Belmont Park lost its 33rd athlete of the year when 3-year-old Grand Arrival broke down in a practice session Friday morning. The Linda Rice-trained gelding had been last raced three weeks ago (at Belmont); his line: “GRAND ARRIVAL broke open the gate, had it re-set, proceeded to get bumped at the start, sat forwardly placed three wide for six furlongs before giving way.” He finished 10th of 11. Now, dead.
One reads in posts before and after this one about the horses killed at Suffolk, Charles Town, Finger Lakes, Thistledown…cheap tracks with “cheap horses” (hate that term, but have seen it used many times by trainers and owners in regards to the low-level claimers). Then on to Saratoga. Grand Arrival raced at Saratoga during their meet this summer. But it matters not…cheap tracks, elite tracks…horses of every ability, of every age, from every connection break down and die in this “sport”. There’s nothing that keeps them safe. And there’s no such thing as “that only happens at the CHEAP tracks”.
RIP Grand Arrival.
The racing industry needs a wake up call and to be made accountable for all these fatalities, also ex racers discarded, who cares what happens to them when there career is over, all the geldings on the scrapheap thank goodness for all the ex race horse centres that take them in and do there best to rehome them , bless you all, and thankfully.