Today, April 27, at the Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong, the atmosphere was heavy during the G1 FWD Queen Elizabeth II Cup. Dark clouds hung over the circuit as many horse racing fans mourned the tragic passing of Liberty Island. The name of the champion filly was actually inspired by the island in New York Harbor where the Statue of Liberty is located. This naming choice shows a link to her dam, Yankee Rose, an Australian champion mare.

The five-year-old had a serious leg injury while running in the final stretch of a race. Jockey Yuga Kawada quickly brought her to a stop, but unfortunately, the injury was too severe, and the outlook was grim, leading to her being euthanized right there on the track.

It’s a tough day for everyone connected to the horse and all the fans who came together at the Sha Tin Racecourse for that big event. On X, photographer Alex Evers, who was there at the event, shared this update, saying, “The highs and lows of this game. An unreal performance by the great Ka Ying Rising, but the whole day darkened by the loss of Liberty Island. Just devastated.”

It was a G1 race, and you know it had some really tough competition. The race was amazing, but the loss of the champion filly really hit hard for everyone watching. So, what was the reaction from the horse racing community on social media about this loss?

The news left the horse racing community devastated

Liberty Island was one of Japan’s most celebrated racehorses lately. In 2023, she pulled off an amazing feat by winning the Japanese Fillies’ Triple Crown, taking home victories in the Oka Sho, Yushun Himba, and Shuka Sho. It’s clear that losing such an amazing filly in a tragic way really hit home for a lot of people. This fan expressed, “So upsetting. The highs and lows of racing – an emotional roller coaster. May this lovely champion mare rest easy.” Another fan shared, “I can’t stop crying.”

Also, the filly had some impressive international outings, coming in second to Equinox at the 2023 Japan Cup and snagging third place in the 2024 Dubai Sheema Classic. Another horse racing fan expressed their feelings about this sad news, saying, “Oh no. Terrible news to wake up to. Damn.”

What was the reaction of the officials who were there when the mishap happened at Sha Tin? Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, the CEO of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, said, “We normally celebrate with champagne, but I feel today in honor of the tremendous filly that this is not the right thing to do. I’m really sad about that, but unfortunately this is part of racing. I want to really honor a filly like Liberty Island, who was one of the great race fillies.”

Even though Liberty Island has exited the industry in a heartbreaking manner, her impact will last forever. One fan expressed it well, saying, “As a Hong Konger and someone who have watched her entire carrier, I don’t know how to express my sadness and hard broken that I feel.” Another fan shared their sadness, saying, “RIP. That’s got to be some of the worst luck for a champion horse.” It’s a hard time for all the fans who used to cheer for that amazing filly. She will be missed.