As a rule, the only dead horses reported in the media – including and most glaringly, the beat publications – come coupled with injured jockeys. Friday afternoon at Laurel Park, jockey Alex Cintron suffered a possible broken jaw in a 6th race fall; another jockey was treated for a knee abrasion. In a single-sentence afterthought tacked on to the end of this story – a Laurel Park press release that was re-published in Blood-Horse, the Paulick Report, et al. – we learn that Cintron’s mount, Midnight Music, “was humanely euthanized.” (Actually, not quite the end, for Laurel felt it appropriate to convey the winner and who now leads the trainer standings.)
The dead 4-year-old was being raced for the second time in nine days – under two different trainers (Dane Kobiskie, Jamie Ness).
The breakdown is captured in the second replay (around 2:30)…
Patrick,
A reporter friend of mine is working on a story on horse race abuse and I am sending your posts to her whenever they have a video. here is the link to the You Tube video
Two horses fell in the video but one got up. I wonder how he is doing ??
When I put the link to YOU Tube it changes to what I see above. Somehow I cannot just capture the You Tube link.
http://www.laurelpark.com/race-info/news/cintron-injured-sixth-race-spill
this is the article about the accident and death.
Closing in on the far turn in the 5-1/2 furlong test for $35,000 claimers, Midnight Music broke down and sent his rider Alex Cintron hard to the ground. Miner’s Quest, just to his rear, stumbled over the fallen horse and tossed Christian Santiago Reyes, who did a somersault before landing on the track. Livonzin and jockey Abel Castellano were somehow able to leap over their fallen rivals.
Midnight Music was humanely euthanized.
Miner’s Quest got up and ran off but was quickly captured.
My comment. There is nothing humane about these races.
According to the racecaller this sickening incident was just “A SPILL”………………. “humanely” euthanased, oh really by inserting the word “HUMANELY” declares that the industry did a credible act when the horse had been forced to partake in an activity which causes it unacceptable harm and distress. An unconscionable act!
When are the Governments of countries where horseracing is legal going to take action and stop this hideous cruelty against these defenceless noble animals?
Patrick, after spending hours on the Internet and doing tons of research, the following is a list of all the Afleet Alex foals in my “virtual stable” that I cannot find. Seemingly, they have simply disappeared. I’m not overly concerned about the females, people wind up breeding them, pumping out more babies that will wind up dead on the track . However, I am horribly concerned about all the geldings since they may have gone to Canada or Mexico since its “easier” to put them on a slaughter truck than try to re-hab to good homes.
If anyone here knows the status of any of these horses, please contact me via FB. Thank you.
Sue Sefscik
Advier TB 4 / G
Afleet Alan TB 7 / G
Afleet Lexi TB 6 / M
Afleet Memories TB 4 / F
Alex Le Great TB 7 / G
Alex’s Hope TB 7 / H
Alex’s Sis Casey TB 7 / M
Alexi’s Gold TB 5 / M
Alice’s Alex TB 6 / H
All About Alex TB 7 / M
Barbies M TB 6 / M
Captain Fantastic TB 5 / G
Fast Alexia TB 4 / F
Fleet Special TB 7 / M
Frivolous Alex TB 5 / M
Front Row Yo TB 7 / G
Go Ask Alex TB 7 / M
Gray Flash TB 7 / M
Harissa TB 7 / M
He’s All Alex TB 5 / G
Itineris TB 7 / G
Kratisto TB 7 / G
La Gran Bailadora TB 7 / M
Mas Trueno TB 6 / G
Miss E. T. A. TB 4 / F
My Alexis TB 7 / M
Narita TB 5 / M
Noble Alex TB 5 / G
Notable Player TB 5 / H
Quick Ride TB 7 / H
Raven Hawk TB 7 / H
Regan Keely TB 7 / M
Remarkable Rocket TB 7 / M
Runfor Ro TB 5 / M
Sambista
Speed Date TB 4 / F
Straw Flower TB 7 / M
Summer Flick TB 6 / M
Swift Afleet TB 4 / C
Vivacious Anna TB 7 / M
Wee Alex TB 5 / H
World Champ TB 6 / H
Sue, it is heartbreaking to look at your list…and to think, this is just ONE person’s list. How many other horses have simply vanished? I know Mary has a full virtual stable and most of “her” horses haven’t been “heard from” in a very long time. The same goes for mine. And although you are correct in stating that the mares and fillies are likely somewhere spitting out foals year after year, I find their lives to be incredibly disturbing. They are nothing more than breeding machines after having been merely racing machines. Then they’re disposed of. Keith Asmussen’s 10 broodmares that he sent to a KB-frequented auction come immediately to mind.
