Filly Dies in Saratoga Starting Gate Accident

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A 2-year-old filly died after severing an artery in a starting gate accident at Saratoga Race Course on Monday. Outrage, the betting favorite for the third race, sustained a fractured pelvis and severed an artery when she reared up, lost her balance and fell over in the gate, track officials said.

"We tried to treat her for shock, but she was just traumatized," New York Racing Association veterinarian Dr. Celeste Kunz said. "The injury was very apparent."

Starter Bob Duncan, said, "She thrashed around trying to regain her position. When things like that happen, all we can do is wait for the horse to stop thrashing. There's nothing you can physically do."

Pat Day was aboard Outrage, who was in gate 6. He was not injured. Two other horses preparing for the same race were injured and ordered scratched. Climbeverymountain, in gate 1, sustained abrasions of her left front and hind legs, and Nice Weather, in gate 7, sustained abrasions to her left hind leg.

A 2-year-old daughter of Slew City Slew--Irish Doon, by Doonesbury, Outrage was owned by Ingrid Stefanski, Ed Madden, and Allen Iwinski, who also trained the filly. She had run twice previously at Delaware Park, finishing third both times. The filly had been purchased for $18,500 at last year’s Keeneland September yearling sale.

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