First racehorse fatality of 2024 occurs in Santa Anita

State horse racing officials Tuesday reported the first racehorse fatality of 2024, a 6-year-old gelding with just one career race that died after a training injury at Santa Anita.

Derby Prospect died Monday, according to the California Horse Racing Board, which listed his injury as "non-musculoskeletal." No further information was provided.

Derby Prospect's lone race was a fourth-place finish in a maiden special weight race at Santa Anita in May 2021.

Santa Anita officials have touted safety improvements that have brought down the annual number of fatalities since 2019, when at least 42 horses died at the track, sparking widespread debate about safety issues at Santa Anita and about horse racing in general.

Santa Anita saw 12 racing and training deaths in 2022, but that number rose to 17 in 2023, according to CHRB data.