Back in September, I wrote about a 3-year-old gelding who had been raced on back-to-back days – in two separate states. Since then, life has not improved for Irish-born Floating Ballerino. Still in the hands of trainer Janet Elliot and owner Gregory Hawkins, FB was recently raced three times in 18 days: 10/1 and 10/10 at Laurel, 10/18 at the Far Hills (NJ) Steeplechase. In the last, he “was through after a mile, fell back…pulled up before the last jump.” DNF. In all, Floating Ballerino was put to track five times in a little over five weeks. And there is no end in sight. This is horseracing.
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Running a horse back to back is animal cruelty, but the Racing Commissions do little since they need to fill races. A recent report commissioned by the NYRA confirmed that Trainers are under increasing pressure to run horses ,either by the Owners or Tracks ,for financial reasons. This example exemplifies an industry whose priority is profit done by exploiting voiceless racehorses. Another horse racing wrong.