Each day, I review the Equibase charts of every Thoroughbred and QuarterHorse race run in the U.S. the day before. The goal: to identify and document as many of racing’s casualties as possible. Unfortunately, some fall through the cracks – fatally injured horses who according to the charts finish their races without incident. If not for NY’s unique public database, 5-year-old Kissinginthedark would have been one of those. Per the chartwriter at Finger Lakes Friday, the Rafael Ramos-trained (and owned) mare completed the course (race 1) unscathed: “stalked the early pace on the outside, faded through the second turn and was outrun.” In truth, Kissinginthedark broke and died.
Because this was a $5,000 claiming race at lowly Finger Lakes, Kissinginthedark’s death passed unnoticed in, as far as I can tell, every media outlet in America. The sad truth is that save for here (and on Ramos’ 2014 tax return), this tragic creature is already forgotten. This is the horseracing they don’t want us to know about.
Racing is full of nasty secrets. As I have said before, the horse is a disposable commodity. This business attracts gamblers, and those who are willing to abuse the horse to the point of destruction and death. There is no mercy or compassion for these animals.
Kissinginthedark, I’m so sorry your unnatural short life ended in this way. Like all the others, you were essentially homeless and nobody cared about your wellbeing.
Another sacrificed claiming horse-the most abused horses in all of racing-especially in the ranks of places like Finger Lakes, Mountaineer, Suffolk, Thistledown, Penn-the list goes on. Thank you Patrick for remembering this mare. Kissinginthedark deserved much better than to have her become another “desaparecida” of horse racing.
There is a way to stop these atrocities. Stop betting on the horses. Those that bet are part of the problem because, without them, there would be no horseracing.
I now own Mitch’s Halo, noted as vanned off may 26 2014. I don’t know what happened that day, wish i did, but he’s an awesome happy horse and is in great health.
Glad your fella made it out alive, Brooke…I do see that he never raced again after May 26. I wonder what happened to poor Big Bert – he finished over 34 lengths back in the race that your gelding was vanned off…then he was raced only 5 days later. In August of that year, Big Bert was raced twice within 3 days. He last raced in February of 2015 when he came in over 29 lengths behind.