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The horse racing industry is infamous for its high risk of injuries to both horses and its riders. Every time the gun goes off, the equestrian fans collectively hold their breath and say a prayer for these majestic beasts. On November 3, those prayers fell on deaf ears as a mishap befell a three-year-old brown gelding. Now, the horse is fighting for life and will need all the luck to pull through.

Steve R. Knapp trainee Bus Buzz was favored to win the 10th race at the prestigious Santa Anita Park for the Breeders? Cup. The Bay colt stayed true to the predictions and led the charge for the first half-mile distance. However, suddenly, he suffered a tremendous fall and injured himself. The equestrian fans had their hearts in their mouths as the race officials ran to the rescue. On November 5, Bus Buzz went into surgery as the horse racing industry hoped for good news.

Horse racing fans send their blessings to Bus Buzz

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Dr. Lourdes Abellera, a horse racing fan and animal rights advocate, was sitting on the bleachers at Santa Anita Park when the incident occurred. She wrote an X to wish Bus Buzz luck before his surgery. The post on Twitter read, “Please remember Bus Buzz; it’s his surgery today. Wishing for a successful surgery & no heartbreak for his connections, including the two men who ran quickly across the track to come to his aid”. These beautiful and heartfelt words accompanied a picture of the colt from his healthy days. Although the equestrian supporter wanted to soothe the pain of the horse’s owners, it reminded him of the harrowing accident.

Thomas E. Lovingier, co-owner of Bus Buzz, went back to the fateful day that changed the life of his star runner. The colt kept his advantage over the contender Hejazi till the half-mile mark. He had covered the distance in 0:44.17 but had a huge tumble at the three-sixteenth pole. His jockey Edwin Maldonado was unhurt and quickly lifted the horse with his hands. As the veterinary team rushed to the scene, Maldonado tried his best to help Bus Buzz. His love and concern for his partner were apparent and showed the horse racing world in a kinder light. However, Santa Anita Park has come into much criticism for the ongoing falls endured by horses on its tracks.

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Santa Anita Park faces the equestrian world?s ire

Apart from Bus Buzz, Mountain Bear also underwent surgery on his leg for a fall at Santa Anita. The Californian horse racing fixture is now facing the wrath of the equestrian world. The fans believe that the dirt tracks are not suitable for fast racing and have contributed to the accidents. Despite the complaints, Santa Anita Park has been reluctant to change their track surface. In the meantime, they hosted the ?Super Bowl of Racing? with two more deaths.

Read More: ?Did Not Look Good?: Horse Racing Contender Bus Buzz Suffers Devastating Injury, Igniting Outrage Across the Internet

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Practical Move died of a cardiac arrest, and Geaux Rocket Ride was put down after a fall. Thus, the celebratory mood at the 40th Breeders’ Cup was undercut by grief. Despite the total cash prize being $31 million, no one was in the mood to rejoice. The spectators enjoyed the show, and the race officials and the vets were hyper-cautious to prevent more tragedies.

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