17 horses killed in barn fire at Saratoga Harness Track

WNYT.com • June 16, 2026 • sports

Key Points:

A barn fire at Saratoga Casino Hotel's backstretch stable on June 16 destroyed the barn and killed 17 horses, with one horse escaping with minor injuries.
The deceased horses belonged to trainers Robyn Mangiardi (11 horses) and Timothy Benson (6 horses).
No human injuries were reported, and security personnel helped rescue several horses before the fire became uncontrollable.
Saratoga Casino Hotel and Saratoga Hospital are offering grief counseling to those affected, and a memorial for the horses is being planned.
The fire is under investigation, and live harness racing was canceled on June 16 as a result of the tragedy.