Sunday afternoon at Buffalo Raceway, Faith N Moon was killed after fracturing a leg in the 5th race. As NY and California are the only states to give up their harness dead, it’s hard to say how many Standardbreds are falling around the country. But for context, to date, NY has recorded six 2014 harness kills (three at Buffalo).
Also, in reporting weekly casualties, I have reminded that some horses die from injuries after seemingly finishing their races without incident. Case in point: In the 2nd race at Belmont on June 5th, 5-year-old Samuels Blond Lady finished fourth in a maiden claiming race. Although it was noted that the mare was “bumped from both sides at the start,” there was nary a mention of possible injury. Nevertheless, Samuels Blond Lady was euthanized (though it wasn’t reported till June 8th). These two bring NY’s 2014 racing/training death toll to 29. (Overall, 39 have died at NYS tracks.)
Wow an email with no mention of California Chrome.
And therein lies the problem of the Jockey Club Injury Database as they trot out their statistics every now and then for PR purposes. The figures they are giving you do NOT include deaths like that of Samuels Blond Lady that occur AFTER a race nor do they include all racetracks and even they know that there are more deaths at the bottom level tracks in states with literally no oversight of lameness exams for horses entered nor does anyone in those states even record deaths anywhere much less let the Jockey Club Injury Database or the public know. NO ONE KNOWS not even the Racing Commission! Their database also does NOT include those horses who limp into rescues and must be euthanized nor does the Jockey Club Injury Database let you know how many of their racehorses went to slaughter each year and ALL of these horses are just as dead as those that they record for PR purposes.
Amen, Jo Anne Normile. The databases don’t mention Shanty Hill Road, Bionic Brine, Slade and Marsella Delight, among others. Those horses did not die in the dirt but were later euthanized due to injuries they incurred in racing. Yep, better to keep those “dirty secrets” behind closed doors.
David, you are obviously new to Horseracing Wrongs. There have been hundreds of posts with no mention of CC.
I was speaking about recent posts on the thread I’ve been receiving emails on. I’m not new.
The Jockey Club is, essentially, the equivalent of the American Kennel Club of the dog world…there to make money and not involved in any issues to do with the welfare of the animals.
RIP Faith N Moon and Samuels Blond Lady. How can one say it again and again and again…what this industry does and how sad and infuriating and frustrating it is. I’ve got nothin’.
Please list the horses you mentioned before would make it easier for me to give you a heads up. Don’t have time to go back to old posts. Thanks! Dave J.