Sports

Report: U.S. horse racing deaths up slightly in ’23

Published

12 months ago

April 3, 2024

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Associated Press

Apr 3, 2024, 05:21 PM ET

Horse racing deaths in the United States increased slightly in 2023 from 2022, according to the annual report released Wednesday by the federally mandated agency that began regulating the sport two years ago.

The Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority reported 1.32 deaths per 1,000 starts last year, up from 1.25 tracked by the Equine Injury Database the previous year. The number at the 50 HISA-accredited tracks had a rate of 1.23 per 1,000 compared to 1.63 at others across the country.

“Our inaugural annual report reflects our journey toward a safer, fairer and more resilient future for horse racing,” CEO Lisa Lazarus said in a statement accompanying the report. “The success of HISA’s programs relies on steady partnership among the tracks, trainers, riders, owners, veterinarians and state regulators who comprise the sport. Only by working together can we make thoroughbred racing safer for its equine and human athletes.”

HISA began overseeing racetrack safety on July 1, 2022, and last year launched its medication and anti-doping program. The Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU), which oversees testing and investigation and punishment of potential violations as part of the Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program, is set to release its annual report sometime next week.

Spates of deaths at Churchill Downs in Louisville around the Kentucky Derby and at New York’s Saratoga Race Course last year thrust the sport into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Churchill Downs suspended racing in June after 12 horses died there, prompting an emergency summit with industry leaders before resuming in the fall, and a New York Racing Association investigation into 13 racing or training deaths at Saratoga found no definitive cause, though significant rainfall “could not be overlooked” as a contributing factor.

While up from 2022, the 1.32 deaths per 1,000 starts is still the second-lowest equine fatality rate since they started being tracked in 2009, down from the previous lows of 1.39 in 2021 and 1.41 in ’20.

In a message published in the report, Lazarus pointed to national, uniformed practices such as pre-race veterinary inspections, treatment records that follow horses throughout their careers, the availability of full medical and workout histories and reporting of racetrack surface conditions as improvements that have been instituted.

“I feel much optimism about the strides we will continue to make by recognizing that protecting the health and safety of our horses and jockeys is a collective, urgent, responsibility,” Lazarus wrote.

A message sent to the National Thoroughbred Racing Association seeking comment on the report was not immediately returned.

Sports

Rangers’ Gray fractures wrist on comebacker

Published

2 hours ago

March 15, 2025

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$Rangers' Gray fractures wrist on comebacker$

ESPN News Services

Mar 15, 2025, 07:49 AM ET

The Texas Rangers‘ pitching staff took another hit Friday, when right-hander Jon Gray suffered a right wrist fracture.

Gray was struck by a line drive from Colorado Rockies first baseman Michael Toglia to lead off the fourth inning that knocked him out of the game.

“Not good news, not good news,” manager Bruce Bochy told reporters. “It’s terrible. I feel awful for him, to be this close to getting the season going. It’s just not good news. I’ll get back in there and find out more, but right now, there is a fracture.”

Gray’s injury is the third setback for the Rangers rotation this week. The team said Thursday that left-hander Cody Bradford would start the season on the injured list because of soreness in his throwing elbow. Tyler Mahle had been scratched from a start with forearm soreness, but the right-hander returned to pitch in a minor league game Thursday.

Gray went 5-6 with a 4.47 ERA in 23 appearances (19 starts) for the Rangers last season, when he was shut down in September for a foot injury that required surgery. He is in the final year of a four-year, $56 million deal.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Sports

Ohtani hits long home run in return to Japan

Published

2 hours ago

March 15, 2025

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Ohtani hits long home run in return to Japan

Associated Press

Mar 15, 2025, 07:17 AM ET

TOKYO — Japanese star Shohei Ohtani showed off some prodigious power in his return to the Tokyo Dome on Saturday night.

In an exhibition game against the Yomiuri Giants, the three-time Most Valuable Player belted a long two-run homer to right field in the third inning to give the Dodgers a 4-0 lead, setting off a roar from the roughly 42,000 fans in attendance.

The Dodgers put on quite a power display in the third with Michael Conforto, Ohtani and Teoscar Hernández all going deep to give Los Angeles a 5-0 advantage.

The Dodgers are playing in Japan as part of the Tokyo Series. The team is playing two exhibition games against Japanese teams before starting the regular season with two games against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Ohtani became the first player in MLB history to have at least 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in one season in 2024. He played several seasons for the Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan before coming to the U.S. in 2018 with the Los Angeles Angels.

Sports

Dodgers’ Betts to miss Japan games with illness

Published

2 hours ago

March 15, 2025

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Dodgers' Betts to miss Japan games with illness

Associated Press

Mar 15, 2025, 05:59 AM ET

TOKYO — Shortstop Mookie Betts will miss the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ two exhibition games in Japan because of an illness, manager Dave Roberts said Saturday.

Roberts said he’s still hopeful that the eight-time All-Star will be available for the team’s first regular season game against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday at the Tokyo Dome. The Dodgers are playing the Yomiuri Giants and Hanshin Tigers — two teams from Japan — in exhibition games on Saturday and Sunday.

Roberts said the 32-year-old Betts started to feel flu-like symptoms during the team’s final day in Arizona, but team doctors said he was OK to make the long trip to Japan.

“Mookie is here today, but he’s been really sick,” Roberts said. “Lost some weight, so we’re trying to get him hydrated. He’s going to work out a little today, but he won’t be playing either tonight or tomorrow.

“Then when we have our off day, our workout day, we’ll see how he is.”

Betts is making the full-time transition to shortstop this season after playing most of his career in right field and second base. The 2018 AL MVP hit .289 with 19 homers and 75 RBI last season, helping the Dodgers win the World Series.