DEL MAR – A festive Breeders’ Cup weekend at Del Mar took a tragic turn Saturday when Jayarebe, a 3-year-old French-bred colt, died suddenly after suffering an apparent heart attack following the $5 million Turf.
Jayarebe finished seventh in the field of 13 for the 1 ½-mile race, which was won by Rebel’s Romance.
The Breeders’ Cup confirmed the death in a statement:
“Jayarebe suffered what appears to have been a cardiac event on the gallop out. He was immediately attended to by a team of veterinary experts led by Dr. Brent Cassady, but unfortunately passed away. His jockey, Sean Levey, was uninjured.”
Trained by Irish native Brian Meehan, who won the Breeders’ Cup Turf in 2006 (Red Rocks) and 2010 (Dangerous Midge), Jayarebe was making his sixth start of the year and eighth of his career. He had won four times, including the Grade II Prix Dollar four weeks ago at Longchamp in his home country.
In a story published Friday on Irelandlive.com, Meehan said of Jayarebe: “He’s an adaptable type of horse and Sean knows him so well. … This (race) has been on Jayarebe’s radar since the spring and all his form is good, whether you look at the Dollar, the Hampton Court or the Feilden (his three most recent victories).
“The Breeders’ Cup is my favorite meeting and it’s wonderful to be back. To win a championship race on another continent is very special.”
Eleven racehorses died from sudden deaths in California in 2023, accounting for 13.4 percent of equine fatalities.
Earlier in 2023, a study was published from the University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine, which reviewed results of nearly 4.2 million race starts of 284,387 thoroughbreds at 144 racetracks during 2009-2021, according to EquiManagement magazine. The study reported sudden death is rare, occurring at a rate of one every 10,000 starts.
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