At Santa Anita Park in Southern California, a 9-year-old gelding named Kochees became the 26th fatality at the racetrack since Dec. 26, and the third in nine days. The fatalities have commanded the public’s attention during a bizarre, contentious Triple Crown season and have threatened to close down the sport in California.

The turn of events has put pressure on the Stronach Group, which owns the track and several others, including Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, and the sport at large to put meaningful reforms in place to ensure safety of its equine athletes and the jockeys who ride them.

Dead horses, too many of them, have drawn a bull’s-eye around the sport’s existence.

“Santa Anita and all California tracks must suspend racing until the ongoing investigation by the district attorney is complete and the new rules have been strengthened,” said Kathy Guillermo, senior vice president of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. “Decreasing the number of broken bones is not enough. PETA and Social Compassion in Legislation are currently working with the Stronach Group and the California Horse Racing Board to enact new regulations and laws to stop all deaths. Nothing short of a zero-fatality rate is acceptable.”

Kochees sustained an injury in the sixth race on Saturday, a $10,000 claimer, one of the racetrack’s lowest level races. He appeared to injure his left leg, according to the Equibase chart caller, and was taken off the track by van. He was euthanized on Sunday.