Skip to Content
PETA
Animals are not ours
to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way.
  1. Home
  2. /
  3. News Releases
  4. /
  5. Exclusive Video: Horse Dies Opening Weekend of Half-Billion Dollar Belmont Park

Exclusive Video: Horse Dies Opening Weekend of Half-Billion Dollar Belmont Park

For Immediate Release:
September 21, 2026

Contact:
Hannah Nelson 202-483-7382

Norfolk, Va. –

Please see the video and following statement from PETA senior vice president Kathy Guillermo regarding the death of a Thoroughbred on opening weekend of the new Belmont Park racetrack:

The “new” Belmont Park has the same old problem: It can’t keep horses alive. Thoroughbred mare Heat Missile, who was biologically just four-years-old, shattered bones in the second race at the newly rebuilt Belmont Park on Saturday and was euthanized on the track. The New York Racing Association poured half a billion dollars in a state-backed loan of taxpayer money into a lavish new racing complex and should have allocated more funds for the protection of the horses. All the luxury, all the parties, all the hype and still the horses are paying with their lives.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”— points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

For Media: Contact PETA’s Media Response Team.
Contact
JOIN US
Get urgent alerts, breaking animals rights news, and easy ways to take action for animals!
PETA bunny
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
At least one of the following fields is required.
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Untitled

By clicking, you agree to receive automated texts and calls from PETA and accept our terms and conditions. Message and data rates may apply. U.S. mobile users only.

Get the Latest Tips—Right in Your Inbox
We’ll e-mail you weekly with the latest in vegan recipes, fashion, and more!

By submitting this form, you’re acknowledging that you have read and agree to our privacy policy and agree to receive e-mails from us.

“Almost all of us grew up eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos. We never considered the impact of these actions on the animals involved. For whatever reason, you are now asking the question: Why should animals have rights?”

— Ingrid Newkirk, PETA Founder and co-author of Animalkind

Read More