http://www.drf.com/news/asmussen-family-mares-found-slaughter-auction
I’m assuming, Sue, that you have attempted to contact the last owners/trainers of record for these horses you are wondering about. Not that they wouldn’t lie through their teeth to save their own skin. And when the lucky ones are found emaciated at a seedy auction, no one is ever responsible. It’s always “oh I gave that horse to some nice lady to be a riding horse” or “the horse went to a young girl for 4-H”…”but I don’t remember their names.” Yea right, that’s what you do with your beloved family member.
Joy, the good news is that I DID find a few geldings that are being re-habbed, including one (Feelin’ Fine) who is doing well at shows. I also found about 6 or 8 mares that have been bred (one foaled this past Jan. and was re-bred in March ), so the list is not as long as it could be. I also deleted ones that were trained under a good, honest trainer and was told the horse had been retired to his farm. I also managed to find one of Afleet Alex’s group owners on FB and she vouched for at least 5 horse whereabouts.
Naturally, I was able to search this page to find 2 or 3 dead ones.
Sue, Joy is correct. I have a list of horses that left Beulah and only ONE still shows up in my Virtual Stable. The rest have disappeared. I do think that the mares have a better chance of landing in a good place, but, if they can’t produce a winner, they are tossed into the trash just like the geldings. It is interesting to note that, years ago, the TB foal crop was approximately 40,000 a year but now has fallen to about 26,000 a year. Therefore, a mare had a better chance at surviving in the TB industry years ago than she does now. The demand has decreased substantially. I believe there are two reasons for the decline – the economy and racing is losing its fan base. Less demand means less production – Business 101.
Four or five years ago, Fred Bauer, a contract kill buyer, told me that his men made a swing through Lexington on a weekly basis to pick up horses from the farms located there. A previous director of the Kentucky Equine Humane Center told me that she very seldom, if ever, got calls to take in horses from some of the breeding farms in the area. Her name is Lori Naegele (not sure of spelling). In my opinion, a mare is no safer than a gelding unless she produces winners. Additionally, when a mare has been repeatedly bred over the years with the hope of producing a winner, and now she finds herself in the position of being an older “barren” broodmare, her chances of landing in a good place plummet. She hasn’t been a riding horse. She has been a producing machine for the TB industry. There aren’t many people beating down the door to take in ANY horse, especially an older one, who hasn’t been ridden in years. Seems simple to me but many people struggle with that concept.
Joy gives an example of the ASSmussen mares and those in racing immediately began to babble that Keith must not have known that horses, when sent to auction, ususlly end up going to slaughter. In other words, ASSmussen was given a free pass. it is hard for me to comprehend how those immersed in racing still don’t know about slaughter. I will, therefore, make a bold statemnt and say that they are either delusional or they are lying. If I remember correclty, Ms. Donna Keen stepped up for the ASSmussen mares AFTER she defended him.
