The investigation has started on the startling death of 21 dead racing horses that were transported in Florida earlier this week. The authorities are probing on the possibility that these prized racing horses owned by a Venezuelan team were poisoned.

According to reports, these horses started collapsing on Sunday as they were being unloaded from vehicles at the International Polo Club in Palm Beach. Some horses died on the spot while others succumbed in clinics hours later. State authorities believe that a massive reaction on toxins or food supplements caused the deaths. The state veterinarians are still running tests to come up with official findings.

A spokesman from the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said that the authorities are looking into possible criminal negligence or deliberate tampering to weaken the chances of the Venezuelan team to win.

The death of the racing horses, owned by Venezuelan business Victor Vargas, coincided with the scheduled play in the finals. The cost of each horse is estimated at $200,000. Vargas was reported to have lost more than $2 million overall.

The team released a statement this week stating that they are coordinating with the authorities with the ongoing investigation.