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Del Mar Fairgrounds racehorse death
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Fourth Del Mar racehorse death this season

DEL MAR — A 3-year-old filly with three career races has died after suffering an injury while working out at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, state horse racing officials confirmed on Aug. 20, making her the fourth racehorse death this season so far.

“Vagabond Prayer suffered an injury while exercising Saturday morning at Del Mar, required euthanasia,” California Horse Racing Board spokesman Mike Marten told City News Service.

The San Diego Union Tribune reported that it was a shoulder injury.

Vagabond Prayer is the fourth racehorse to die from a racing or training injury at Del Mar this year.

The first two racehorse deaths occurred the second weekend of the 84th summer season that commenced July 21. One was 5-year-old mare Nevisian Sunrise, euthanized after getting lose and colliding with a stationary object that left her with inoperable injuries, and the other was 4-year-old filly Ghostem, also euthanized for inoperable injuries after suffering a musculoskeletal injury in her front leg during a workout on the main track.

The third horse that died was Episode Five, a 2-year-old colt who was hurt in the third race on July 29. Although surgery was performed on Episode Five, who was later shipped to San Luis Rey Equine Hospital for post-surgery care and recovery, complications soon developed which led to his euthanasia.

The track canceled its race card for Sunday, Aug. 20, due to Tropical Storm Hilary.

The Coast News staff contributed to this report.