17 Horses Die in Barn Fire at Saratoga Casino Hotel Harness Track

A devastating barn fire at the Saratoga Casino Hotel Harness Track claimed the lives of 17 horses early Tuesday morning. The blaze erupted around 2:30 a.m. in the backstretch area of the harness racetrack, officials confirmed.

Of the horses lost, 11 were under the care of trainer Robyn Mongiardo, and six belonged to trainer Timothy Benson. Fortunately, no human injuries were reported. Firefighters contained the blaze, preventing it from spreading beyond the single affected barn, which typically houses around 350 horses.

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The loss suffered today is heartbreaking for our racing community. Our thoughts remain with Robyn, Tim, their teams, the horse owners, and everyone affected by this tragedy. We are deeply grateful to the security personnel, first responders, and racing staff whose swift actions helped protect the horses and people in the surrounding barns.

Saratoga Casino Hotel CEO Sam Gerrity described the event as "heartbreaking for our racing community" and expressed gratitude to the first responders and staff whose swift actions helped protect other horses and people. The casino is collaborating with Saratoga Hospital to provide grief counseling for the trainers, caretakers, and owners impacted by the tragedy.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Henry Westbrook, president of the Saratoga Harness Horseperson's Association, called it "a horse person's worst nightmare" and extended condolences to all affected parties, also thanking emergency responders for their quick response.

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This is a sobering day in our industry, a horse person's worst nightmare. We express our deep condolences to all impacted and thank all emergency responders and track workers for their quick response.