DEL MAR — Two horses were euthanized after suffering musculoskeletal issues at the Del Mar Racetrack during the second weekend of the 2026 summer meet.
Cornucopian, a three-year-old colt, sustained a catastrophic injury to his front-right fetlock in the Bing Crosby Stakes race on July 25. He was euthanized the next day after being transported to the barn and examined, according to the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.
Cornucopian is the ninth racehorse trained by Robert Baffert to die at a California racetrack while racing or training since 2021, according to equine fatality data from the California Horse Racing Board.
Another death took place at the track on Sunday, when three-year-old filly Can You Dream suffered a front-left fetlock injury during the eighth race of the day.
“After evaluation by the attending veterinarians, she was humanely euthanized due to the severity of the injury,” DMTC said in a post on X on Sunday, adding that jockey Edgar Payeras was also transported by ambulance to a hospital for further evaluation.
The Thoroughbred Club extended its condolences “to the connections, caretakers, and teams of both Cornucopian and Can You Dream,” and noted that the racetrack has been recognized nationally for its safety measures.
“Del Mar is committed to the highest standards of equine safety and welfare. For the last several years, the track has been recognized as one of the safest in the country, according to data from The Jockey Club and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, the independent national regulator of racetrack safety,” DMTC said in a statement to The Coast News.
A total of five horses died at Del Mar last year, according to the California Horse Racing Board. Nine died in 2024, and seven in 2023.
