Following the fourth catastrophic injury at Aqueduct Racetrack, in Ozone Park, N.Y., since the current meet began Dec. 12, the New York State Racing and Wagering Board (SRWB) has ordered necropsies in the future for all horses that are fatally injured while racing over the inner dirt track.

Additionally, the regulatory body has ordered necropsies for two horses that have died at Aqueduct, including Pleasantfriday, who broke down during a race Jan. 10. The other horse for which a necropsy was ordered was Gultopper, who broke down in a race at Aqueduct Dec. 6.

A 5-year-old mare trained by Linda Rice, Pleasantfriday had won seven of 19 career starts. Ridden by Cornelio Velasquez, the mare broke down in the stretch run of the fifth race Jan. 10 and was euthanized due to injuries to her right foreleg. Velasquez, who was thrown to the track, was uninjured.

Gultopper, a 2-year-old colt trained by James Jerkens, had a second and a third to his credit in five career starts. Previous to his Dec. 6 race, Gultopper was pulled up and eased in a maiden special weight race at Aqueduct Nov. 14