The “most significant” trend connecting the horses that died last year is that five of the 17 had gaps in training of 60 days or more prior to their fatal injury, he said.
(Though one of the 17 horses, it should be noted, died as a result of a freak accident.)
This trend tallies with broader state-wide findings from recent years. From 314 fatalities (among Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds where the horse had at least one start) in California over the past three years, 86 had training or racing gaps of at least 60 days. And, of those 86 horses, 45 had gaps of more than 120 days in racing, in training or both prior to their fatal injury.
Of those 314 horses described above that experienced a 120-day or more layoff, 36 percent had been on the vet’s list at some point in their career.
Excerpt:
https://www.thoroughbredracing.com/a...-and-saratoga/