Two horses die in collision at Del Mar race track

DEL MAR - Two horses died at the Del Mar Fairgrounds race track on Thursday, July 18 after colliding during a training session, according to officials with the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.

The accident happened around 6:30 a.m. during a training session, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club spokesman Dan Smith said.

The two horses, 3-year-old Carson Valley and 2-year-old Charge a Bunch, collided after Charge a Bunch unseated jockey Geovanni Franco, then turned sharply and ran in the wrong direction before colliding with Carson Valley, who was training alongside two other horses, according to a statement from the race track.

Franco and the other two horses were uninjured in the collision, Smith said.

The jockey riding Carson Valley, Assael Espinoza, complained of pain in his lower back and underwent a CAT scan at a local hospital, the Daily Racing Form said.

Carson Valley was trained by Bob Baffert and Charge a Bunch was trained by Carla Gaines.

"This was a very unfortunate accident and it is a shock to everyone in the barn,'' Baffert said in a statement. "We work every day to take the best care of our horses, but sometimes freak accidents occur that are beyond anyone's ability to control.''

The race track began its 80th racing season Wednesday.