Kan's last race took place on a rainy day at the Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong. It was the third race, run at a distance of 1400 meters for Class 5 horses. Kan was racing in midfield on Happy King (漢廷之寶), trained by Alex Wong, when about halfway in the seven-furlong race, the seven-year-old clipped the heels of Big Fortune, causing her to fall in front of four horses. Two of these – Solidarity and Lucky Afleet – severely trampled her, kicking her in the chest and head. Kan was rushed to the Prince of Wales Hospital where she underwent emergency surgery for skull fractures and internal bleeding, but later died. The last race at the course was cancelled out of respect and the trophy awarded to the Champion Apprentice each season has now been renamed the "Willy Kan Memorial Cup" in her honor.