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4-Year Old Colt Strictly Biz Is 15th Horse to Die at Santa Anita This Season

Tyler Conway@jtylerconwayFeatured ColumnistJune 21, 2020

In this Friday, May 22, 2020 photo, a groom wearing a face mask readies a horse for racing at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. Horse racing returned to the track after being idled for one and a half months because of public health officials' concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Ashley Landis/Associated Press

Strictly Biz, a four-year-old colt, was euthanized Saturday following a race at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, becoming the 15th horse this season to die at the track.

John Cherwa of the Los Angeles Times reported: "A fracture of his right knee occurred during the gallop out after the horse finished sixth in a 5½-furlong turf allowance/optional claiming race Saturday. Veterinarians believed the injury was not reparable."

Strictly Biz was running the fifth race of his career. He was trained by Brian Koriner and ridden by Jose Valdivia Jr.

Santa Anita has seen five racing deaths and 10 training deaths during this season. Those numbers are down from the 30 deaths during the same time period last season. However, Santa Anita was closed for racing from March 22 to May 15 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The California Horse Racing Board asked Santa Anita to shut down its races last year after several deaths at the track. The track responded by adding several safety measures to hopefully help lower the risk of injury or death.