11 Racehorse Deaths In NY In July [POLL]

So far in the month of July, 11 racehorses have died at race tracks in New York State. According to the state database, five of the deaths were racing-related, with four deaths during training and two non-racing-related deaths from July 3 to July 18.

One death occurred at Belmont Park, which was training-related, four each at Saratoga Race Course and Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack and two at Monticello Raceway.

As recently as 2013, the state's Gaming Commission adopted new regulations that hoped to improve the safety of the racing industry. The regulations followed a string of fatalities at Aqueduct Raceway, the Journal News reported.

The New York Task Force on Racehorse Health and Safety official report said 21 horses died or were euthanized between Nov. 30, 2011, and March 18, 2012. They were the result of conditions sustained while racing at Aqueduct Race Track in Ozone Park.

The number of fatalities was approximately double those recorded in the previous two years and "well exceeded the North American average for racing fatalities."

Among the recommendations the task force made were veterinary oversight of racing at New York Racing Association tracks should be the function of the state regulatory body and not the association, protocols for the management and review of fatal and non-fatal conditions sustained during a race must be developed and implemented and a complete necropsy should be required for all horses fatally injured at association racetracks.

Early in 2019, the NYRA reiterated safety initiatives, such as the testing of racing and training surfaces before and during each race, which had been in place for about six years, according to CNN.

The association also said it was taking steps to reduce racehorse deaths by increasing monitoring of horses and having more vets on duty during training.

While the death toll rate is actually decreasing, more people are paying attention to it, Jason Owens of Yahoo Sports reported.

NYRA Executive David O'Rourke said that getting the number of deaths to zero is not realistic, but "I think creating the safest environment possible is our goal," he told Yahoo Sports.

Now it's your turn to weigh in. Vote in our unscientific poll and tell us what you think in the comments.