Saturday, in Charles Town’s 4th race, 8-year-old Sir Jock broke down and died. (Although Equibase stopped at “broke down,” I confirmed his death with the West Virginia vet’s office.) It was the gelding’s 82nd outing. 82nd. Here is how he arrived there:
debut, 9/1/07: trainer, Dale Romans; owner, Ed Edelberg
sold prior to 1/5/08: new owner, Purdedel Stable
claimed for $5,000 on 11/6/09: new trainer, Joe Woodard; new owner, Billy Hays
claimed for $7,500 on 12/18/09: new trainer, Jeff Talley; new owner, Texas Toyco LLC
claimed for $7,500 on 7/3/10: new trainer, Terry Berns; new owner, Theodore Mizerak
claimed for $5,000 on 11/3/10: new trainer, Vernon Coyle; new owner, Virginia Heizer
sold prior to 5/17/11: new owners, David Wilson and Vernon Coyle
sold prior to 4/13/12: new trainer, Laura Bealmear; new owner, Freddy Lewis
sold prior to 11/22/12: new owner, Laura Bealmear
claimed for $6,000 on 7/20/13: new trainer, Stephanie Beattie; new owner, Marion Wells
7 trainers, 10 owners, 17 tracks, 9 states
So, Mr. Romans, Mr. Edelberg, Mr. Woodard, Mr. Hays, Mr. Talley, Mr. Berns, Mr. Mizerak, Mr. Coyle, Ms. Heizer, Mr. Wilson, Ms. Bealmear, Mr. Lewis, Ms. Beattie, and Mr. Wells, was Sir Jock ever “like a part of your family”?
Also from the weekend:
Penn National’s racing office said this of 3-year-old Lucky Guess, vanned off after Friday’s 9th race: “Unfortunately, the horse is deceased.” This was the filly’s second consecutive DNF (6/28), both at Penn. In her other two starts, Lucky Guess finished 7th of 8 and 9th of 9. She was ridden by Felix Pinero, trained by Gary Craig, and owned by Sabina Abell.
Saturday at Evangeline, 5-year-old Allthatjazz perished in a $3,500 claiming race. The Quarter Horse was ridden by Shandy Salgado, trained by Oscar Lopez, and owned by Jose Reyes.
And finally, there is this from Zia on Saturday: In the 7th race, 9-year-old, yes 9-year-old, Iniquitous Kid, making his 63rd start, was “taken up in the stretch and vanned off.” Two races later, 2-year-old Ask the Ghost Nice, running for the first time, was “taken up down the backstretch and vanned off.” Young, old, it matters not; racing breaks them all.
I heard that Lucky Guess’s owner was distraught that her horse broke down and was euthanized yet Lucky was on the vet’s list shortly before her last race. I also was told by my contact that the girl who owned her was told multiple times that the horse shouldn’t race. It is now time for the racing enthusiasts to gather together and state that Lucky was just like “family”. Yeah, right….
There is absolutely NO REASON why that filly was even on the track. Poor girl.
And Sir Jock, RIP….his last trainers name alone explains it, never mind the gazillion races he had already seen from the gate
Jo-Anne, my contact at Penn knows the “whole” story behind the situation with Lucky Guess. All the warning signs were there but the owner decided that the lure of making a paycheck was just too great. .
Sir Jock was part of so many families the poor horse must have been confused. This is a perfect example of a horse’s decent into Hell via the despicable claiming game. And all the owners and trainers along the way just use/abuse the horse. Shame on all of them and the industry that thrives on these unfortunate and pitiful track warriors while they are, literally,run into the ground. How do these people sleep at night. Plus the “officials”do not even set minimum standards of care or any rules re. time between races etc.
Who is looking out for the horse ? I guess no one is.
Rose, you are so right. The racing industry is certainly NOT looking out for the horses that put bread and butter on the tables of those that own and train them. If anyone is looking out for them, it is those that value the horse beyond its ability to produce revenue.