Report: Santa Anita Park sees 26th fatality of the season

Despite an initial prognosis indicating survival was possible, 9-year-old Kochees was euthanized Sunday as a result of injury that occurred in Saturday's sixth race at Santa Anita Park, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The fatality is the third in nine days and 26th as a result of racing or training since the winter meet began on Dec. 26.

Kochees, a son of Lion Heart, was trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, who also co-owned the chestnut gelding. Jockey Mario Gutierrez pulled him up in the stretch after a bad step, and Kochees was vanned off.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the injury to his left-front leg was not compound, though surgeons elected to euthanize Kochees once the limb stopped receiving blood flow.

Kochees raced 49 times, winning 11 starts, and primarily competed in the claiming ranks after a 3-year-old season in 2013 in which he ran in the San Felipe Stakes (G2) on the Kentucky Derby trail.

The two other recent injuries were different in nature and, it can be argued, not an indication of an unsafe track surface after Santa Anita underwent safety reforms following a temporary shutdown in March. 

Spectacular Music, a 3-year-old making his first start, suffered a fatal pelvis injury on May 19. Before that, Commander Coil, an un-raced 3-year-old, suffered a shoulder injury while galloping.

Those deaths ended a run of safety that saw 698 starters on the main track and 651 on turf from April 1 to May 18 without a fatality, according to track operator The Stronach Group.