Horse death casts shadow over Preakness as owner – Sports News
Hit Zero died after crossing the end line within the very first race of his profession (Image: Getty)
A horse collapsed and died after crossing the end line in his debut race at Laurel Park on Friday, overshadowing Preakness Stakes weekend earlier than the featured race had even taken place.
Hit Zero, a three-year-old Maryland-based thoroughbred educated by Brittany Russell, was favored within the Maiden Claiming race that kicked off Black-Eyed Susan Day, the premier undercard occasion staged the day previous to the Preakness. He got here in final place.
Following his crossing of the end line, Hit Zero began coughing, fell to his knees and died. The Maryland Racing Commission verified the death in a assertion and revealed that a necropsy can be carried out to ascertain the official trigger.
“After pulling up and finishing the race, the horse was unsaddled, began walking back to the barn, and collapsed and ended up suffering catastrophic sudden death,” mentioned Dr. Dionne Benson, Chief Veterinary Officer for 1/ST Racing, who handled Hit Zero on the location.
Dr. Benson steered the incident was appropriate with a cardiac occasion, although the trigger can’t be verified till post-mortem findings are accessible.
Napoleon Solo was ridden by Paco Lopez during the Preakness Stakes (Image: 2026 Getty Images)
“Often, it’s very difficult, especially with sudden death, to figure out what the cause is because, for example, if it’s an electrical abnormality, there’s no evidence of that in the heart after death,” she defined.
The Maryland Racing Commission launched its own assertion addressing the tragedy.
“We recognize the significance of this loss and are committed to conducting a thorough, transparent process,” it learn.
The deeply personal nature of the incident turned evident when owner Justin Horowitz took to Instagram to verify his horse’s passing and share what Hit Zero meant to his household.
“It is with deepest sadness that I have to announce the death of my beautiful horse, Hit Zero,” Horowitz wrote. “After his debut race today at Laurel Park, he suffered a sudden medical event and passed away.”
The post continued: “What was supposed to be a dream-come-true day to kick off his career – on my son’s 6th birthday no less – ended in the tragedy that every horse lover fears.”
Horowitz disclosed that Hit Zero was named in tribute to his 10-year-old daughter, Bailey, the identify referencing a cheerleading time period for a good routine, and that Bailey had been current at Laurel Park on Friday to witness the race.
Hit Zero was amongst 11 horses that Russell had registered for Friday’s racing schedule. Another of her entries, Bold Fact, received the identical Maiden Claiming race. That triumph was unavoidably eclipsed by the following occasions.
Dr. Benson was deliberate in contextualizing the incident statistically whereas recognizing its profound impact.
“Fatalities, first off, are very rare in horse racing overall. It’s less than 1% of 1% of horse racing,” she mentioned, noting that each horse death in Maryland prompts a necropsy and a follow-up review session with the coach to guage whether or not any irregularities might have been recognized and whether or not preventative steps could be applied transferring ahead.
“The goal is preventing any future fatalities,” she mentioned.
The 151st Preakness Stakes proceeded as deliberate on Saturday, with Napoleon Solo claiming victory at 7-1 odds below jockey Paco Lopez.
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