The California Horse Racing Board is investigating the death of 5-year-old Standardbred Nutmegs Davey less than 24 hours after he won last Saturday’s 3rd race at Cal Expo. What’s more, owner Ormin Carrera and trainer Dario Solares are, at least for the moment, banned from the track for removing their dead horse without notifying officials. (In California, all horses who die at racetracks, no matter the cause, must be sent to UC Davis for a necropsy.) As an aside, Cal Expo horse owner Walter Peterson told KCRA that the horses “live in what I call luxury suites” and are “treated like kings and queens.”
Also, Wednesday at Monticello Raceway (NY), another Standardbred, Hickory Louie, died after finishing second in the 8th race. From the Gaming Commission database: “sluggish and unsteady at the half – finished 2nd but died on backside of track after finish – possible cardiac event.” Hickory Louie was trained by Robert Lounsbury and driven by Bruce Aldrich Jr. NY’s 2014 Death Toll: 17.
Can you IMAGINE the suffering of those horses?!?!? Hickory Louie is “unsteady” and “sluggish” during the race, and he DIES after being FORCED to finish the race?!?!? I am furious! Defend THIS ABUSE those of you who support racing or want merely reform! Another two sentient creatures, made to perform while they are begging to stop, are now DEAD for the entertainment of the masses. This industry makes me physically sick as does its supporters.
RIP Nutmegs Davey and Hickory Louie…I MOURN your abuse and deaths.
“Treated like kings and queens”!! I wonder if Mr. Peterson really believes this or does he not get around much ?
I’m so sorry for all the horses in all these money making rackets.