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Horse deaths were just bad 'Luck' for HBO's series

By April MacIntyre Mar 16, 2012, 15:43 GMT

The beautiful series "Luck" by Michael Mann and David Milch had to shut down after a third horse had to be put down.

The beautiful series "Luck" by Michael Mann and David Milch had to cease production after a third horse had to be put down. 

HBO quickly canceled the series that starred Dustin Hoffman, Dennis Farina, Joan Allen and Nick Nolte.

The premise of the series centered on the interconnected lives of gamblers, trainers, track employees and owners at Southern California's Santa Anita race track, and was a momumental effort.

The horse trainer Matthew Chew, hired by the production company to look after the horses, is reportedly saying that the horse fatalities were no one’s fault.

TMZ reported that the trainer simply believes that “sh*t happens,” and he felt that the horses got superb care, with twice daily examinations.

Chew trained the third horse that died, said that the horse just "misstepped” which led to the tragic head injury where the animal was euthanized.

"We were just horribly unlucky ... sometimes sh*t happens,” he reportedly told the TMZ source.

The death of this horse put in motion an investigation by the American Humane Association which led HBO brass to cease production with the horses.

The statement from HBO read:

“It is with heartbreak that executive producers David Milch and Michael Mann together with HBO have decided to cease all future production on the series LUCK.  Safety is always of paramount concern. We maintained the highest safety standards throughout production, higher in fact than any protocols existing in horseracing anywhere with many fewer incidents than occur in racing or than befall horses normally in barns at night or pastures. While we maintained the highest safety standards possible, accidents unfortunately happen and it is impossible to guarantee they won’t in the future. Accordingly, we have reached this difficult decision."