I want to give you a real life example of a situation that happened recently to me. I had been following a mare by the name of Pazoom. She showed up in my VS on a regular basis but suddenly stopped. She was owned and trained by Terry Haehn. I reached out to a racing official that is a friend of mine and asked him to inquire about Pazoom. Within a few days, he got back to me and told me that Pazoom was placed with someone as a prospective broodmare .Do I believe that Pazoom was sold/given to someone as a prosepctive broodmare? No, i don’t since I know Mr. Haehn, as does Joy, and Haehn is known for sending his horses to a horse dealer here in Ohio. If this dealer can’t flip the horse, the horse is sold to slaughter. Could Pazoom still be alive? Obviously, the answer is yes, she could be but I would suspect she is “long gone”. It is heartbreaking but this is the underbelly of racing.
Only 5% of the foals produced in this country will actually win a stakes race and even fewer win a Grade 1. For those that undertand the horse industry and basic math, those are sobering statistics.
Mary, many thanks for your nice response.
I personally have two senior QHs in my backyard. One I rescued off Craigslist; she is a former broodmare, now 28 years old. She had been sold at the local auction (at age 25) but for whatever reason, the buyer decided not to breed her and placed her on CL for “free to good home.” Thank goodness I found her; she is the absolute sweetest mare, very kind and coincidentally, very correct confirmation-wise.
The gelding is out of QH race lines. He was found on a slaughter truck over 12 years ago and pulled off. I volunteered at a local rescue, grooming every Sat., until I found my own land. After he was unsuccessfully placed three times (he won’t “whoa”), I asked the rescue for him, and here he is. Do I need to tell you he hates his left ear being touched? Gee….I wonder why!
I would simply like the Jockey Club to ask the trainers and owners to report what happened to their horses after the track. I know many won’t respond, but at least the few who go to breeding farms or New Vocations may get reported. There would be far fewer horses on our VS lists as missing.
Does anyone know of a horse named Straight Scooter? He was allegedly Vanned Off on 04/01/14..
Midnight Music was a gorgeous dark bay colt with a heart of a lion. The announcer didn’t give him a second thought but I’m glad Mr. Patrick Battuello did. The racing industry calls it a partnership between horse and human but when it comes down to it they could care less about their equine athletes.
You are so right, Tracey…it is not a partnership no matter how much the industry likes to say it is…and actions speak louder than words. It is nothing more than a cruel master/slave relationship. I, too, am thankful Patrick acknowledges the lives (and deaths) of these horses. Their unecessary deaths for a $2 bet are tragic. Never knowing they once shared this earth with us is reprehensible.
I despise every aspect of this industry.
Someone said here they felt sorry for the older broodmares at the mixed sales. Amen to that ! I have one here because se had nowhere to go. She is a sweetheart. I was lucky to find a very good home for another “unwanted” broodmare and she is now doing very well on trail rides.
These so called “partnerships” in racing are tenuous, at best, but really are a joke. I wonder if these people believe the nonsense they spew or just think they are fooling the public.
Midnight Music, I’m so sorry you suffered such an ignominious death at the hands of this sorry industry.
He looked like his sire, Midnight Lute, winner of the Breeders Cup sprint in 2007 and 2008. The announcers “ignore” such tragic events because the ugly truth has to be hidden as much as possible. It just shows there is no respect or any caring for these amazing athletes. What a shame.
Correct you are again Rose. A horrible swan song for this 4yo boy. Way to go – Midwest Thoroughbreds INC. Way to go!! Every $2 Bettor should appreciate one of the best racing outfits around!! Good luck with all current entries@ Churchill, aqueduct, gulfstream, laurel, hawthorne….shameful indeed Rose, I agree with you 100%
holly, I’m thinking you might have already looked up Straight Scooter in Equibase. Like you said, he was vanned off after he “gave way” in a $2500 claiming race at Beulah on 4-1-2014. He’s not raced since. His owner and trainer at the time was Terry Haehn. If you would like to call him and ask about SS, Mary and I have his phone number. Patrick will give you my e-mail address.
Holly, I do know T. R. Haehn personally. In fact, I bought a mare from him 6 or 7 years ago when he was “done” with her and I donated the horse to New Vocations. Terry is bad news. His horses have a bad habit of disappearing when they are no longer productive.