17 horses killed in barn fire at Saratoga Casino Hotel Harness Track

A barn fire at the Saratoga Casino Hotel Harness Track in Saratoga Springs, New York, killed 17 horses and injured another early Tuesday morning, fire and casino officials said.

The fire broke out around 2:30 a.m. in the backstretch area of the harness racetrack, the casino said. Of the 17 horses that were killed, 11 belonged to trainer Robyn Mongiardo and six belonged to trainer Timothy Benson.

The Saratoga Casino Hotel is not related to or affiliated with Saratoga Race Course, which is located across the street and is where the Belmont Stakes have been held for the last three years while Belmont Park was under construction.

The casino said the fire was contained before it could spread and only affected the one barn. Officials from both race tracks and emergency responders helped evacuate other horses being housed at other nearby facilities, Saratoga Casino Hotel said. The casino said around 350 horses are usually housed in the backstretch area.

"The loss suffered today is heartbreaking for our racing community," Saratoga Casino Hotel CEO Sam Gerrity said in a statement. "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."

The cause of the fire was not immediately clear and is under investigation, the Saratoga Springs Fire Department said.

Saratoga Casino Hotel said it will be working with Saratoga Hospital to help provide grief counseling for trainers, caretakers and owners who were affected by the horses' deaths.

"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," said Henry Westbrook, president of the Saratoga Harness Horseperson's Association.