Practical Move, a Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile Favorite, Dies During Training at Santa Anita Park

Practical Move, a horse favored second at the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita Park, died Tuesday during training after an apparent cardiac event.

According to a statement released by the Breeders' Cup organization, Practical Move appeared to have suffered a cardiac event following a morning gallop. His rider was able to slip off and is uninjured, and the horse was quickly tended to by veterinarians.

Practical Move, a 3-year-old horse racing in his second season, was the winner of the Santa Anita Derby at the same racecourse in April. The horse was going to compete in the Kentucky Derby in May, but had to pull out due to illness.

Practical Move was favored with 3-1 odds behind Cody's Wish, the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile favorite.

The death comes amid a year where horse deaths have been concerningly common. Seven horses died in the lead-in up to the final race of the Kentucky Derby — a number that eventually rose to 12 by the fall and triggered investigations into Churchill Downs, the race track where the Derby takes place. However, the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) said in September that there is no apparent cohesive explanation for the deaths.

Santa Anita Park, a race course east of Los Angeles, has itself been known for dangerous conditions. Per The Athletic, the course made significant improvements after 42 horses died in 2019, and the number dropped to 12 in 2023.

In the statement, the Breeders' Cup maintained that it works closely with the track, racing authorities and HISA to "implement stringent safety and integrity protocols."

"These processes are in place to protect the wellbeing of our human and equine athletes, and Breeders’ Cup is committed to continuously improving the ecosystem of care surrounding every horse," the statement read.

The Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile will continue as scheduled, taking place on Nov. 3 and 4.