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Horse dies after race at Laurel Park in Maryland ahead of 2026 Preakness Stakes
- On Friday, May 15, 2026, a 3-year-old colt named Hit Zero died after running in the first race at Laurel Park during Black-Eyed Susan Day, collapsing while walking back to the barn.
- Trained by Brittany Russell and ridden by husband Sheldon Russell, the horse was making his racing debut ahead of the 102nd Black-Eyed Susan race.
- Dr. Dionne Benson, chief veterinary officer for 1/ST Racing, said the horse "began coughing, went down to his knees and collapsed." A necropsy will determine the cause of death.
- The Commission initiated review protocols, stating, "We recognize the significance of this loss and are committed to conducting a thorough, transparent process." The Equine Medical Director is conducting a full post-incident review.
- Fatalities are rare, occurring in less than 1% of horseracing; Preakness Stakes festivities continue at Laurel Park, where the main event is scheduled for Saturday.
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Horse dies after crossing the finish line in his first career race in tragic start to Preakness weekend
There's always a lot of excitement about the Preakness Stakes — the second leg of the Triple Crown — but this year's weekend is off to a tragic start.Laurel Park is hosting this year's Preakness as Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore undergoes renovations, and on Friday, a horse collapsed and died after crossing the finish line in its first career race.Hit Zero, trained by Brittany Russell, came into the race as the favorite. However, he finished l…
·New York, United States
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Associated Press News+4 Reposted by 4 other sources
Colt making his racing debut dies after a race at Laurel, the day before the Preakness
A 3-year-old colt making his racing debut has died shortly after running in the first race at Laurel Park, a day before the track is set to host the Preakness.
·United States
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources19
Leaning Left3Leaning Right4Center7Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Center
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
50% Center
L 21%
C 50%
R 29%
Factuality
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