An Italian racehorse died July 1 during a practice session for the Palio di Siena horse race that takes place near Tuscany, according to a report from the United Kingdom-based news website Mail Online.

The Palio di Siena is a bareback horse race run twice a year during the summer (in July and August) around the main square of Siena. The horses run on a layer of dirt that is put down as extra cushion for the cobblestone surface. The Palio consists of three laps around the track, with spectators watching from inside the circle.

The Mail Online report indicates that an 8-year-old gelding named Messi was taking part in a practice session with jockey Antonio Villelli when he crashed into a barrier on a "notorious curve."

"Officials said the horse hit the barrier at the ‘San Martino bend’ on its second lap around the square and then limped for several feet before collapsing in front of the town hall," the report stated