MrGrunge
Bluelighter
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.
We are immensely proud of this series, the writing, the acting, the filmmaking, the celebration of the culture of horses, and everyone involved in its creation.
Quote from Michael Mann and David Milch: "The two of us loved this series, loved the cast, crew and writers. This has been a tremendous collaboration and one that we plan to continue in the future."
They didn't mention the number in the quote for some reason, but three horses died during filming.
Personally, I don't see what the big deal is. The original 1929 Ben Hur saw the deaths of nearly a hundred horses, and Casablanca director Michael Curitz's 1936 movie The Charge of the Light Brigade was responsible for at least 200. Just another day in Hollywood.