Inimitable was euthanized after a race last week at Golden Gate Fields in Berkeley.
In the last eight days, Berkeley racetrack Golden Gate Fields has dealt with four separate racehorse deaths.
Mary’s Great Hope, the most recent death, died on Sunday due to a "training injury," according to Mike Marten, a spokesperson for the California Horse Racing Board.
Inimitable, a thoroughbred only 2 years old, was euthanized on the track last Friday after a fall during a race, the station reported. The exact cause of death has yet to be confirmed, but it's most likely due to a musculoskeletal injury, said Marten.
Before Inimitable, Galloping Slew died on Nov. 14 and Ima Rumbler died on Nov. 16, both due to musculoskeletal issues. Earlier this month on Nov. 6 a different horse also died of colic, according to reporting by KTVU.
While deaths do occur in horse racing, said Marten, it is unusual that they have happened in such quick succession.
In the wake of the recent deaths the CHRB has inspected Golden Gate Field's tracks carefully, said Marten. So far no single cause has been identified as contributing to the horses' deaths.
"We're frustrated by it because we've been making some progress in the last few years," said Marten. According to Marten, the CHRB has enacted dozens of new policies in the last few years to prevent this sort of incident from happening.
"Just when we think we're making tremendous progress, something like this comes along and we'll just question it," he said.
The track has racked up a high body count, with Mary's Great Hope the 27th death in the last 11 months.
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