Why Are So Many Horses Dying In Upstate New York?

A new report is taking a close look at what could have caused the more than one dozen horse deaths in Upstate New York.

The horses died during the 2023 racing season at the Saratoga Race Course.

New Report Looks At Causes Of Horse Deaths At Saratoga, New York

A total of 14 horses passed away in 2023.

According to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, there is a "multitude of risk factors that likely contributed to the fatalities" during the 2023 race season in Saratoga.

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"The TSAG did not find any clear association between known risk factors and the spike in equine injuries based on their testing and inspection of the racing surfaces during the 2023 Meet," officials stated in its report.

Rain May Have Led To Horse Deaths

Two major factors in these tragedies include wet conditions and the exercise histories of equine athletes.

Below is the amount of rain during the past few years at the Saratoga Race Course.

• 2023: 11.03 inches of rain
• 2022: 8.69 inches of rain
• 2021: 7.76 inches of rain

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"The significantly increased rainfall during the 2023 Meet compared to previous years cannot be overlooked," officials add. "Available data suggests that the rainfall could have played a role in the increased risk of fatal injury during the 2023 Meet.

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The NYRA says the organization is focused on improving safety and providing the tools necessary to identify underlying health conditions.