Horse's death at Vancouver's The Cup under investigation, witness 'shocked' and 'horrified'
![horse death Deighton Cup A photo shows a horse racing in the 2022 Vancouver Deighton Cup at the Hastings Racecourse. The death of a horse named Lent Me Twenty at the 2023 event is under investigation.](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2023/7/24/horse-death-deighton-cup-1-6492433-1690237164518.jpg)
Vancouver’s version of the Kentucky Derby is being marked by tragedy after one horse died during the event over the weekend.
A three-year-old horse named Lent Me Twenty died in the paddock at Hastings Racecourse on Saturday, right before it was set to compete at The Cup.
Ryan McCartney, the director of operations at the Hastings Racecourse and Casino, told CTV News on Monday that the death is under investigation.
“Any incident such as the one in question is rare at Hastings Racecourse, and our thoughts are with the owners of the horse. Our first priority is the health and safety of our athletes, both equine and human, and we will continue to work with and support industry agencies and regulators to determine the cause of this unfortunate outcome,” wrote McCartney in an email.
David Milburn, president of the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association of BC, described the death as a “very rare, freak occurrence.”
He says the horse died before the rider mounted it in the paddock, which is where event attendees can view the animals before race time.
“Based on what I’ve learned, the horse reared up and went over backwards and struck its head on the ground,” Milburn said, adding that the walkway is a padded area.
He believes the horse died instantly.
“Horses rear up and will go backwards sometimes, whether it’s in the paddock, show ring or on a trail. It’s so, so rare for a horse to hit its head and die,” Milburn told CTV News.
An autopsy will be performed on the horse at a government lab in Abbotsford to determine the cause of death, says Milburn.
Darren Hill, 50, attended The Cup with his girlfriend Saturday and witnessed the horse fall to the ground.
He says he was struggling to decide what horse to bet on, which is why he walked over to the paddock area. Hill estimates about 20 or 30 people witnessed the death, though thousands of attendees were in the stands or milling around the racecourse at the time.
“It just walked normal in front of me with its trainer and then as it passed me, it just dropped sideways. All four legs kicked up in the air, shaking and twitching and stuff. Then it just lay dead and that was the end of it,” Hill recalls.
He says staff immediately ran over to cover the horse with a blanket and a tractor pulled the body out of sight within five minutes of the fatal fall.
“The show must go on sort of thing. They scratched the name from the race sheet and gave everyone refunds who bet on that horse,” says Hill.
Lent Me Twenty was listed as horse number four and was supposed to compete in race three of eight that day.
Hill says he bet on horse number four for every subsequent race following the death.
Another witness wrote on social media Sunday that she was “shocked, horrified and confused.”
“We promptly left afterwards but this is the reality and it reminded me why I won’t be going back,” wrote Emily Fortune Super on Twitter. “The race ran only 10 minutes behind schedule. This is abhorrent and disgusting.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976926.1721883767!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
AS IT HAPPENED Wildfire reaches Jasper Wednesday night, causes 'significant loss'
One of two wildfires threatening Jasper National Park reached the townsite Wednesday night and caused 'significant loss.'
Alberta calls in army to assist with wildfire situation
Alberta has called in the Canadian Armed Forces to help assist with the worsening wildfire situation in the province.
Biden explains why he ended re-election bid in Oval Office address
U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday delivered a solemn call to voters to defend the country's democracy as he laid out in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his bid for reelection and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP 'blacked-out' and crashed car into window of child care centre
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
Norad intercepts Russian and Chinese bombers operating together near Alaska in apparent first
The North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) intercepted two Russian and two Chinese bombers flying near Alaska Wednesday in what appears to be the first time the two countries have been intercepted while operating together.
2 Canadians being 'sent home immediately,' removed from Olympic team after drone incident
An analyst and an assistant coach with Canada Soccer are being removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and 'sent home immediately,' according to the Canadian Olympic Committee.
An unwelcome attendee has joined the Paris Olympic Games: COVID-19
After a handful of Australian water polo players tested positive for COVID-19 this week, questions have emerged around how the spread of the disease will be mitigated at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Vacations, meals, booze: Contractor used $100K of charity's money for personal expenses, B.C. court finds
A B.C. man who was hired to help a non-profit build a food hub but instead spent the money on personal expenses – including travel, restaurants, booze and cannabis – has been ordered to pay more than $120,000 in damages.
Male, female killed, 2 others injured in 'gun battle' outside Toronto plaza: police
Two people are dead and two others suffered serious injuries following a shooting that police have described as a 'gun battle' outside a plaza in Scarborough, Ont. early Wednesday morning.