Officials at a horse track in Florida confirmed on Saturday that an exercise rider Daniel Quintero had been killed in a training mishap, know the cause of death of the jockey
Daniel Quintero, 19, was working with horses at Tampa Bay Downs when he died just before 7 a.m., the track said.
According to Marco Villarreal, a spokesman for the Hillsborough County sheriff’s office, detectives are looking into the death, but it does not appear to be suspicious.
Who is Jockey Daniel Quintero, his cause of death, obituary, age and news
A fatal accident involving two horses, as reported by track announcer Jason Beem to The Tampa Bay Times, is believed to have killed Daniel Quintero. The publication reported his statement that the horses were unharmed.
The ugly truth of this beautiful sport we face today as the young Venezuelan rider, Daniel Quintero, has passed on. We wish his family our condolences and strength to carry on #RestInPeace pic.twitter.com/SQOKdik9oj
— Eve No fear (@EveNofear1) January 21, 2023
In a statement, track officials added, “The entire racetrack community expresses its condolences to his family members and friends.” Before the first race on Saturday, a moment of silence was given in honour of Quintero.
Reportedly, Daniel Quintero was killed instantaneously when his mount collided with another travelling in the opposite direction.
Other players went home unharmed
It was reported that the two horses and the other jockey involved in the horrific crash other than Daniel Quintero walked away unharmed. Later on Saturday, jockeys and valets at the track observed a moment of silence in tribute to Quintero.
Jockeys and their valets observe a moment of silence in honor of 19-year-old exercise rider Daniel Quintero, who died this morning in a training accident. pic.twitter.com/CqKVUFPQEF
— Tampa Bay Downs (@TampaBayDownsFL) January 21, 2023
Moments of silence were observed at other racetracks as well, including Gulfstream Park, Laurel Park, and Santa Anita.
Another man was killed in 2010 when a horse at the same track sprang up and fell on him. The second fatality in American racing in as many weeks. The death of Avery Whisman, 23, threw the sporting world into a state of sadness.
The issue of racehorses is big
Many racehorses end up in slaughterhouses. After careers marred by drug use, accidents, and even rigging of races in a multibillion-dollar industry. Nationally, there are around two breakdowns for every 1,000 starts, leading to the injuries and deaths of between 700 and 800 racehorses annually.
Nearly ten horses per week were killed at American racetracks in 2018. As per data from The Jockey Club’s Equine Injury Database.
After 37 horses died within a year at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. The Los Angeles District Attorney opened the first-ever criminal inquiry into the responsibility of trainers and veterinarians. Who medicate horses for soreness and injury and then put them on the track.
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