In a claiming race last Wednesday at Mahoning, Sky Kerridge “stumbled badly and went to his knees at the start, stopped on the turn then was eased to the wire.” Officially, a DNF. In most cases, this would have been the final word, with us left waiting for the 4-year-old’s next entry or, possibly, disappearance from the charts. But this time, there was a postscript: I have learned that Sky Kerridge collapsed and died on his way back to the barn – no necropsy forthcoming. In his penultimate start a month ago, the John Myers-trained gelding finished last of 9…32+ lengths back.
Also, yesterday at Belmont, Deckers, an unraced 2-year-old colt trained by Jason Servis, shattered sesamoids while training and was euthanized. With this death, NY has surpassed last year’s kill total of 122. And there are still two weeks left.
I’d like to see the racing stop, at least for the time to acknowledge the birth of the man of PEACE. To avoid the death of any of these beautoiful souls. To save them the pain and terror of lying incapable of rising from the dirt – whilst we run around flapping shields and miking up the goings on. Shall we all Jump on the hypocrite wagon!!
Are we ever going to learn to fly?
This is so infuriating. I wonder what the racing supporters will have to say about a four year old dropping dead on his walk back to the barn. I’m sure the babbling will begin with statements such as….”accidents happen”. Yes, they do, racing folks, but not to the extent that they do in racing. Sky Kerridge was still a baby yet the racing officials at Mahoning sat on their asses and didn’t perform a necropsy or draw blood because….you know….the racing industry just doesn’t have the momey to do what is right for the horses. What jackasses those officials are. You would think they would WANT to know what killed one of the horses that puts food on their tables, but that isn’t the case. After all….this is horseracing!
Of course, let’s not forget about Deckers, a two year old “baby” who shatters his sesamoids while training. Oh, I forgot, let’s just sweep this death under the rug, too, and for those that question the brutality of racing, we can just, once again, babble that “accidents happen”. Yeah, right!
Thank you, Patrick, for acknowledging that these horses gave their lives so that some freaks could have fun betting on them. For those that support this industry, through words or actions, you are part of the problem.
Young horse just don’t “drop dead” like they do in this business. What was the horse on ? ! Maybe the feed was contaminated !!!
I blame the “officials” in racing even more than the hands on thugs
I have an OTTB. He only raced 8 times, own $68,000. But he has 28 fire pin scars on each foreleg and surgical scars on back of front fetlocks.
I do not know what fire pin scars are but it sounds like he was drugged and forced to run even though he was in pain.
28 fire pin scars sounds terrible and barbaric.
I believe Sky Kerridge suffered…and for quite some time. As Patrick pointed out, he came in last of nine and over 32 lengths back in his November race. In September, he finished 7th in an 8-horse field. And in his last race, to go to his knees, stop and then be eased…finally, collapsing in death while being walked back to his stall. I am sickened just thinking about how he suffered. And then NO NECROPSY?…and the industry wants to call this a SPORT and the horses their ATHLETES??…in what other SPORT would an ATHLETE drop dead and autopsy not be performed?!?!
Your suffering is over, Sky Kerridge…I only wish you could have known what it was to be a cherished equine family member.