The dark side of Bob Baffert’s reign

In fact, Baffert’s horses, at 8.3 deaths per 1,000 starts, have died at a significantly higher rate than Hollendorfer’s, at 6.25. The average death rate for racehorses in California, according to an analysis of more than 5,000 deaths since 2000, is 7.2 per 1,000 starts. That’s much higher than the Jockey Club’s widely cited national rates, which never exceed two deaths per 1,000 starts. California counts all fatalities of horses in a trainer’s care, including breakdowns during training, not just racing deaths.