At Del Mar over a nine-day period from Nov 15 to Dec 1, several horses faced health setbacks. Rebalation was labeled "unsound", With Love also came with the "unsound" tag, Nokie was reported as "sick", My Lovely Lydia was "injured", El Rey Dorado was "sick", Ready to Pounce was "unsound", Lil’ Boom Boom was "sick", Coalinga Road was "sick", Big Notion was "sick", Miss Will was "sick", and Mr. Machupicchu was "sick". Wild Recruit was "unsound" and Jessebear had a reason not given. Sensational Dream was "unsound" and It’s a Factor was "injured in gate", while Supa Speed was also "injured in gate" and Toulouse Detrac was "unsound".

Incident at Del Mar Start

On Nov 22, the stewards posted the Inquiry sign after witnessing an incident at the start. Horse #1 Scroll Up ducked in and broke through the inner turf rail, ran loose in the infield, and then fell and received some abrasions. This shows the potential for chaos and accidents at the start of races.

Churchill Downs Incidents

At Churchill on Nov 21, in addition to multiple voided "claims" due to horses finishing unsound, 5-year-old Sarissa was a late scratch from the post parade on the advice of the regulatory vet. This indicates that her exploiters were willing to race her despite her physical compromise.

Another Racetrack Incident

On Nov 24, "Pursuit of Power finished 4th and required the ambulance. It was later reported that the horse had returned lame." The chart, however, did not mention this initially. This highlights the importance of accurate reporting and the potential for hidden health issues.

First Race Stress for a Young Horse

Vino Bella, a two-year-old virtual baby, was in her very first race. She was "jostled and bounced off of the rail multiple times and faltered severely." The stewards added that she caused her own trouble when she reacted to being on the inside in tight quarters. This shows the vulnerability of young horses in such a competitive environment.