4-year-old Roses for Romney was killed in the 8th race yesterday at Belmont. The complicit: jockey Irad Ortiz Jr, trainer Christophe Clement, owner/breeder Lawrence Goichman, and all priors.
Here is the replay (“Race Replays,” Wednesday, Race 8). Slow-motion at around 3:40 captures the filly’s death throes. This is horseracing.
All these needless premature deaths! What can we do to make this stop??? I am not sure of what percentage of owners/trainers/jockeys are actually taking a horse’s welfare into consideration, but I know that by seeing these poor innocent souls lose their lives each and every day, that if the public would stop betting on these, then no racing, until something’s done. That is, “don’t feed it (betting) and maybe it (racing) will go away”? I have seen break down after breakdown via video, but this particular one was the straw that broke this camel’s back, and now I am trying to decide whether I will share it on my page, or not. I know my horse friends feel like I do about racing , especially those who used to get into the thrill of racing (as I did many years ago) but since the reality of what transpires in this, uh, sport, a lot of them look upon horseracing with distain and sorrow for the many innocents in this horror.
I feel so sorry for these horses. And hearing about the physical altercations between the “trainers” and others involved in this fine “sport” makes me shudder. These people are a classless bunch of hooligans. God help the voiceless victims entrusted to them !!!
I hope you DO share this piece on your page, Sandra! PLEASE keep sharing the realities of horseracing in order to deter folks from becoming fans and bettors, and to educate those who were like you and I, Sandra…enjoyed racing but were not aware of the abuse and death.
RIP Roses for Romney. And what of Violet Hour and Ear D’ Rhythm, both of whom collided with Roses for Romney and fell…