Last week’s U.S. horseracing casualties.
“Broke Down” – racing-speak for dead:
Pull in Time, Nov 25, Turf 8
Strapping Groom, Nov 29, Penn 4 (DRF reports still alive)
“Vanned Off” – horses who required an ambulance (in crudest sense of the word) to leave course; a better-than-even chance of dead:
Dmzizzagonaroll, Nov 24, Zia 1
Bald Charm, Nov 25, Delta 5
Spicy Jack, Nov 25, Mahoning 5
Feature Mr Snow, Nov 25, Zia 4
Associate, Nov 26, Aqueduct 2
Zen Me Roses, Nov 26, Churchill 1
One Tango Charlie, Nov 26, Churchill 2
Miss Prim, Nov 26, Gulfstream W 4
Cherokee Scoots, Nov 26, Hawthorne 5
Bay of Biscay, Nov 26, Zia 7
Cherokee Artist, Nov 28, Aqueduct 6 (subsequently confirmed dead)
Kay Rah Rah, Nov 28, Charles Town 9
Twenty Three Darby, Nov 28, Churchill 9
Madam Maggie, Nov 28, Delta 6
Spring Likeacobra, Nov 28, Gulfstream W 10
Salt the Road, Nov 28, Hawthorne 9
Chloe’s Posse, Nov 28, Retama 4
Silver Majesty, Nov 29, Charles Town 8
Hawkshaw, Nov 29, Churchill 7
Bonita Song, Nov 29, Hawthorne 7
Empire House, Nov 29, Retama 2
Lost Yer Number, Nov 29, Tampa Bay 5
El Musico, Nov 29, Zia 6
Itsallinthefamily, Nov 30, Fair Grounds 6
Other:
No Flaws, Nov 25, Finger Lakes 6, “appeared in distress,” DNF
Consoles Gotta Go, Nov 25, Finger Lakes 9, “appeared in distress”
Nachas and Joy, Nov 26, Hawthorne 5, fell, DNF
Giant’s Fantasy, Nov 26, Mountaineer 2, “took a bad step,” DNF
First to Dashn Shine, Nov 28, Evangeline 10, fell, DNF
The Five Points, Nov 28, Gulfstream W 4, bled
Rhinestone Sandy, Nov 28, Parx 4, “stopped badly”
Zippy Zip, Nov 29, Charles Town 1, “came back sore and limped off”
Moonlit Park, Nov 30, Gulfstream W 7, “took a hard tumble,” DNF
Make an Entry, Nov 30, Mountaineer 4, “stopped badly”
Clifford, Nov 30, Mountaineer 8, “displayed sore form,” DNF
What other sport would allow a casualty rate like this? Disgusting…Stop racing BABIES…
Comedyflyer you are absolutely right this is disgusting. These gentle horses deserve to be treated with our upmost respect and care but instead these amazing athletes are getting hurt or dying and most in the racing industry don’t care. They use them up and then dispose of them like garbage.
stOP HORSERACING AND OTHER KINDS OF EXTREME SPORTS
Strapping Groom was injured, but not euthanized. They gave him a good enough prognosis that he could eventually return to racing, but Jacobson doesn’t want to take another hit to his “sparking” reputation, so they’ve retired him.
Thank you; it’s been addressed.
These weekly lists…30, 40 horses every single week…and incomplete, I’m sure, due to racing’s code of secrecy…are appalling. I try to take the time to look them all up, to see how old they are or were, to see where they’ve been, to look at how much money they’ve made for those that have used them, to know their sire and dam…even their color…in some way that I can’t explain, it makes them more “real”…it hits home that they are as “real” as my own equine family members in my own backyard. And they want to survive…and live like all horses should be able to live…being valued for simply who they are, not for what they can do. These weekly lists are not merely that – names “on paper” – they are living, breathing sentient creatures that are sharing or have shared this earth with us. And it’s appalling that there are those who can accept this and flippantly say, “it’s just a sad part of the business”.
Well-said, Joy.