Posted on: June 19, 2026, 08:19h.
Last updated on: June 19, 2026, 08:20h.
- PETA is blaming Saratoga Casino Hotel after a devastating barn fire killed 17 horses, calling the lack of sprinklers and smoke detectors “indefensible”
- The wooden stable had no automatic fire suppression system, and trainers lost all 17 horses housed inside before firefighters could contain the blaze
- Investigators say arson is not suspected, but the cause remains unknown as scrutiny intensifies over safety standards at the casino racetrack
PETA says the barn fire at the Saratoga Casino Hotel harness racetrack that resulted in the deaths of 17 horses is “indefensible.”
PETA, or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, says Saratoga Casino Hotel was negligent in not requiring its harness racetrack barns to have fire sprinklers. A wooden stable burned early Tuesday morning, and by the time the fire department managed to put it out, 17 horses were dead.
Seventeen horses burned alive, and there wasn’t even one basic smoke detector or sprinkler in place,” said Kathy Guillermo, the senior vice president of PETA.
Based in Norfolk, Va., PETA is the world’s largest animal liberation organization, with more than 10.4 million members and supporters globally.
Saratoga Blamed
Saratoga Casino Hotel is owned and operated by the Gerrity family. The family patriarch, Joe Gerrity Jr., began buying up stock in the Saratoga Raceway after returning from World War II and moving to Upstate New York in 1945.
Gerrity’s influence in Albany resulted in Saratoga becoming the first racino with slot-like video lottery gaming terminals. The management of the casino and racetracks has remained within the family, with sons Daniel running things until 2021 and Sam Gerrity in control since.
The Saratoga racetracks receive state subsidies that are raised by the New York video lottery program, which includes eight gaming locations. About 12% of the state’s video gaming tax money is allocated to the horse racing and breeding industry to support purses and operations.
PETA blasted Saratoga for taking millions of dollars annually from the state but failing to protect its horses.
Saratoga Casino Hotel Harness Track rakes in tens of millions of dollars in state subsidies every year, yet management couldn’t be bothered to install the most elementary fire protections. This isn’t a regulatory gray area. It’s common sense. Their negligence is indefensible,” Guillermo declared.
PETA added that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment.”
Investigation Continues
There is still no word as to what started the tragic barn fire along Nelson Avenue, located on the backstretch of the harness racetrack at the Saratoga Casino Hotel. Saratoga officials, however, confirmed that the 70-year-old wooden structure had no fire sprinklers or automated fire suppression system.
Sam Gerrity called the fire “heartbreaking.”
Trainer Robyn Mangiardi lost 11 horses. The six others belonged to trainer Timothy Benson.
Law enforcement and fire officials say they have no reason to believe the fire was a result of arson. Dust buildup, combustible bedding, and aged electrical and wiring are likely the culprits, though no confirmation has yet been made public.
