Killed, 2026

The following horses have died at U.S. racetracks in 2026. Please note, however, that there are piles of data – dead horses, that is – not available to us: horses injured racing or training and euthanized off-site (i.e., not reportable); the too-badly-damaged euthanized after being taken in by rescues; the dead who simply fall through the cracks of apathetic or slipshod reporting to and from state racing commissions.

What’s more, not every state gives us all the information we request. Louisiana, for example, only gives us racing deaths, arguing that training and stall deaths are beyond their purview. Even worse, we currently receive nothing from Florida and Arkansas. Nothing. The “explanation,” at least from Florida, is that HISA collects death data now, with the state commission being bypassed entirely. The problem with that, of course, is that HISA is not subject to FOIA, and has heretofore not released any information on deaths beyond a few raw numbers (i.e., no names, no dates, no details). So, kills in Florida (and Arkansas) are now effectively being hidden. For context, though, in the nine years our FOIAs were honored, we documented 850 deaths in Florida – or about 94 per year.

Most significant, however, is that we have zero access to the horses killed at the over 200 private training facilities strewn across the land. In short, we estimate that some 1,800 racehorses perish in America every year. That’s 1,800 beautiful, intelligent, sensitive beings destroyed – for $2 bets.

Horses Killed at U.S. Tracks, 2026 (R: Racing; T: Training; S: Stall)

(Please note: This list will grow exponentially as FOIA documents start to come in. For context, please see killed lists from previous years.)

The Killing Fields: Dead Racehorses at the Various Tracks

Arizona
Turf Paradise:

Arkansas
Oaklawn Park:

California
Del Mar:
Los Alamitos Race Course:
Santa Anita Park:
San Luis Rey:
Cal Expo:

Colorado
Arapahoe Park:

Delaware
Delaware Park:

Florida
Gulfstream Park:
Tampa Bay Downs:
Palm Meadows Training Facility:

Illinois
Fairmount Park:
Hawthorne Race Course:
Suburban Downs:
Illinois State Fair:

Indiana
Horseshoe:
Hoosier Park:

Iowa
Prairie Meadows:

Kentucky
Churchill Downs:
Ellis Park:
Keeneland:
Kentucky Downs:
Sandy Ridge:
Turfway Park:
HighPointe Training Center:
Triple Diamonds Training Center:

Louisiana
Delta Downs:
Evangeline Downs:
Fair Grounds:
Louisiana Downs:

Maryland
Laurel Park:
Pimlico Race Course:
Timonium:
Rosecroft Raceway:

Massachusetts
Plainridge:

Minnesota
Canterbury Park:
Running Aces Racetrack:

Montana
Great Falls:

Nebraska
Columbus Racing:
Fonner Park:
Horsemen’s Park:
Lincoln Race Course:

Nevada
Elko Fair:

New Jersey
Monmouth Park:
Meadowlands:

New Mexico
Albuquerque:
Ruidoso Downs:
Sunland Park:
Sunray Park:
Zia Park:

New York
Aqueduct Racetrack:
Belmont Park:
Finger Lakes Racetrack:
Saratoga Race Course:
Buffalo Raceway:
Monticello Raceway:
Saratoga Harness:
Vernon Downs:
Yonkers Raceway:

North Dakota
Chippewa Downs:
North Dakota Horse Park:

Ohio
Belterra Park:
Mahoning Valley:
Thistledown:
Dayton Raceway:
Miami Valley:
Northfield Park:
Scioto Downs:

Oklahoma
Fair Meadows:
Remington Park:
Will Rogers Downs:

Oregon
Grants Pass:

Pennsylvania
Parx Racing:
Penn National:
Presque Isle Downs:
Harrah’s:
Meadows:

South Carolina
Camden (The Carolina Cup Steeplechase):

Texas
Lone Star Park:
Retama Park:
Sam Houston Park:
Gillespie County Fair:

Virginia
Colonial Downs:

Washington
Emerald Downs:

West Virginia
Charles Town Races:
Mountaineer Racetrack:

Wyoming
Energy Downs:
Sweetwater Downs:
Wyoming Downs:

Sources:
Arizona Department of Gaming
California Horse Racing Board
Colorado Department of Revenue
Delaware Racing Commission
Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
Idaho Racing Commission
Illinois Racing Board
Indiana Horse Racing Commission
Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission
Louisiana Racing Commission
Maine Department of Agriculture
Maryland Racing Commission
Massachusetts Gaming Commission
Michigan Gaming Control Board
Minnesota Racing Commission
Montana Department of Commerce
Nebraska State Racing Commission
Nevada Gaming Control Board
New Jersey Racing Commission
New Mexico Racing Commission
New York State Gaming Commission
North Dakota Racing Commission
Ohio State Racing Commission
Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission
Oregon Racing Commission
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
Texas Racing Commission
Virginia Racing Commission
Washington Horse Racing Commission
West Virginia Racing Commission
Wyoming Pari-Mutuel Commission
Equibase
The Jockey Club
National Steeplechase Association
Press
Track Officials

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this list. That said, my information is only as good as the information I receive. If it can be proved that a horse appears in error, I will dutifully remove.

Patrick Battuello