NBC News
Horses died in consecutive races at Belmont Park, dealing more untimely blows to the beleaguered sport, which had little time to celebrate its most uplifting events of the year.
Mashnee Girl, trained by Mark Hennig, broke down in the first race Sunday, suffering a catastrophic injury to her left front leg at the storied racecourse in Elmont, just outside New York City, before she was put down.
“Despite the immediate response and best efforts of on-site attending veterinarians, the horse was humanely euthanized due to the severity of the injury,” New York Racing Association Vice President Patrick McKenna said in a statement.