America's Dead Racehorses

HW has been filing annual “Killed” lists since 2014; we are the first to ever do this. Here are the eight-year (’14-’21) totals across the nation, and at some of our most conspicuous tracks. Please note, however, that these figures are at a minimum: More, surely, were euthanized off-site or simply fell through record-keeping cracks. Not reflected, either, are the horses killed at the nation’s 200+ private training facilities. And finally, these numbers say nothing of the tens of thousands who were bled-out and butchered upon “retirement.” In short, this is but a partial reckoning.

Arizona
total all tracks: 309 dead racehorses
Turf: 285 dead racehorses

Arkansas (just one track) (note: AR did not honor FOIA requests from ’14-’18)
Oaklawn: 72 dead racehorses

California
total all tracks: 821 dead racehorses
Del Mar: 96 dead racehorses
Golden Gate: 212 dead racehorses
Los Alamitos: 203 dead racehorses
Santa Anita: 246 dead racehorses

Colorado (just one track)
Arapahoe: 65 dead racehorses

Delaware
total all (two) tracks: 144 dead racehorses
Delaware Park: 132 dead racehorses

Florida
total all tracks: 809 dead racehorses
Gulfstream: 411 dead racehorses
Tampa Bay: 191 dead racehorses

Illinois
total all tracks: 240 dead racehorses
Hawthorne: 114 dead racehorses

Indiana
total all (two) tracks: 218 dead racehorses
Horseshoe: 185 dead racehorses

Iowa (just one track)
Prairie: 113 dead racehorses

Kentucky
total all tracks: 387 dead racehorses
Churchill: 145 dead racehorses
Keeneland: 85 dead racehorses

Louisiana (just racing; LA does not disclose training/stall deaths)
total all tracks: 470 dead racehorses
Delta: 155 dead racehorses
Evangeline: 112 dead racehorses
Fair Grounds: 96 dead racehorses
Louisiana Downs: 107 dead racehorses

Maryland
total all tracks: 315 dead racehorses
Laurel: 243 dead racehorses
Pimlico: 53 dead racehorses

Minnesota
total all (two) tracks: 99 dead racehorses
Canterbury: 96 dead racehorses

Nebraska (NE record-keeping is particularly bad)
total all tracks: 48 dead racehorses

New Jersey
total all tracks: 171 dead racehorses
Monmouth: 141 dead racehorses

New Mexico
total all tracks: 579 dead racehorses

New York
total all tracks: 873 dead racehorses
Aqueduct: 114 dead racehorses
Belmont: 322 dead racehorses
Finger Lakes: 177 dead racehorses
Saratoga: 134 dead racehorses

Ohio
total all tracks: 410 dead racehorses
Belterra: 92 dead racehorses
Mahoning: 134 dead racehorses
Thistledown: 126 dead racehorses

Oklahoma
total all tracks: 370 dead racehorses
Remington: 236 dead racehorses

Pennsylvania
total all tracks: 741 dead racehorses
Parx: 353 dead racehorses
Penn: 263 dead racehorses

Texas
total all tracks: 254 dead racehorses
Lone Star: 125 dead racehorses

Washington (just one track)
Emerald: 133 dead racehorses

West Virginia
total all (two) tracks: 678 dead racehorses
Charles Town: 460 dead racehorses
Mountaineer: 218 dead racehorses

all other states: 205 dead racehorses