Miss McKeown, a 3-year-old filly making her 5th career start, broke down and died yesterday in the 9th race at Aqueduct. The kill occurred on-track. This single death, in a $20,000 claiming race a world away from sunny Santa Anita, serves as the perfect microcosm for horseracing. While the official NYRA replay talks of Miss McKeown’s “very poor start” (perhaps this tragic creature was amiss from the gate), causing her to “lag the field by several lengths,” her snapped leg, the ambulance, the screen (to hide the ugliness), and the pentobarbital garnered not a single mention. Nothing. But, as always, we get the winner’s circle. Racing is but one lie, deception, and diversion after another.
As this page is opening our eyes to the many horrors of this industry,I have to say,our thoroughbred,Miss.Mckeown was perfectly sound and was cared for with nothing but love.This was a tragic and very unexpected for us.We are heartsick over our loss.,but thankful no one else suffered any injuries due to this accident.
Miss McKeown, via her performances, was pleading for her connections to stop, but no one listened.
1st race, “sluggish beginning”, 7th place finish, 18 lengths behind.
2nd race, “broke slow”, “lagged at the rear”, “failed to threaten”, finished 7th, 14 lengths behind.
3rd race, “away slowly”, “sluggish”, “tired”, finished 7th, 35 lengths behind.
4th race, “off slow”, “made no headway”, 7th place finish, 12 lengths behind.
5th race, broke down, euthanized.
Disgusting.
RIP Miss McKeown…you finally got their attention.
Thank you for the additional details, Joy. Right, as always.
Of course there will be no mention of such “collateral damage”. We should just accept these “accidents” due to these infamous ” mis-steps”. I’m very much afraid of what is to come at Aqueduct with big purses the greed is almost palpable. The ugly claiming game will run medicated, unsound sore horses and the “officials” will look the other way. What a “sport” !!
RIP Miss McKeown. Nobody can claim and hurt you anymore. God help all the horses.