true

Valentina Jan is the 25th horse death so far in 2026 at the Three racetracks left operating in California, down from Nine in 2024: Santa Anita Park, Los Alamitos Race Course and Del Mar Racetrack.  The Two prior Racing Deaths were on July 26 at Del Mar of Three-year-old filly Can You Dream and Four-year-old colt Cornucopian. 

No legitimate sport would tolerate 25 deaths of its athletes in 30 weeks of competition in just one state, California, much less Three in only Three weeks of competition in just One venue, Del Mar Racetrack. 

Per the CA Horse Racing Board, Valentina Jan’s trainer, Steve R. Knapp, has had Five other horses die in his care since 2021: https://www.chrb.ca.gov/veterinary.html

2025  May 25  Santa Anita Park  Training  Made Perfect Cents  Musculoskeletal  Humerus
2024  January 18  Santa Anita Park. Training  Truest of True  Musculoskeletal  Metacarpal
2023  December 7. Santa Anita Park  Other  Hard Times  Other  Systemic
2023. October 26. Santa Anita Park  Other  Nickel Nickel Nine  Other. Colic
2021  October 31  Santa Anita Park  Training  Star of Africa  Non-Musculoskeletal. Sudden Death

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