Fire at Saratoga Casino Hotel barn kills at least 7 horses

A fire tore through a backstretch barn at Saratoga Casino Hotel early Tuesday, killing at least seven horses at the Saratoga Springs harness track and forcing the cancellation of the day's racing card.

The blaze broke out about 2:30 a.m. EDT in a barn that housed roughly 18 horses, the track and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department said. The fire destroyed the structure. No one was hurt.

The Albany Times Union reported a far higher toll, with at least 30 horses dead and the count expected to rise. Sarah Burger – a city supervisor and lawyer for the Saratoga Harness Horseperson's Association – told the paper crews were still tallying the dead, with most of the horses coming from a single trainer's barn. That trainer had not been identified.

Track security reached the barn and pulled horses to safety before the fire grew unmanageable, the casino said. Firefighters then contained the blaze and kept it from spreading to neighboring structures. The cause remained under investigation.

John Matarazzo, director of racing operations at Saratoga Casino Hotel, credited responders and nearby New York Racing Association (NYRA) staff with limiting the loss.

"Our thoughts are with the horse owners, trainers, caretakers, and all those affected by this tragic loss," Matarazzo said. "We are grateful for the swift actions of our security, nearby NYRA personnel, and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department, whose efforts helped save numerous horses and ensured there were no injuries to people on site."

Henry Westbrook Jr., president of the horseperson's association, called the fire a worst-case scenario for the sport.

"This is a sobering day in our industry, a horse person's worst nightmare," Westbrook told the Times Union. "We express our deep condolences to all impacted and thank all emergency responders and track workers for their quick response. ... We must work to learn the cause and do everything in our power to ensure this does not happen again."

Saratoga Casino Hotel, which races Standardbreds, sits along Nelson Avenue across from Saratoga Race Course, where Thoroughbreds compete each summer. The Thoroughbred barn area had not filled, with New York's circuit still running at Aqueduct. Saratoga opens its summer meet in July.

A GoFundMe page was set up for the horsemen and women affected by the fire. The track said it would release more information as it became available.