Overview
- Hit Zero, which collapsed Friday after Race 1 at Laurel Park, was pronounced dead shortly after veterinary staff arrived.
- The Maryland Racing Commission called it an apparent cardiac event and said a necropsy will confirm the cause.
- Officials said the Equine Medical Director launched a post-incident review required by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, the national racing safety regulator.
- The colt was a first-time starter trained by Brittany Russell and owned by ItsTheJHo, LLC and Evan Trommer.
- The death renews scrutiny of safety at Maryland tracks as activists plan Preakness protests, with a watchdog citing 426 horse deaths since 2014.